1. How long is the residence permit valid for citizens of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (“CPLP Residence Permit”)?
The new Law no. 9/2025 of 13 February allows the CPLP Residence Permit to have the same validity as residence permits granted to nationals of other countries. Until this law came into force, the validity of this type of residence permit was more than 90 days and less than 1 year, renewable for the same period. With the new amendment, the (temporary) CPLP Residence Permit will now be valid for 2 years and renewable for successive periods of 3 years.
2. What is the new format for the CPLP Residence Permit?
Ordinance no. 97/2023 of 28 February created a situation of negative discrimination against CPLP citizens in relation to third country nationals, with the implementation of a different residence permit model. This Ordinance was revoked by Ordinance 36-B/2025/1 of 13 February, and the uniform European residence permit model was adopted.
3. How do I switch from the old CPLP Residence Permit format to the new one?
According to information provided by AIMA, the Mission Structure for the Recovery of Pending Cases at AIMA began notifying CPLP Residence Permit holders on 14 February with instructions for renewal and replacement with the uniform model residence permit.
4. What changes have been made to the scope of border control?
Law no. 9/2025 of 13 February implements in the national legal order the Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2017 establishing the Entry/Exit System (SES) for recording data on entries and exits and data on refusals of entry of third-country nationals when crossing the external borders of the Member States. The aim of this system is to make it easier to control the stay of immigrants.
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