The law was endorsed by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa after adjustments made with the support of the Chega party, following a prior rejection by the Constitutional Court, newspaper DN reported. Key changes include limiting the work search visa to highly qualified professionals, with a specific list of eligible occupations to be defined by a joint ministerial decree.
This contrasts with 2023’s broader eligibility, which included various professions and facilitated entry for citizens of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). Now, CPLP citizens must enter with a prior residence visa rather than a tourist visa to apply for residency, effectively closing a loophole.
Family reunification processes have also been tightened, requiring couples without children to prove 15 months of legal residency before applying, while families with children can apply immediately. The law aims to reduce the influx of immigrants and address the backlog of over 24,000 family reunification requests pending at AIMA.
Additionally, the government seeks to curb judicial actions against AIMA, which have surged due to administrative inefficiencies.
Under the new law, immigrants will need to demonstrate that delays from AIMA significantly impact their rights to pursue legal action. Overall, the reforms represent a significant shift towards stricter immigration control in Portugal.
