Portugal Issued 23,000 Deportation Orders in 2025 — A 5,000% Surge That Signals a New Immigration Enforcement Era

Portugal issued 23,134 administrative orders for foreign nationals to leave the country voluntarily in 2025, representing a staggering 5,200% increase from the 444 such notices issued in 2024, according to the latest Annual Internal Security Report (RASI) released Monday.

The report also shows 252 immigrants were formally expelled from Portugal in 2025—five times the number expelled the previous year—marking a decisive shift in how Portugal enforces immigration law after years of focusing primarily on regularization and integration.

The AIMA Effect: A New Enforcement Unit

The surge directly coincides with two policy changes: the completion of AIMA's (Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum) massive backlog clearance in 2025 and the creation of a dedicated immigration enforcement police unit within the agency.

AIMA replaced SEF (the disbanded immigration service) in 2023, inheriting a backlog of over 400,000 pending residency applications. As the agency worked through that queue, it also identified thousands of individuals with expired documents, denied applications, or no legal basis to remain in Portugal.

The new enforcement unit—essentially a mini-SEF focused on compliance and removals—began issuing deportation orders at scale in late 2025. RASI data shows most orders (22,684) were issued in the final quarter of the year, indicating the unit ramped up operations after September.

Voluntary Departure vs. Forced Removal

The 23,134 voluntary departure orders give recipients a set period (typically 30 days) to leave Portugal on their own. Failure to comply can result in formal expulsion, an entry ban, and potential detention.

The 252 actual expulsions represent cases where individuals either refused to leave or were deemed a security risk. That number—while still small relative to the total foreign population—is five times higher than 2024 and signals a willingness to enforce removal orders that was largely absent during the SEF transition years.

Who's Being Targeted?

RASI does not break down deportation orders by nationality, but the report notes that enforcement actions focused on individuals identified during workplace inspections in agriculture and tourism, sectors where undocumented workers are most common.

The agency also targeted overstayers—people who entered on tourist visas and remained past the 90-day Schengen limit—and applicants whose residency claims were denied after the backlog review.

Notably, RASI reports that AIMA's cultural mediators played a key role in communicating rights and procedures to affected individuals, though the mediators themselves have warned the agency is under-resourced.

Crime Data: No Surge Linked to Immigration

RASI also confirmed that crimes committed by immigrants in Portugal remain statistically stable relative to population size, and that Indian nationals—the fastest-growing immigrant community—are not among the most frequently identified offenders.

This data directly contradicts narratives pushed by some political parties linking immigration to rising crime. The report shows crime rates have held steady even as Portugal's foreign-born population grew from 7% to over 10% of the total in recent years.

What This Means for Expats

The enforcement surge does not affect legal residents or those with valid residency applications pending at AIMA. However, it underscores the importance of maintaining legal status and responding promptly to any AIMA correspondence.

Key takeaways for foreign residents:

• Don't overstay: The 90-day Schengen tourist visa limit is now actively enforced. If you're in Portugal on a tourist visa and want to stay, start a residency application before your visa expires.
• Respond to AIMA: If AIMA requests documents or schedules an appointment, comply immediately. Missing deadlines can trigger enforcement action.
• Keep documents current: Residency cards and work permits must be renewed on time. Expired documents can trigger review and potential removal proceedings.
• Legalize work situations: Employers hiring undocumented workers face fines, and workers face deportation. The tolerance era is over.

A Return to European Norms

Portugal's immigration system has long been more lenient than most EU countries, with regularization programs and flexible enforcement that made Portugal a magnet for migrants from Brazil, India, Nepal, and other countries.

The 2025 enforcement numbers suggest Portugal is converging with European norms, where deportation orders in the tens of thousands per year are standard in countries like Germany, France, and Spain.

Whether this shift reflects a permanent policy change or a one-time clearing of cases accumulated during the SEF-AIMA transition remains to be seen. AIMA's 2026 budget includes funding for the enforcement unit, suggesting the trend will continue.

For now, the message is clear: Portugal's immigration grace period is ending, and compliance with residency rules is no longer optional.