The new Portuguese immigration entity begins 29 October 2023

  • 12 June, 23

The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), which will replace SEF and the High Commission for Migration, will start operating on 29 October.

The decree-law that creates AIMA was published today in Diário da República and brings to an end, by merger, the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) and the High Commission for Migration (ACM).

According to the document, under the responsibility of the Deputy Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, AIMA will succeed SEF in its functions in administrative matters related to foreign citizens and the High Commission for Migration regarding issues of reception and integration of immigrants in Portugal.

The social inclusion programs for children and young people from more vulnerable socioeconomic contexts, which are currently the responsibility of the ACM, will be transferred to the Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth, says the decree-law.

Within the scope of the end of SEF, the Instituto de Registo e Notariado (IRN) now ensures the competences in terms of granting and issuing the Portuguese electronic passport that were exercised by SEF, as well as the attendance of renewals of residence permits, allowing citizens who regularly reside in the national territory can handle the respective documentary processes in the same places as national citizens.

The decree-law also promotes the legislative changes necessary for the new configuration of the Portuguese border control system, which creates the Borders and Foreigners Coordination Unit.

“In order to guarantee the stability of the transition to the new configuration of the Portuguese border control system, it was decided to foresee that the present decree-law enters into force on 29 October 2023, coinciding with the end of the summer IATA”, reads the document that was approved by the Council of Ministers on April 6, stressing that until that date the necessary steps are being taken to guarantee the installation of AIMA, namely the appointment of the members of the board of directors.

Cre: Portugalnews

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