Migrants in Portugal Brace for Digital Return System, Faster Expulsions

Portugal’s return machinery is on the brink of its most sweeping overhaul in decades, as Lisbon seeks to clear a mountain of unresolved exit orders while meeting Brussels’ tougher demands.

Overburdened Expulsion Processes

For many residents, the sight of police escorting charter flights is just the tip of a bureaucratic iceberg. Behind the scenes, Portugal’s Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo is grappling with more than 9 000 departure notices issued in the first half of 2025, yet fewer than 200 forced removals have been carried out. Cases drag on for an average of 14 months, turning even routine procedures into protracted legal marathons. Critics describe the system as over-legalized and under-resourced, with outdated software, a staffing shortfall and tangled appeal routes that invite costly delays.

Aligning with Brussels’ Deadlines

In March 2025, the European Commission will table a revamped Return Directive aimed at boosting removal rates across the bloc. The new proposal envisions a digital case-management platform, mutual recognition of return orders and tighter deadlines for voluntary departures. Portugal’s government has pledged to transpose these measures by autumn, but Lisbon’s landmark Pact for Migration and Asylum already signaled a shift toward stricter enforcement. The pressure is on to achieve Brussels’ goal of executing over 50% of return decisions by 2028—double today’s figure.

Cutting Through Red Tape

To accelerate departures, draft legislation in parliament would shrink the voluntary exit window to seven days and strip appeals of their automatic suspensive effect once a first-instance judge decides. In practice, migrants who ignore or miss the deadline could be moved straight to a Temporary Installation Centre, where expedited removal procedures apply. Lawmakers are also debating an extension of pre-removal detention from two to 18 months, matching the upper limit allowed by EU rules, with regular judicial reviews to guard against abuse.

Bolstering Detention and Patrols

Concrete action is already underway. Work has begun on two new 300-bed detention centres—one near Lisbon and another in the North—financed by €30 M from the Recovery and Resilience Plan. At major airports, existing holding cells are being upgraded to support remote court hearings, medical assessments and biometric registration under the upcoming Schengen Entry/Exit System, which goes live in October 2025. Meanwhile, the Public Security Police has spun up the National Unit for Foreigners and Borders (UNEF), deploying 1 200 officers at ports and airports, with plans to reach 2 000 by 2027.

Courts, Fines and Cooperation Pacts

Legal experts have urged the creation of dedicated chambers within the lower courts to handle return cases, cutting through administrative bottlenecks. Brussels also expects member states to impose deterrent fines on airlines that board undocumented passengers, and Portugal’s draft law triples penalties to a five-figure sum. On the diplomatic front, Lisbon is negotiating bilateral agreements with West African and Latin American capitals to secure guaranteed readmission of citizens who refuse to comply with removal orders. Proposals even include funding third-country “return hubs,” mirroring a controversial idea under discussion in Brussels.

National Debate on Integration and Security

Beyond logistics and legislation, these changes have sparked a broader conversation about identity and social cohesion. Some see tightened controls as necessary to protect the SNS, curb housing shortages and safeguard workplaces from illegal labour. Others warn that an overzealous approach risks eroding Portugal’s tradition of openness and fuelling the electoral rise of populist parties. Academics note the emergence of isolated communities—so-called “micro-sultanates”—where integration stalls and public authority struggles to exert its influence.

As Lisbon races to reform its return system, every step will carry repercussions for travellers, employers and neighbourhoods alike. With a parliamentary vote looming, Portugal faces a moment of truth: can it reconcile its humanitarian heritage with a demand for swift, effective removals, or will the new framework deepen social divides it aims to heal?