Constitutional Court Strikes Down 2-Year Family Reunification Wait

Lisbon, August 26, 2025

Indian community (13,500)

MEA replied, Ambassador raised with AIMA—some rejections due to incomplete/fake documents. The Embassy supports genuine cases & improving services.

Behind every “number” is a family. Ensure due process, humane treatment & clear timelines for 13,500 Indians in Portugal.

While sovereign legal processes must be respected, the rights of 13,500 Indians in Portugal require immediate safeguards: due process, access to interpretation and legal counsel, consular support, non-separation of families, and transparent timelines.

MEA Response on Portugal RP Cases

Recently, the Indian community in Portugal MEA has responded to residence permit rejections. Our Ambassador has already raised the matter with AIMA. Some issues are due to incomplete/fake documents, but the Embassy is supporting genuine applicants & improving services. Let’s stay united.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, has officially responded regarding the recent residence permit rejections in Portugal.

Our Ambassador in Lisbon has already raised the matter directly with the President of AIMA (Portuguese Immigration Agency).
AIMA clarified that many rejections were linked to Schengen Information System (SIS) alerts, earlier asylum rejections in other EU countries, and cases where applicants could not prove regular income or proper documentation.
Unfortunately, some applications from our community also contained incomplete or fake documents (including forged PCCs). This has harmed genuine cases.
To support applicants, the Embassy of India has increased consular services in Lisbon over the last 9 months, especially issuance of Police Clearance Certificates (PCCs).
The Embassy is committed to helping genuine applicants and continues to coordinate with Portuguese authorities to reduce difficulties for our community.