Latest news and stories about bureaucracy in government in Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal for expats and residents.
Portugal is facing criticism for denying entry visas to at least 20 midwives from Africa and Asia who were scheduled to attend an International Confederation of Midwives congress in Lisbon. Organisers argue the decision prevents experts from regions with high maternal mortality rates from participating, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains that the visa process is rigorous and compliant with the Schengen Visa Code.
Residents in Lisbon are facing a total backlog for renewing their citizen card (Cartão de Cidadão), with no appointments currently available until 2027. The situation has created significant bureaucratic delays for those needing to update their primary identification document.
The Cartão de Cidadão (Citizen Card) is Portugal’s national identity card, introduced in 2007, used for in‑person ID and many online public services; it contains your civil identity data and supports digital authentication and signatures. It is issued to Portuguese citizens—foreign residents use a residence permit for ID—so non‑citizen expats should keep their passport and residence card for official matters.
President António José Seguro advocates for a state that supports accountants through stable tax laws, judicial efficiency, and reduced bureaucratic processes.
Cultural mediators from the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) are striking at the Government headquarters in Lisbon to demand permanent employment status and salary equality, protesting the ministry's reliance on precarious labor.
The Bar Association (OA) has published a 269-page manual to systematise the rules of the System for Access to Law and the Courts (SADT), including procedures for appointing court-appointed lawyers, payment requests, and the fee schedule applicable to legal aid. Among the figures provided is a remuneration of 22 euros per hour.
Insolvency cases have the highest representation, and Lisbon, as expected, is the area of the country with the highest number of pending cases.
In 2024, more than 27,000 cases were pending in courts of first instance and those with extended territorial jurisdiction, according to a report released by the High Council of the Judiciary on Tuesday, October 13. The Council stated that 27,705 cases had been pending for over four years, representing about 10% of the total 260,450 pending cases. The study aimed to analyse the duration of legal proceedings to support court management. The Lisbon judicial district had the highest number of pending cases, while the commercial sector accounts for the largest share, heavily driven by insolvency proceedings. The High Council of the Judiciary noted that these figures do not necessarily imply judicial delays, as case duration can be influenced by external factors such as expert reports, service of process issues, or procedural incidents.
President António José Seguro marked the 116th anniversary of the Republic by highlighting daily hardships faced by citizens and advocating for a new political culture of cross-party consensus. Meanwhile, Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas warned against the dangers of indifference and instability, referencing historical lessons from the Roman Republic and the 1926 coup.
The Directorate-General for Books, Archives and Libraries will not commit to payment dates for literary creation grant recipients or jurors for the Oceanos and PEN Club awards.
Investigators of the illegal wiretapping case are searching the Judiciary Police's Technological Prevention and Support Unit. At issue is the complaint against the current director filed by coordinator David Freitas, who was transferred and subjected to disciplinary proceedings. A judge will hear the six investigators involved on October 16.
The restructuring of the Ministry of Education's services has hindered the distribution of students among schools, making the process 'more confusing and time-consuming' than in previous years. Principals and parents complain about the lack of responses and the absence of a point of contact to resolve cases of students who remain without a place.
The information was released this Monday by the Minister of Labour.
A memorial at Largo da Oliveirinha in Lisbon commemorates the 16 victims of a tragic accident on September 3, 2025. One year later, the investigation remains ongoing, with the final report delayed until 2027, and many families are still awaiting compensation. The author argues that the city has a moral obligation to provide answers and resolve administrative matters promptly, independent of legal proceedings, reflecting the same spirit of solidarity shown by citizens on the day of the tragedy.
A critical commentary questioning whether the country's focus is truly on Portugal as a whole or disproportionately centered on the capital, Lisbon.
The head of the Portuguese Bar Association visited an AIMA office in Lisbon, witnessing the harsh conditions and lack of respect faced by lawyers and immigrants. The author reflects on the systemic disregard for the law within public administration, the culture of disobedience, and the struggle to defend the rights of thousands of individuals against a failing state apparatus.
