Long Appeal Delays Hit Expats as Portugal's Courts Run Short

For many foreign residents in Portugal, the difference between a thriving project and a paralyzing stand-still often comes down to timing. Whether you are contesting a visa refusal, finalizing a property dispute or challenging a tax assessment, the wait for an appeal can now stretch into years, not months. Behind the mounting frustration lies a fairly simple explanation: Portugal simply does not have enough judges to keep its appellate courts moving.

Why the backlog matters for newcomers

Visas, property deeds and corporate registrations all funnel through the country’s multi-tiered court system. When a case jumps from first instance to appeal, it lands at one of Portugal’s five Tribunais da Relação (civil and criminal) or at the Administrative and Fiscal second-instance courts. Because those benches are short-staffed, a routine dispute—say, over a lease deposit in Porto or a Golden Visa denial in Lisbon—may linger 18-36 months before it is even scheduled for hearing. That delay can freeze bank loans, residency upgrades and, in some cases, the right to work.

How big is the problem?

According to the Conselho Superior dos Tribunais Administrativos e Fiscais (CSTAF), the backlog has swelled to "historic proportions." One telling example involves a Leiria judge who sued the State after his own case spent 7 years gathering dust at the Central Administrative Court South. The situation is poised to worsen: around 600 judges are expected to retire within 6 years, while only 46 new magistrates entered the system in 2025. The Vice-President of the judiciary’s top governance body, Luís Azevedo Mendes, calls the staffing gap "muito complicada de gerir"—​extremely hard to manage.

What is being done – and what isn’t

Lisbon has started to act, but critics say the pace is glacial. The Justice Ministry opened 181 training slots at the Center for Judicial Studies, up from 135 last year, and approved a rule change so that law graduates with a master’s curriculum can apply sooner. A new career statute for court clerks aims to stop the exodus of support staff, while Regulation 1327/2024 lets the judicial council temporarily reassign judges between courts. Yet the Council postponed its 2025 reshuffle until September, hoping to avoid fresh "uncertainty" in courtrooms already overloaded with files. Meanwhile, Lisbon’s administrative court is drowning in lawsuits against AIMA, Portugal’s migration agency, prompting a bill to redistribute those cases nationwide.

Lessons from elsewhere in Europe

Other EU states have trimmed appeal delays by introducing filters for meritless appeals, capping the length of written submissions and expanding digital case-management tools. The Council of Europe’s CEPEJ even offers a "backlog reduction" playbook that pairs data analytics with staffing plans. Portuguese magistrates welcome some of these ideas—​the country’s own CITIUS and SITAF e-court platforms are regional showcases—​but the Judges’ Union warns against over-reliance on AI, fearing "desumanização" of justice. In the Union’s view, smarter resource management must precede any technological sprint.

Practical tips for expats entangled in Portuguese courts

If your appeal is already filed, monitor the electronic docket religiously; the courts send most notifications through the CITIUS portal. Consider asking your lawyer to request tramitação prioritária—priority handling—when the dispute affects basic subsistence, such as access to healthcare coverage. For fresh filings, weigh the pros and cons of arbitration clauses or specialized chambers, both markedly faster. Finally, budget extra time; banks, employers and immigration officials are increasingly familiar with the reality that a "decision is pending at the Relação" can mean a multi-year wait.

Looking ahead

Even if every training slot were filled, Portugal would still be down hundreds of judges by the early 2030s. The Justice Ministry argues that fresh recruitment, better pay for clerks and smarter digital tools form a "three-legged stool" to stabilize the system. Seasoned observers counter that unless the government pairs those steps with bold procedural reforms—​including limits on automatic appeals—​the queues will keep growing. For expatriates counting on the courts to safeguard contracts, residency or investments, the message is clear: factor judicial time into your long-term planning, and keep a close eye on how Lisbon’s promised fixes unfold over the next couple of parliamentary sessions.