Residency permits news in Portugal

Minister of the Presidency António Leitão Amaro has accused lawyers and consultants of misleading clients regarding access to Portuguese nationality through Residence Permits for Investment (Autorizações de Residência para Investimento or ARI). The government maintains that the link between these investment visas and citizenship was never a guaranteed rule.

The number of new lawsuits challenging expulsion orders, voluntary departure requests, and residence permit denials reached its highest level in Lisbon this April since at least January 2025. Data from the Superior Council of Administrative and Tax Courts (Conselho Superior dos Tribunais Administrativos e Fiscais or CSTAF) indicates a growing trend in legal disputes involving the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo or AIMA).

Update: Record number of legal challenges filed in Lisbon

Administrative courts recorded 496 new cases in April alone, bringing the total number of pending residency-related disputes to 2,271. This surge follows a review process by AIMA that resulted in a high volume of permit rejections, prompting the establishment of a judicial task force to address the growing backlog.

The Judiciary Police (Polícia Judiciária or PJ) opened a record 177 investigations into sham marriages in 2025, a significant increase from previous years. Authorities report that the rise follows the 2024 abolition of the expression of interest mechanism, which previously allowed foreign nationals to obtain residency through tax contributions. Criminal networks are reportedly recruiting vulnerable Portuguese individuals via social media to participate in these fraudulent unions.

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).

The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) has opened an internal inquiry after the Judicial Police (PJ) conducted searches at its office in Ponta Delgada. The agency stated it is providing full cooperation with the authorities regarding the investigation.

The government announced that the mission structure for the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo or AIMA) has resolved 26,000 immigration requests. Officials stated that 92% of cases have been processed, though they acknowledged that administrative challenges and service capacity issues continue to persist.

The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo or AIMA) has reversed multiple expulsion orders against foreign residents in the last month after media intervention. In one case, the agency ordered a resident to leave despite her daughter's residency permit being renewed, later citing an administrative error.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva concluded his visit to Portugal this Tuesday, meeting with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and President of the Republic António José Seguro. While the visit focused on strengthening bilateral ties and trade, Lula did not address specific changes to Portuguese immigration and nationality laws, disappointing some members of the Brazilian community. Montenegro highlighted that Portugal has regularized over 235,000 Brazilian immigrant applications in the last two years.

The ride-hailing platform Bolt has confirmed it will not block immigrant drivers currently undergoing the residency permit renewal process. The company has extended the deadline for drivers to provide updated documentation by 30 days, acknowledging the administrative delays currently affecting many foreign workers in Portugal.

Nearly 3,000 Nepalese nationals living in Portugal are at risk of expulsion after submitting residency applications that included forged stamps on otherwise genuine criminal records. These individuals, who have been working in the country since 2022, were reportedly victims of a scam. The government of Nepal has formally requested assistance from Portuguese authorities to resolve the status of these residents.

The government of Nepal has formally requested assistance from Portuguese authorities regarding the status of 2,800 Nepalese nationals currently at risk of expulsion. The situation highlights ongoing bureaucratic challenges faced by foreign residents in Portugal as the country manages its immigration processes. No immediate resolution has been announced by the Portuguese government.