Portugal toughens migration rules ahead of upcoming EU elections

The Portuguese government has put an end to an exceptional regime that allowed foreigners to enter Portugal and then apply for a residence permit.

Transcript

00:00 The Portuguese government announced a new plan to toughen immigration rules.

00:06 They put an end to the regime that allowed foreigners to enter the country and only then

00:11 apply for a residence permit.

00:14 From now on, it will no longer be possible for a foreigner with a tourist visa to apply

00:19 for legalization in Portugal.

00:21 "The circumstance of having a procedure according to which a simple manifestation of interest

00:30 is susceptible to facilitate and decontrol the entry of migrants in Portugal must have

00:39 an end and will have an end."

00:43 The announcement comes days before millions of Europeans head to the polls to vote for

00:48 their representatives in the European Parliament, in an election widely anticipated to tilt

00:54 the bloc's politics to the right.

00:56 "The situation of having a procedure according to which a simple manifestation of interest