Dynamic News

🇵🇹 Family Reunification Permits in Portugal Fall by 31%! 📉

Portugal granted 17,359 residence permits through family reunification in 2025, a 31% decrease compared with 2024.

Despite a significant increase in new residence permits issued by AIMA, only 5.1% were for family reunification.

AIMA ended 2025 with a backlog of 194,703 cases, including 76,907 pending residence permit renewals.

🇺🇸 US Expands Social Media Screening for More Visa Applicants📱

From October 1, 2026, social media screening will expand to I, TN and TD visa applicants. Applicants will be asked to keep their profiles public/open for review.

The policy already applies to several categories, including F/M/J and H-1B/H-4 visas.

🇦🇺 Australia Cracks Down on Tourist Visa Overstays! ⚠️

Australia is stepping up enforcement against more than 77,000 people believed to be living in the country without a valid visa.

The government plans to add immigration compliance officers and detention places, while making “No Further Stay” conditions more common on visitor visas.

The move is part of a broader tightening of migration rules, including restrictions affecting international students and working holidaymakers.

🇵🇹 Renewal Portal Updated for EU Nationals & Family Members

AIMA’s Renewal Portal has been updated for applications for EU Certificates and Permanent Residence Cards.

Applicants no longer need to provide their NIF or NISS when submitting these requests.

If a temporary data validation message appears, wait around 30 minutes, return to the portal, and continue the application, including submission and payment of the applicable fees.

If the issue continues, report it through AIMA’s Contact Form under Renewal Portal → Renewal Portal – report problem.

🇵🇹Portugal Immigration Rules – Key Changes

Portugal has introduced stricter immigration rules under Law No. 62/2026, published on 10 September 2026 and effective from 11 September 2026.

🚫 Regularisation without a visa: The new law further restricts the possibility for foreigners to regularise their status in Portugal when they entered/stayed without the appropriate residence visa.

📚 Students: A residence permit may still be granted to secondary-school students and Level 4 students, but they must:

▪️Hold the required residence visa.

▪️Be enrolled in an educational institution.

▪️Meet the other legal requirements.

▪️Have access to the National Health Service or health insurance.

📅 Residence applications: Authorities should decide residence-permit applications within 90 days.

▪️This can be extended by another 30 days in exceptional and justified cases, particularly where the application is complex.

🔴 Important background: Portugal had already closed in 2024 the previous system that allowed certain foreigners to regularise their situation without first obtaining the appropriate residence visa.

🇪🇺 EU rules: The new law also implements several EU regulations and transposes EU directives concerning international protection, reception, and residence/work authorisation.

⛔️The direction of the new legislation is towards stricter legal-entry and visa requirements, with fewer opportunities for people already in Portugal to obtain residence through regularisation without the appropriate visa.

🚨 Portugal Approves New Immigration & Asylum Law 🇵🇹

President António José Seguro has approved the new law covering the entry, residence, asylum, detention and removal of foreign nationals after the Constitutional Court found 11 challenged provisions constitutional.

The new law will tighten rules on irregular immigration, asylum procedures, detention and deportation. 🇵🇹

🇦🇺 Australia Suspends Work & Holiday Visa For Portuguese Citizens

Australia has suspended its Work & Holiday Visa program for Portuguese citizens due to high demand and limited annual places. 🇵🇹

The visa allows young Portuguese citizens to work and travel in Australia for up to 12 months, with limits on work and study.

🇵🇹 Immigrants Face Long Journeys for AIMA Appointments

Immigrants in Portugal are facing long and costly journeys to attend AIMA appointments, as appointments are often assigned based on availability rather than proximity to their homes.

The decentralisation was intended to reduce pressure on Lisbon and Porto, but immigrants say it has led to inconsistent information, extra travel costs and greater difficulties when dealing with the immigration system.

💶 Portugal Launches App to Turn Spare Change Into Bank Deposits

Volta has launched Volta€, a new app that allows users to deposit their coins and spare change directly into their bank accounts.

The app is currently being tested at major events and will work with Volta Kiosks, which are being introduced in several municipalities across Portugal.

🇵🇹📢 AIMA Issues New Guidance for Paper Residence Card Renewals

AIMA has issued new instructions for EU citizens and third-country family members of EU citizens who want to renew an existing paper residence card.

When entering the card number on the AIMA Renewal Portal, applicants must remove the first zero (0) on the left.

For example: 011641 → 11641

If the application still cannot be submitted, applicants should contact AIMA by email at [email protected].

The email subject should be: “Renewal Portal, Paper CR appointment, impossibility to submit request”

Applicants should include their personal information and a copy of their paper residence card in the email.