According to the latest report on asylum in the European Union (EU), the number of asylum applications fell from 2,797 to 1,763. The three main countries of origin for applicants for international protection in Portugal last year were Colombia (14%), China (10%), and Angola (9%).

In terms of Portugal's share, the country receives 0.2% of the total applications in the EU+ universe, which includes the 27 Member States and Schengen-associated countries: Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.

In December 2025, there were 8,730 pending cases. This is 94% more than in the same month of the previous year, which had 4,510 cases. First-instance decisions fell by 24%, dropping from 641 to 488.

The EU Asylum Agency (EUAA) also reports that asylum status was granted to 288 people in 2025. This marks a 4,014% increase compared to 2024, when only seven people received asylum. Most recipients were Afghans (42%), Syrians (13%), and Eritreans (5%). Negative decisions fell by 69%, from 633 to 134, mainly affecting citizens of China (18%) and Guinea and Gambia (11% each).

The EUAA also highlights that Portugal has not yet transposed the legislative changes related to the Pact on Migration and Asylum's activation. Furthermore, no draft law has been published.

However, the report notes that, at the end of 2025, the Government launched public consultations on legislative reform to restructure detention and alternatives to detention for return purposes, and to centralise return-related powers in the Foreigners and Borders Unit of the Public Security Police.

Throughout 2025, the country prepared for the implementation of the Migration Pact, which comes into force on the 12th of next month, notably through the hiring of additional staff by the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) and the introduction of improvements in workflows, new models and digital tools, "which contributed to reducing decision-making times and ensuring compliance with legal deadlines in the different procedures".

In February 2025, the EUAA notes, the procedure for submitting subsequent applications for international protection was changed, introducing clearer rules to ensure greater efficiency.

Regarding the reception of asylum seekers, the agency mentions increased capacity in reception centres, including specialised residential units for unaccompanied minors, and the existence of mechanisms to monitor and evaluate compliance with reception standards and quality indicators.

In February 2025, the construction of two new temporary accommodation centres for third-country nationals was authorised within the framework of screening, the asylum procedure at the border, and the return procedure at the border.

In total, across EU+ countries, and for the second consecutive year, the number of applications for international protection decreased to a total of 800,000 in 2025, which the EUAA attributed to factors such as political developments in key countries of origin, such as Syria, and European cooperation with partner countries, which reduced mobility along migration routes to Europe.