Liberal Party Opens Door to Deal on Portugal's Immigration Overhaul

The discussion surrounding the next version of the Immigration Law has gained momentum this week. Luís Montenegro's government needs to rewrite the diploma after a presidential veto, and the party that can break the deadlock – Iniciativa Liberal (IL) – has just stated its willingness to negotiate. For those living in Portugal with a provisional residence permit, awaiting family reunification, or trying to renew their card on the AIMA portal, the message is simple: the rules may change again, but the political timeline has shortened.

Why Does This Matter for Expats?

While football is discussed in cafes and high rents on social media, foreigners feel a much more urgent problem: almost half a million pending processes at the Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum (AIMA). Each new law that reaches Parliament redefines deadlines, required documents, and even the right to work. An IL-Government agreement could establish a more stable framework and, crucially, dictate whether family reunification is possible again before 2 years or if CPLP visas will have to be obtained in the country of origin. Those planning careers or investments need this predictability to avoid, once again, being in administrative limbo.

What's on the Table in the New Law?

The Executive presented a text focused on "more regulated immigration." The draft requires CPLP citizens to arrive with a residence visa, eliminates the "manifestation of interest" (a simplified way to apply for residency after arriving in Portugal), restricts job search visas to highly qualified profiles, and tightens family reunification rules. Several of these points were rejected by the Constitutional Court, but the Government insists that the country cannot continue with completely open doors while the state machine fails. Government negotiators admit maintaining a transitional regime until December 31, 2025, for those who entered before June 3, 2024, but they want to put a definitive end to the eternal improvisation that has turned regularization into a lottery.

Where Does Iniciativa Liberal Stand?

IL sent a letter to Minister Carlos Abreu Amorim offering to form the necessary two-thirds supermajority if the moderate right and part of the opposition converge. The party says it accepts tighter border rules but demands "legal rigor" – no articles that will be rejected again. The bargaining chip involves the total digitalization of AIMA, interoperability with Finance and Social Security, and transparency: quarterly statistics on waiting times and decisions. MP Mariana Leitão reiterates that the objective is "responsibility without inhumanity," a position that brings the party closer to business owners eager for labor but forces the Government to rewrite the controversial article that postponed family reunions for 24 months.

The Bottleneck: AIMA's Backlog and Everyday Delays

After the extinction of SEF in 2022, a modern "one-stop shop" was promised. It didn't happen. More than 410,000 files were unresolved in June 2024; by March 2025, internal sources were already talking about 900,000 if visas, nationalities, and renewals were counted. The online portal, closed for months, slowly reopened in January 2025. Even so, lawyers report 900 daily lawsuits against the agency. A decree-law extended the validity of cards until October 15, 2025, but those who need to travel or sign contracts feel stuck. For IL, unblocking this door with digital tools is an essential condition for voting on the law.

Business Lobby and Rights Groups: Different Compass Points

Employers, from CIP to CCP, applaud the protocol that allows them to recruit directly from consulates but fear that the lack of accommodation and bureaucracy will make the model unviable. Immigrant rights NGOs, on the other hand, celebrated the presidential veto: they call it a victory for humanism and criticize the "implicit criminalization" of newcomers. Both factions, however, converge on one point: faster processes. Without that, the law will continue to exist only in the Official Gazette, while improvisation reigns in AIMA's queues.

What Happens Next?

Formal talks are expected to begin in September. If the Government and IL finalize a common text, the vote could occur in early winter, before the deadline that keeps thousands of expired cards valid. Failing that timeline would mean pushing the decision to 2026, prolonging the uncertainty. For those awaiting residency or considering moving to Portugal, the practical advice is to monitor AIMA updates, save proof of Social Security contributions, and, whenever possible, ensure appointments are confirmed in writing. The future legal framework is still in draft, but the rhetoric of recent days shows that no party wants to repeat the chaos that followed SEF's closure.