Portugal News

Last year, Portugal registered 8% fewer asylum requests, according to data released by the European Union, which places the country in 18th place in the European ranking in this area.

In total, 2,849 applications were registered in 2024, while in 2023 there were 3,083, with the majority of cases relating to Senegal (15%), Gambia (14%) and Colombia (9%), according to the Annual Report on the Situation of Asylum in the European Union.

Of these requests, 785 cases were denied, an increase of 500% compared to 2023, when only 131 requests were denied.

Each party can request a potestative Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (when there can be no objection) only once per legislature. In this one, Chega chose the topic of immigration.

The granting of residence permits to immigrants and Portuguese nationals "in recent years" will be the subject of a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) proposed by Chega. The announcement was made early in the afternoon of this Friday, June 20.

The Council of Europe's Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) on Wednesday (18) called on Portuguese authorities to adopt a firmer approach in combating hate crime and speech directed at immigrants and ethnic and sexual minorities.

In a report dedicated to Portugal, ECRI calls on the country to “improve the way security forces deal with hate crimes”. The organization, made up of 46 member states and headquartered in Strasbourg, warns of a significant increase in cases of hate speech, especially against immigrants, Roma people, LGBTQI+ and black people.

In a public position signed by more than 160 associations, collectives and individuals from different areas of social intervention, the rejection of initiatives that restrict the right to family reunification of immigrants in Portugal is demanded.

The Migration Agency only accepts family reunification applications from children up to 18 years old who already reside in Portugal. In May, there were 4,300 applications under analysis and almost 8,000 approved

Lisbon, June 12, 2025 – In a sweeping legislative push to redefine the boundaries of Portuguese citizenship, the right-wing political party CHEGA has tabled a bill in Parliament aimed at restricting access to Portuguese nationality and reintroducing mechanisms for its revocation in specific cases. The proposed law, if enacted, will mark a significant shift from the country's traditionally inclusive stance on naturalization and birthright citizenship.

Chega will present a draft resolution to ask the Government to temporarily suspend family reunification until the migration situation “is resolved”, announced today the party leader, who accused the executive of ineffectiveness in this matter.

With more than a thousand signatures, a proposal for a Brazilian lawyer will be analyzed by parliamentary committee. The goal is to reach 7,500 supports and ensure debate in plenary.

Council of Ministers reinforces measures in the areas of AIMA, renewable energy, Social Security and hospital health. New appointments and investments also approved.

The Government approved this Thursday, May 29, a set of measures with a strong impact on public administration, immigration, energy and health, in a written deliberation carried out through the executive's computer network. Among the diplomas, the extension of the AIMA mission structure, new targets for renewables, and an investment of 10.9 million euros in the Social Security contact center stand out.

Implementation of new control systems affects the arrival of non-European passengers to Portugal

Non- EU citizens are facing difficulties at Portuguese airports , especially in Lisbon . Queues to pass through immigration have reached 4 hours since the implementation of new control systems, which began last Monday (19).

Images show the chaos in the boarding areas, and reports indicate that some people became ill in the queue, with medical services being called. The responsible agency mentioned a greater risk in the evaluation of these passengers' documents.