Article by Luís Leitão Teixeira - Lawyer at International Atlantic Services

Morning – Powered by Coffee (and Fruit)

My alarm goes off at 6:30 AM. First things first: coffee. Strong coffee, to be ready for the long day ahead.

By 7:30 I’m out the door, ready to start at 8:00. The day begins with the usual ritual: organizing my tasks, reviewing emails, and preparing the scheduling of a client’s biometric appointment at AIMA in Porto. For anyone navigating Portuguese immigration bureaucracy, an actual confirmed appointment is practically cause for celebration.

At 9:00, I met the client for a preparatory meeting before heading together to AIMA. To my great relief (and his enormous joy), everything runs smoothly, and the application was accepted successfully. His gratitude was so genuine that, honestly, my day could have ended there, and it would already have been a success.

Afternoon – Emails, Meetings, and the Weekly Marathon

Back at the office by noon, I catch up on more emails before grabbing a quick lunch and preparing for what promises to be a busy afternoon. Mondays at our firm mean one thing: the weekly team meeting at 3:00 PM. It’s when we sit together to map out the week ahead, discuss client cases, and share ways to improve our service. Immigration law is complex, and teamwork is the secret ingredient that makes it manageable.

As soon as that’s finished, I met with an American client interested in using IRA retirement funds to invest in Portugal. A fascinating discussion follows: the intricacies of applying U.S. retirement structures within Portuguese law, the tax implications, and, thankfully, how to avoid triggering unexpected penalties. Cases like this remind me that immigration law is never static, it constantly evolves, and each file can bring something new.

After that, I review open files and make sure everything I had planned for the day is on track. In immigration law, attention to detail is not optional, it’s survival. Missing a single document or deadline can have outsized consequences. That pressure is one of the challenges of this profession, but it’s also part of what makes the wins so rewarding.

Evening – Switching Gears

By 6:00 PM, it’s time to head home and reconnect with family and friends.

Later, at 08:00 PM, I trade my suit for sports gear and join my soccer team. It’s the perfect way to unwind: running, sweating, laughing, and forgetting about bureaucracy for at least 90 minutes.

Dinner follows, then rest. As I close the day, I feel grateful.

Immigration law is demanding, unpredictable, and at times frustrating. But it is also profoundly human. Every case is a story, and every client’s success feels like a shared victory.

Tomorrow will bring new challenges, no doubt. But for today, I am going to bed happy, knowing I’ve made a difference, and ready to face whatever comes next.