Following the example of what is happening in Italy, Brazilians are now overcrowding Portuguese courts seeking residency or citizenship.
Between October and November 2024 alone, the Lisbon Administrative Court registered 21.526 actions against the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), the body responsible for authorizing residence in Portugal.
According to the newspaper Public, around 400 thousand orders remain delayed, further worsening the situation.
They want to leave Brazil
The race for Portuguese nationality reflects a critical moment in Brazil, in which millions consider leaving the country in search of stability abroad. For many, European citizenship is seen as a more agile way to carry out this plan.
Retired chemical engineer Lanny Fortes Máximo, 67, is one example. In poor health, he has been waiting for three months for a court decision that would grant priority to his case at the Institute of Registries and Notaries (IRN). Even with the favorable decision, the case remains at a standstill due to the slowness of the Portuguese judicial system.
“It’s unbelievable what’s happening,” he tells Public.
Portuguese justice under pressure
The Lisbon Court is facing increasing overload, partly due to a shortage of court officers. Currently, only 33 of the 45 required positions are filled, according to the Supreme Administrative Court. This deficit contributes to delays in notifications that should be issued within 48 hours but have taken months.
Fortes Máximo, who has been seeking citizenship since 2022 due to his descent from Sephardic Jews, submitted all the documentation required by the IRN (Institute of Registries and Notaries), including proof of his origin. Diagnosed with cancer and with a history of heart problems, he asks: “I have the right to priority. How much longer can I wait for citizenship?”
The parallel with Italy
Portugal is experiencing a similar situation to that faced by Italy, where more than 100 cases await judgment regarding citizenship.
In Brazil, delay in Italian consulates led descendants to appeal directly to the Italian courts, reducing the waiting time from almost a decade to about two years through favorable decisions.
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