Portugal News

AIMA Processes Over 525,000 Immigration Cases and Issues 225,000 Residence Permits

Lisbon May 14, 2026 — AIMA have now carried out more than 763,000 consultations and decided over 525,000 immigration cases, with approximately 473,000 receiving favorable decisions, according to Minister of the Presidency António Leitão Amaro. 189,000 Manifestação de Interesse cases were still left unprocessed at the time of the statement.

President May Still Send Nationality Regulations to Constitutional Court Despite Signing Law

Lisbon, May 13, 2026 — Although Portugal’s revised Nationality Law has already been promulgated by President António José Seguro, constitutional scrutiny of the reform may not yet be over.

Under Portugal’s constitutional framework, the government must now prepare a regulatory decree-law within 90 days to define how the new nationality regime will be implemented in practice. Legal analysts note that this regulation will return to the President for promulgation, reopening the possibility of presidential intervention if constitutional concerns remain unresolved.

Portugal Proposal to Strip Nationality Over Serious Crimes Faces Constitutional Barrier

Lisbon May 12, 2026 — A proposal allowing the loss of Portuguese nationality for naturalized citizens convicted of serious crimes may still advance in the Assembly of the Republic, but constitutional experts say it would require approval by a two-thirds parliamentary majority due to potential conflicts with the Constitution.

Portugal’s Nationality Law Faces Uncertainty as President Warns Against Harm to Pending Applications

Lisbon, May 4, 2026 — A note of caution now shadows Portugal’s newly approved nationality reform, as President António José Seguro warns that the changes must not undermine trust or fairness—particularly for those already navigating the system.

In his statement accompanying the law’s promulgation, the President stressed the “importance of ensuring that pending proceedings are not effectively affected by the legislative change,” cautioning that any retroactive impact could amount to “an undesirable breach of trust in the State, both internally and externally.”

Parliament Reapproves Nationality Law Reform as Constitutional Questions Persist

Lisbon April 3, 2026 — Portugal’s Parliament has re-approved its proposed nationality law reform on April 1, 2026, marking a significant political step forward for a measure that has already faced judicial resistance. Backed by PSD, Chega, IL, and CDS-PP, the reform seeks to extend the residency requirement for citizenship from five years to ten years for most applicants, and to seven years for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries.

Portugal’s Nationality Law Sent Back to Parliament After Constitutional Court Ruling, Clarifying the Situation for Pending Applications

Lisbon March 13, 2026 — Recent media reports have created confusion among immigrants and nationality applicants about possible changes to Portugal’s nationality law. Some reports suggested that the law could soon move forward again with only minor adjustments. However, the legal situation is more complex following the ruling of the Constitutional Court of Portugal.

Revised Nationality Law: When Could Portugal Hold the Next Vote After the Court Rejection?

Feb 16, 2026 — In Lisbon’s political corridors, the debate over Portugal’s nationality law is moving again, though slowly and mostly behind committee doors. After the Constitutional Court struck down several provisions late last year, the bill did not disappear; it was sent back to Parliament to be rewritten. Since then, parties have been working through the legal objections, consulting constitutional experts and negotiating possible revisions that could survive another review.

STUDENTS WORKING IN PORTUGAL: NEW RESIDENCE PERMIT OPTION

Lisbon Feb 10, 2026 — The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) has announced that holders of a residence permit for study who have not completed their academic curriculum but are currently working in Portugal may apply for a temporary residence permit under paragraph j) of No. 1, Article 122 of Law No. 23/2007 of 4 July, provided they have not been absent from Portugal.

Applications must be submitted online through the official contact form at contactenos.aima.gov.pt, selecting:

Exit poll indicates victory for António José Seguro

Lisbon, 08 Feb, 2026 — Exit polls released by Portuguese broadcaster RTP, based on projections prepared with Universidade Católica, indicate a strong lead for Socialist candidate António José Seguro in the country’s presidential runoff, suggesting he is on course to win the election.

According to the exit-poll projection, Seguro is estimated to have received between 68% and 73% of the vote, while far-right candidate André Ventura is projected at between 27% and 32%.

Subscribe to Portugal News