Despite the focus on 2024, the Migration and Asylum Report 2024, released today by AIMA, includes data from the first half of 2025 due to a significant trend shift. A total of 9,268 voluntary departure notifications were issued during this period.
The report highlights that by the end of 2024, only 446 notifications were recorded. It attributes the recent increase to overcoming challenges linked to the termination of the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) and the implementation of the interest expression mechanism.
In May, the government confirmed AIMA had rejected 18,000 foreign residency applications, with those affected being notified to leave the country voluntarily within 20 days by year’s end.
Regarding coercive removal proceedings, 195 cases were initiated by the end of 2024, mainly involving citizens from Brazil (31), Algeria (20), Morocco (19), and India (14).
AIMA also recorded 352 requests for voluntary return support, effectively assisting 161 foreign nationals, 149 of whom were Brazilian.
There was a 183% increase in contravention cases compared to 2023, totaling 3,470. Of these, 1,871 stemmed from a failure to declare entry, and 884 from illegal stay.
The foreign resident population in Portugal has quadrupled over seven years, reaching approximately 1.5 million by the end of 2024.
The report also reviews the Mission Structure for the Recovery of Pending Processes at AIMA, which contacted over 900,000 foreign citizens and conducted more than 600,000 consultations over the past year.
Additionally, more than 480,000 criminal records were analyzed, 490,000 cases resolved, and over 230,000 residence cards issued.
