Decree-Law No. 85/2025, published yesterday, June 30, 2025, in the Diário da República, extends the validity of residence permits for foreign nationals whose permits expired between February 22, 2020, and June 30, 2025.
With this measure, these residence permits will continue to be recognized under the same terms until October 15, 2025, allowing their holders to retain all rights associated with their legal residency status in Portugal.
Which documents are covered?
1. Scope: Residence permits issued by Portuguese authorities that expired between 22/02/2020 and 30/06/2025.
2. New provisional validity: These documents will continue to be accepted until October 15, 2025, even without formal renewal.
In recent years, hundreds of thousands of legalization and residence renewal applications have remained pending with the competent authorities—particularly the former SEF (Foreigners and Borders Service), and more recently AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum) and IRN (Institute of Registries and Notary).
With the publication of Decree-Law No. 85/2025, the Portuguese Government aims to provide an immediate response to the overload of immigration services and to ensure that no foreign national loses their legal status due to administrative delays.
The extension until October 15, 2025, offers renewed security to immigrants in Portugal, preserving their rights while they await the final regularization of their documentation.
