Portugal’s new foreigners law is now in force

Portugal has a new set of rules for the entry and stay of foreign nationals. Law no. 62/2026 was published in the Diário da República on 10 September 2026 and came into force on 11 September.

What the law does

According to its official summary, the law implements a group of EU regulations and directives that make up the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. To do this, it amends three Portuguese laws: the law on the entry, stay, exit and removal of foreign nationals (Law 23/2007), the asylum law (Law 27/2008) and the law on temporary installation centres (Law 34/94).

Main changes reported so far

• New border procedures: a mandatory initial screening procedure and a border return procedure, with set time limits.
• Asylum: shorter deadlines to register and decide applications, and faster processing in some cases.
• Students: according to legal analyses of the law, certain higher-education students can no longer obtain a residence permit after entering without a visa, and generally need the right visa before they arrive.
• Work permits: the law transposes the EU “single permit” directive, which, according to legal commentary, includes a 90-day decision period for residence permits for work.
• Changing jobs: legal analyses also note that workers can change employer or switch to self-employment by notifying AIMA, without needing a new residence permit.

What it means if you are planning a move

The analyses we reviewed do not point to specific changes to the D7 or D8 visas. Even so, rules and procedures are being updated, so it is worth checking the current requirements for your own route before you apply.

If you are unsure how the new rules affect your plans, book a free 15-minute discovery call with our team.

Sources: Diário da República – Law no. 62/2026; TOF Advogados; ECIJA. This article is general information, not legal advice.