The lawyer representing a 33-year-old Pakistani citizen, residing in the Lisbon region with his wife and two children, aged seven and eight, states that despite working in Portugal since 2019 and contributing to Social Security, he faces the possibility of being forced to leave the country within 20 days.
His 37-year-old wife and their two children joined him approximately two years ago and have permission to remain in Portugal.
Túlio Machado Araújo, speaking with Lusa, assures that M. K. always believed that those he paid in 2019 for his transport and settlement in Portugal had handled everything legally.
“The only suspicion arose when he was not paid upon arrival,” he explains, adding that his client suspects that the revocation of his residence may be linked to irregularities regarding Social Security by one of the companies that employed him.
The Agency for Integration, Migrations, and Asylum (AIMA) has notified the cancellation of residence permits for 72 immigrants, including M.K., due to alleged use of false residence certificates in their legalization process in Portugal.
In a communication dated earlier this month, reported on Saturday and accessible to Lusa today, AIMA justifies the decision stating that the foreigners resorted to a company involved in a criminal process for aiding illegal immigration, which faced charges from the Public Prosecutor in July. Túlio Machado notes that M. K. is not among the accused.
“The prosecution’s decree clearly indicates that foreign citizens obtained their residence permits using false and misleading statements, fraudulent documents, or fake documents,” highlights AIMA, stressing that this justifies the cancellation.
The agency further notes that, “given the nature of the process,” an “urgent decision” is required. Therefore, the usual hearing of those concerned should be dispensed with to ensure the decision’s practical effects.
This means M. K., without the right to be heard, has 20 days to voluntarily leave the country—a period his defense seeks to extend, given AIMA’s reminder that an extension can be requested if there are children attending school.
Túlio Machado Araújo is also attempting to contest AIMA’s decision, which, however, does not pause the countdown for leaving the country, after which the Pakistani immigrant can be detained and forcibly removed from national territory.
Lusa has inquired AIMA regarding the reasoning behind canceling the 72 residence permits without the originating case being tried and proven, awaiting a response.
The affected citizens originate from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Egypt, and Morocco, with most residing in the Lisbon metropolitan area.
