A statement published on the Presidency of the Republic’s website recalls that on May 24, 2023, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa highlighted the “difficulties that the new entities would face, as well as the already very long process, causing serious harm to the country’s international image and to those seeking to visit.”
“From the beginning of the SEF’s dissolution process, the President of the Republic has pointed out the complexity and sensitivity of the matter and the necessity to ensure the continuation of important functions being performed. The current decree is another demonstration of the challenges in transitioning to the various entities that would replace it,” the note emphasizes, stressing that it is “in this context” that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa enacted the Government’s decree that amends the 2023 decree-law and approves the Transitional Regime for Workers from the Foreigners and Borders Service.
Last week, the Government approved a decree-law extending until April 2026 the period in which Judicial Police inspectors from the former SEF will be involved in airport border control.
When the Foreigners and Borders Service was dissolved on October 29, 2023, inspectors were transferred to the Judicial Police, with 324 former SEF members temporarily assigned to the PSP for air border control.
This regime outlined that inspectors would gradually be transferred to the PJ by October 29, 2025.
Currently, there are still 129 PJ inspectors from the former Foreigners and Borders Service working at airports under the PSP.
The Government justified this extension of duties at airports due to the manner in which SEF was dissolved and the delay in establishing the National Unit for Foreigners and Borders within the PSP, as well as “external pressures” from the implementation of the European border control system on October 12, which imposes “much more demanding controls on passengers outside the European area.”
