Portugal tightens family reunification: amendment to the foreigners law published

The Portuguese Parliament adopted the first version of the law on 16 July 2025 with the votes of the PSD, Chega and CDS-PP. On 24 July President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa referred Parliamentary Decree No. 6/XVII to the Constitutional Court for preventive review. On 8 August 2025, in Ruling No. 785/2025, the Constitutional Court declared five provisions unconstitutional by majority vote – among them the absolute two-year deadline for family reunification and the extendable nine-month decision period. On 11 August the President returned the decree to Parliament without promulgation.

Parliament adopted the revised text on 30 September 2025 with the votes of the PSD, CDS, Chega and IL. The new version exempts families with minor children, holders of investment permits and the highly qualified from the waiting period; in exceptional, justified cases the period may be reduced by decision of the government member responsible for migration. The President promulgated the law on 16 October; according to his statement, the text adopted by 70% of deputies "corresponds minimally" to the essence of the concerns confirmed by the Constitutional Court.

Law 61/2025 appeared in the Diário da República on 22 October and entered into force on 23 October; the AIMA (Portugal's immigration agency) decides on family reunification applications within nine months.