What did the Supreme Administrative Court decide?
The Supreme Administrative Court requires the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) to decide on residence permit applications within three months. This decision aims to ensure the protection of applicants’ rights, freedoms and guarantees.
Summons for the protection of rights, freedoms and guarantees
The ruling guides residence permit applicants to use a legal mechanism known as a summons for the protection of rights, freedoms and guarantees (intimação para a proteção de direitos, liberdades e garantias). This mechanism has been used in several cases and requires the State to respond to applications within the three-month period.
AIMA’s current situation
AIMA currently has more than half a million pending cases, and 100 of the agency’s 700 staff have asked to resign. In response, the Government has undertaken to create a task force and hire more staff to deal with the pending applications.
This measure by the Supreme Administrative Court is seen as a crucial step in ensuring that applicants’ rights are respected and that AIMA acts more quickly and efficiently in handling applications.
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