AIMA Subpoena Data: Understanding the Real Numbers

As of 4th February 2025, the total number of pending AIMA subpoenas by the end of January, specifically until the 31st, stood at approximately 50,046 cases. 

Despite this high number, the subpoenas in January reflected a downward trend, with a daily average of 335 cases. For context, the daily average in November 2024 was 536 cases, while in December 2024, it was 404 cases.

Understanding these figures is essential to assessing how the Portuguese legal system is effectively addressing the needs of foreign citizens and residents, ensuring that their residency processes are handled efficiently.

At LVP Advogados, we continuously monitor legal updates related to immigration policies to ensure that the necessary legal actions are taken for each of our clients.

The full name is "Subpoena for the Protection of Rights, Freedoms, and Guarantees", or in Portuguese, “Intimação para a Defesa de Direitos, Liberdades e Garantias”, a legal mechanism intended to safeguard constitutional rights and ensure timely administrative action.

In theory, the process should follow these steps:

1. A lawyer files and submits the initial petition.
2. A judge has 48 hours to accept the petition or request additional documents.
3. Once accepted, AIMA is notified and granted a 7-day period to respond.
4. The judge has 5 days to issue a ruling.
5. If AIMA fails to comply, daily financial penalties are imposed until compliance is achieved.

In practice, due to this overload of court cases, it can take a bit longer, once there are only two stressed-out bailiffs working in the court secretariat, among more than 50 thousand files.