FS44E - Foreigners Law

The new so-called “Foreigners’” Law nº 61/2025 has been published.

This law updates Portugal’s immigration framework, specifically amending Law No. 23/2007, which governs the entry, stay and departure of foreigners from Portuguese territory. The 2025 amendments aim to:

• Streamline legal immigration
• Eliminate informal regularisation routes
• Prioritise skilled labour and entrepreneurship
• Strengthen integration and oversight

What has changed?

End of “Manifestation of Interest” Route

• This pathway allowed undocumented migrants to apply for residency based on employment and social security contributions.
• Now revoked, meaning informal regularisation is no longer possible.
• Foreign nationals who were registered with Social Security and working as of 3 June 2024 will still be allowed to apply for a residency permit - but must do so by 31 December 2025, after which the transitional regime will lapse.
   

Qualified Job Seeker Visa

• A new visa targets highly skilled professionals in technical fields.
• Applicants must secure a job contract before applying for the visa within the 120-day period.
• All previous work visa appointments with AIMA have been cancelled and replaced by this new system.

Stricter Visa Requirements

• For the granting of a temporary stay visa, a visa for seeking skilled work and a short-stay visa, a proof of return travel is also required
• For the granting of a residency visa, a visa for seeking skilled work or a temporary stay visa, applicants can’t have a history of illegal stay.

Entrepreneur Visa via Certified Incubators

• Foreign nationals launching innovative startups in certified incubators may qualify for residency.
• This supports Portugal’s Startup Visa program, encouraging global entrepreneurship.

Family Reunification Rules Tightened (not for family members of EU citizens)

• Foreign nationals will only be allowed to apply for family reunification after completing two years of legal residence in Portugal (this does not apply to minors or dependent adult children, or parents of those children). Couples without minor or dependent children, may be eligible after 15 months, but they need to show they’ve lived together for 18 months before arriving in Portugal.
• You’ll need to provide documents that prove your legal residence, financial means, suitable housing and that your family relationship is valid (this could include registering your marriage in Portugal or getting official recognition of a civil partnership).
• This rule doesn’t apply to holders of residence permits for investment activity (Golden Visas) highly skilled worker permits, or holders of the EU Blue Card - they can apply for family reunification straight away
• Integration requirements now include:
  • Portuguese language proficiency
  • Civic education (training on Portuguese constitutional principles and values)

These changes aim to ensure smoother social integration.

• AIMA’s deadline to decide on family reunification has been extended from 90 working days to 9 months, with the possibility of further extension in exceptional cases.

CPLP Nationals (Portuguese-speaking countries)

• Nationals from CPLP countries (e.g., Brazil, Angola, Mozambique) retain simplified residency procedures, but to request a residency permit, they need to have a valid residency visa.

Judicial Oversight of Immigration Authority (AIMA)

• Legal recourse is strengthened for:
  • Delays
  • Omissions
  • Unjustified denials
• This ensures greater accountability of AIMA

Specific regime for vulnerable minors

• Children and young people placed under institutional protection will no longer fall under the general humanitarian residency category and will benefit instead from a visa-exempt residency regime tailored to their situation.

The law took effect the day after publication: 23^rd of October 2025.

This law is not to be confused with the Nationality Law. 

• Foreigners Law is about living in Portugal without being a citizen - residency and migration. 

• Nationality Law is about becoming part of the nation through obtaining Portuguese citizenship. We will also include this information in another factsheet FS 45 as soon as the law has been published.