Immigration lawyer denounces administrative barriers in Portugal

Brazilian lawyer Elaine Linhares, a specialist in Portuguese immigration, has denounced systemic barriers within the Portuguese state regarding immigrant processes. Representing hundreds of lawyers through the petition ‘Pelo Fim das Barreiras ao Exercício Digno da Advocacia’, Linhares criticized the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) and the Institute of Registries and Notaries (IRN) for slow systems, selective rule interpretation, and administrative errors that penalize those who submit correct documentation.

Linhares reported significant difficulties, including lawyers waiting in lines through the night and instances of physical hostility, such as water being thrown at professionals. She noted a heavy concentration of citizenship processes in Lisbon and Porto and has requested a meeting with Justice Minister Rita Alarcão Júdice to address these issues, though she is still awaiting a response.

Separately, data from the Republican National Guard (GNR) indicates that over one thousand immigrants received notifications of voluntary abandonment of Portugal between 2023 and August 2026, with Brazilians leading the ranking of those expelled. The GNR has conducted extensive inspections across various sectors, including commerce, industry, and tourism.