Leitão Amaro defends extending the deadline for assigning nationality

This is the first time that the Executive has publicly admitted that it does not agree with the current five years and with the last unregulated amendment that relaxed the request

According to the Minister of the Presidency, the deadline in Portugal is below the community average and is a factor in attracting immigrants

The minister who oversees the migration portfolio defended, following the figures revealed by AIMA, that “immigration was really out of control”.

At a press conference, following the release of the interim report on the recovery of pending cases at the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), António Leitão Amaro explained that the deadline, below the community average, is a factor in attracting immigrants, who seek to benefit from this measure. The nationality law has already been subject to changes in this legislature, establishing a five-year period only after the assignmen…

AIMA's interim report on the “Foreign Population in Portugal” points to 1,546,521 foreign citizens, almost four times more than in 2017. Pending recovery requires an upward revision of numbers from 2022 and 2023. End of the expression of interest regime causes a 59% reduction in inflows. Government now wants to tighten the Nationality Act and control fraud in the issuance of residence certificates