The transfer of passport printing from the Consulate-General of Brazil in Lisbon to the Brazilian Mint is not expected to increase delivery times. Ambassador Alessandro Candeas, the Consul-General, stated that the additional transport time via diplomatic pouch will be minimal and offset by increased staff availability for in-person services. Urgent cases will continue to be printed locally. This centralized printing initiative, already implemented in the US and other locations, aims to manage the 40% surge in demand for consular services observed since 2024.
Passports requested at the Brazilian consulates in Lisbon and Porto will now be partially produced in Brazil as part of a pilot project by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. While the application process remains unchanged, delivery times may increase due to transit between the two countries. The move is expected to reduce waiting times for in-person appointments in Lisbon by freeing up staff previously dedicated to printing.
The measure still needs to be approved by the Legislative Assembly, but it provides for the end of the concentration of cases in Lisbon
Approved by the Council of Ministers, the new entity is part of a broader reform with four pillars to relieve the administrative and tax courts.
The Minister Assistant and for State Reform once again criticised the bureaucracy that characterises the Public Administration. At the .IA Conference, held by ECO this Tuesday at the Belém Cultural Centre (CCB), Gonçalo Matias complained about the delay in a simple kiosk purchase process, stating he hopes that the gradual introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) in...
A working group identified several problems in the application of the status, namely excessive bureaucracy, lack of communication, and the need for 'institutional coordination'.
The Lisbon Regional Council has requested an urgent audience with the President of the Republic to ask him to request that the Constitutional Court review the standards approved in the Code of Criminal Procedure on June 12.
Skip to main content Skip to navigation ! Woman walk down down a sunny street with one holding a sign saying 'midwives save lives'. People attend a Midwives March in Lisbon on 13 June, the day before the opening of 34th International Confederation of Midwives congress.
The economy remains low in productivity, argues Miranda Sarmento, while simultaneously highlighting its attractiveness to investors, namely the French.
The Minister of Finance stated this Friday, June 19, that the Government will “move forward shortly” with the reform of tax justice, specifically with a review of tax rates. During a speech at the Franco-Portuguese Economic Conference in Lisbon, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento highlighted necessary measures to address the country's main constraints, namely in human capital, bureaucracy, and the labour market. Regarding fiscal simplification, he indicated that the reform of tax justice and tax litigation will proceed shortly, including a review of rates. Furthermore, he highlighted the reform of the State to “extinguish and reduce the number of entities, but above all to combat bureaucracy, and in those entities where” there is “perfect awareness that they are a bureaucratic problem, such as the APA [Portuguese Environment Agency], ICNF [Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests], IRN [Institute of Registries and Notaries], and CCDR [Commission for Coordination and Regional Development].” The minister also signalled the need to continue reducing marginal IRS (personal income tax) and IRC (corporate income tax) rates, noting that even though they are no longer the highest in the OECD, they are “still quite high.” For this year, Miranda Sarmento emphasized that, “despite all the difficulties,” it will be possible to achieve “growth of around 2% of GDP, well above the Eurozone average,” a balanced budget, and continued reduction of public debt. At this conference, focused on relations between Portugal and France, the minister listed examples of investments in Portugal, such as BNP Paribas and Natixis, projects which, as a whole, “are critical to the Portuguese economy.” The banking sector is “another success story,” he added, pointing out that “15 years ago the banks were in a very difficult situation; today they are resilient, well-capitalised, profitable, and proof of this was the purchase of Novo Banco by BPCE.” Miranda Sarmento: tax revenue shows that Portugal is doing better than people say. IRS and IRC reductions “are to be implemented,” guarantees the Secretary of State for the Budget.
The Portuguese government has denied entry visas to a group of midwives who were scheduled to participate in an international conference held in Lisbon.
Portugal has denied visas to at least 20 midwives from Africa and Asia who were travelling to attend an international conference in Lisbon aimed at saving millions of babies worldwide, organisers and guests reported today.
