Latest news and stories about bureaucracy in immigration 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.
Other delegates may also have been prevented from participating.
Minister of the Presidency António Leitão Amaro confirmed that the national immigrant integration plan is still being drafted. The announcement follows public criticism from immigrant advocates regarding the performance of the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo or AIMA).
Temporary residence is a limited residence permit that allows non‑EU nationals to live in Portugal for a set period (commonly one year, renewable) for study, work or other reasons. The Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo (AIMA) launching an online form means eligible students who also work can apply or regularise their status more easily through AIMA’s process rather than only via consular services.
Lisbon is currently facing a complete halt in scheduling for the renewal of identification cards.
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 Portuguese government has denied entry visas to a group of midwives who were scheduled to participate in an international conference held in Lisbon.
According to the Union of Registry and Notary Workers, most registry offices closed in mainland Portugal. Also, in the World Cup, Canada drew against Bosnia.
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.
At least 20 midwives were denied entry visas to Portugal for an international conference held in Lisbon.
Without Portuguese nationality, the three boys, aged 11, 13, and 15, are prevented from representing Portugal in the sports they compete in: handball, swimming, and karate. The IRN has not commented.
Four offices of the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) will be open on Saturdays this month to distribute residence cards returned by the postal service. Immigrants with pending documents will be notified via email. The measure aims to manage a backlog of approximately 10,000 documents without disrupting regular weekday appointments. Participating locations include António Augusto Aguiar in Lisbon, as well as offices in Porto, Vila Real, and Braga, with specific schedules varying by location. Recipients must wait for an email notification before attending, and a fee of 29 euros applies.
Administrative and Tax Courts cite a context of “heavy procedural pressure,” with an exponential growth in filings and priority given to urgent cases such as those against AIMA.
The project was debated at a meeting of the Metropolitan Working Group on Social Affairs and Health, held on Monday in Lisbon.
There is an emotional toll that does not appear in the statistics. Immigration sells the idea of a future, but often delivers a bureaucratic and lonely reality.
The association reported the prolonged delays in the regularisation processes and renewal of residence permits at AIMA.
With the return law under discussion in committee and the nationality law about to be regulated, the Presidency decided to hear from various immigrant associations to learn about the bureaucracy at AIMA and the real problems on the ground.
The presidency has started a series of meetings to better understand the immigration landscape in Portugal. On Wednesday, May 20, representatives from Casa do Brasil, including president Ana Paula Costa and vice-president Cyntia de Paula, met at the Belém Palace. They presented a document to the President, António José Seguro, highlighting issues such as bureaucratic delays at AIMA, the risk of irregular status due to administrative failures, and concerns regarding xenophobia and the recognition of professional qualifications.
AIMA aims to accelerate immigrant regularisation processes, which currently average between two and three thousand per day, totalling around 70,000 per month. Pedro Portugal Gaspar, president of the agency, announced plans to expand services nationwide to address delays, which he acknowledged as a form of 'violence' against migrants. While promising better local response capacity, he maintained that current queues are not comparable to those of the past. He also noted that rising immigration levels present integration challenges that require public understanding to maintain social cohesion. Complaints against AIMA rose by 37% in the first quarter.
The leadership of the Casa do Brasil de Lisboa (CBL) attended a meeting between the presidents of Brazil and Portugal on Tuesday, April 21. Lula was received by António José Seguro at the Belém Palace. During the meeting, the CBL president addressed the contributions of the Brazilian community in Portugal and raised urgent issues, such as persistent difficulties with immigration service appointments. Contrary to community expectations, Lula did not publicly address recent changes to Portuguese immigration and nationality laws, focusing instead on the EU-Mercosur trade agreement and multilateral peace agendas. The CBL also expressed concern over the rise in racism and xenophobia.
Home News AIMA overnight queues led to police intervention in Lisbon AIMA overnight queues led to police intervention in Lisbon The AIMA agency in Anjos, Lisbon, was the scene of tense moments on 7 April in the morning, requiring police intervention to control the disorder caused by hundreds of i
Attempts to jump the queue and the large turnout at AIMA in Anjos led the PSP to request police reinforcements as a preventive measure to contain tensions and ensure order among hundreds of people.
Angry scenes outside the offices of AIMA (the agency for integration, migrations and asylum) saw police reinforcements called in today, to try and keep ‘order’ among the many hundreds waiting The post Police ‘reinforced’ as immigrants ‘revolt’ outside AIMA offices in Lisbon appeared first on Portugal Resident.
The reason was the long queue recorded during the morning. Police have already demobilised. Also in this news bulletin, an analysis of Donald Trump's latest threats to Iran.
200 people waited all night to be served in Anjos. Furthermore, the Minister for State Reform does not feel targeted by Passos Coelho's criticisms regarding the Government's lack of reformist momentum.
Gonçalo Matias reinforces that the Government is counting on all parties in the negotiations. Additionally, the strike by AIMA cultural mediators caused disruptions this morning at the offices, especially in Anjos.
In this news report, live coverage of the disruptions caused by the cultural mediators' strike. Also, the war in the Middle East, with a focus on Trump's threats to Iran.
Cultural mediators from AIMA are gathering near the Government headquarters this Monday. The Federation of Workers' Unions accuses the State of using precarious workers as permanent staff.
