After a long process of discussion by the Government and by the Portuguese parliament, Portuguese President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, gave the final approval to the law that creates the new portuguese imigration entity which is going to replace the actual SEF (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras) and it’s going to be called APMMA (Agência Portuguesa para as Minorias, Migrações e Asilo/ Portuguese Agency for Minorities, Migrations and Asylum).

Despite the President’s approval, he warned about the initial difficulties of this new entity dealing with the residence permit processes currently pending, saying that the long process for the creation of this new entity was creating serious damage to the country's external image.

Along with the creation of the APMMA, the President also approved the new regime for the government officers working on the immigration and residence applications.

According to the Portuguese Government, "this way, in situations of migratory pressure or humanitarian crisis, Portugal will be prepared to respond in a more coordinated and immediate way" to challenges such as trafficking in human beings and labor exploitation, "safeguarding the fundamental rights of migrants and refugees".

We will continue to monitor the situation as closely as possible, keeping investors and partners informed of any developments while remaining available for any clarifications needed.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.