High Commission for Migration
High Commission for Migration
Public Institution, directly dependent of the Presidency of the Ministers Council
Website: https://www.acm.gov.pt/inicio
The High Commission for Migration (ACM, IP.):
- Promotes the international image of Portugal as a destination of migration;
- Encourages and streamlines the hosting, integration, participation and professional and civic education of immigrants and their descendants, including through the development of transversal policies, centers and offices to support immigrants that provide an integrated response of public services, and partnerships with civil society, local authorities and immigrant associations, in order to promote cohesion and social solidarity, access to citizenship and strengthening social integration networks and public participation.
Migrant Support Line
The Migrant Support Line – 808 257 257 / 218 106 191 – is a telephone support service by the High Commission for Migration (ACM) in partnership with the civil society.
In the current context of humanitarian emergency due to the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine, from 5 March 2022, the Migrant Support Line is available from Monday to Friday, between 09h00 and 20h00, and on Saturday, between 09h00 and 17h00.
This line was created following the new competences granted to the ACM and continues the SOS Immigrant Line which operated since 2003. The main objective of the Migrant Support Line is to respond immediately to the most frequently asked questions of Migrants, providing all the information available in the area of Migration by telephone and forwarding calls to the relevant departments, whenever they do not fall within the competence of the ACM, IP.
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Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF)
- The Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) is a security service within the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI) that, in the context of internal security policy, is responsible for carrying out checks on persons at the borders, monitoring aliens inside national territory, preventing and fighting organized crime involving illegal immigration and trafficking in human beings, decide upon asylum applications, issuing passports and identification documents to foreign nationals, in order to safeguard internal security and individual rights and freedoms within the global context of the migratory phenomenon.
- As a criminal police body, in the terms of criminal procedural law, SEF acts in the process under the direction and operational dependence of the competent legal authority, implementing the measures determined by that authority and the acts delegated by the same authority.
- SEF is responsible for promoting, coordinating and implementing the measures and actions related to these activities and to migratory movements. Internationally, it is responsible to ensure, as required by the Government, the representation of the Portuguese State in the working groups of the European Union, as well as at international organizations or events related to its expertise area.
Legal framework of entry, permanence, exit and removal of foreigners into and out of national territory
- Act nº 28/2019, of 29 March The english version of legal framework is being updated. Please, check Portuguese Version. (PDF)
- Act n.º 26/2018, of 5 July The english version of legal framework is being updated. Please, check Portuguese Version. (PDF)
- Act n.º 102/2017, of 28 AugustThe english version of legal framework is being updated. Please, check Portuguese Version. (PDF)
- Act, n.º 59/2017, of 31 July The english version of legal framework is being updated. Please, check Portuguese Version. (PDF)
- Act 63/2015, of 30 of JulyThe english version of legal framework is being updated. Please, check Portuguese Version.(PDF)
- Act 29/2012, of 9 August(PDF) The present law establishes the conditions and procedures on the entry, stay, exit and removal of foreign citizens from Portuguese territory, as well as the long-term resident status.
- Act 23/2007,of 4 July(PDF) This Act approves the legal framework of entry, permanence, exit and removal of foreigners into and out of national territory.
- Order n.º 9/2018, of 11 September The english version of legal framework is being updated. Please, check Portuguese Version. (PDF)
- Order n.º 15-A/2015, of 2 September The english version of legal framework is being updated. Please, check Portuguese Version. (PDF)
- Ordinance on setting the administrative fees n.º 204/2020 , of 24 of August 2020 The english version of legal framework is being updated. Please, check Portuguese Version.(PDF)
- Ordinance on setting the administrative fees nº305 – A/2012, of 4 de October 2012 The english version of legal framework is being updated. Please, check Portuguese Version.(PDF)
- Act 37/2006, 9 August (PDF) Rules the right of citizens of the European Union and their families to move and reside freely in the national territory and transposes to the internal legal order the European Parliament and Council Directive n.º 2004/38/EC of 29 April.
Ordinance n.º 529/2003 (Rectifications) The english version of legal framework is being updated. Please, check Portuguese Version. (PDF)
Official website of Portuguese immigration
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The Commission for Equality and Against Racial Discrimination (CICDR)
The Commission for Equality and Against Racial Discrimination (CICDR) is, in Portugal, the specialised body in the fight against Racial Discrimination. This Commission aims to prevent and prohibit racial discrimination and sanction the practice of acts that result in the violation of fundamental rights or the refusal or conditioning of the exercise of economic, social or cultural rights, by any persons, on the grounds of belonging to a particular racial and ethnic origin, nationality, descent or territory of origin, under the terms and limits provided for in Law No. 93/2017 of 23 August, which establishes the legal framework for preventing, prohibiting and combating discrimination.
