According to the 2024 Migration and Asylum Report, published on the AIMA website, 9,268 notifications of voluntary departure were issued during the first half of 2025.

Although the report refers to 2024, AIMA decided to include data for the first half of 2025, taking into account "the significant trend variation observed."

This is because, by the end of 2024, only 446 notifications had been registered, and the report explains that only this year was it possible to begin recovering the application of the return regime, due to difficulties arising from the dissolution of the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) and the implementation of the expression of interest mechanism.

In May, the government confirmed that AIMA had rejected 18,000 residence permit applications from foreign citizens, who were to be notified by the end of the year to voluntarily leave the country within 20 days.

Regarding forced removal proceedings, 195 cases were filed by the end of 2024, primarily targeting citizens of Brazil (31), Algeria (20), Morocco (19), and India (14).

AIMA also recorded 352 requests for support for voluntary return, with 161 foreign citizens effectively supported, 149 of whom were Brazilian.

Compared to 2023, the number of administrative proceedings initiated increased by 183%, registering 3,470 cases, of which 1,871 were for failure to declare entry and 884 for illegal stay.

The number of foreign citizens residing in Portugal quadrupled in seven years, with approximately 1.5 million registered by the end of 2024.

The report also assesses the activities of the Mission Structure for Recovering Pending Cases at AIMA, which, over the course of one year, contacted more than 900,000 foreign citizens and provided more than 600,000 services.

More than 480,000 criminal records were analysed, 490,000 cases were decided, and more than 230,000 residence cards were issued.