Portugal: SEF Strike and Restructuring to Result in Rescheduled Appointments

Immigration and Border Services (SEF) staff are striking April 5-10, 2023 to negotiate terms related to the restructuring of the SEF into three branches (APMA - Portuguese Agency for Immigration and Asylum, IRN - Registrar Services and PJ - Judiciary Police). The strike will result in the closure or partial closure of some SEF branches and rescheduling of appointments (the SEF will notify applicants of rescheduled appointments). Note that some appointments may go ahead as some branches will work with reduced staff members. Immigration application processing delays may result from the branch closures/partial closure, due to an expected backlog.