Family reunification of immigrants, as provided for by law, remains a priority for the current government, but with limitations. This was stated by Rui Armindo Freitas, Deputy Secretary of State for the Presidency. In an interview with Diário de Notícias, he admitted that "it is a right that requires regulation".
According to the Secretary of State, the vacancy system will continue, that is, there will be no full access to the right. "8,500 vacancies have been created, but we are doing a difficult job, which is to first find out what capacity Portugal has," he said.
With ongoing services provided by the mission structure, the Government is "gradually discovering the country's migratory reality, something that was not known until a few months ago". After this diagnosis, it will be clearer what the state's capacity will be for family reunification and other services related to immigration.
As with other types of care, Rui Armindo Freitas argues that "public administration does not have the flexibility to keep up with demand if demand peaks". This is the justification he gives for the right not being accessible to everyone at this time.
However, he said that the state's capacity would soon be known. "At this point we are at the stage where we are becoming aware, and we will have figures very soon, of the real numbers of immigration in Portugal, of what Portugal is like, of the capacity of public services", he explained.
According to the Secretary of State, there is a concern to "ensure that those who regroup come with the conditions to have the dignity they deserve". As an example, he mentioned integration in schools. The number of students coming from other countries increased from 50,000 to 155,000 children and adolescents. "We had to hire mediators, linguists and cultural experts to keep up with this reality", he said.
Family reunification is currently permitted for those who have children in the country up to the age of 18. The application is made through an online portal. As with other services, however, full rights are available by paying lawyers via legal action. Since last year, administrative courts have been receiving hundreds of cases per week against the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA).