The new Minister for Internal Administration met with SEF unions yesterday (4-4-2022) and confirmed the Government’s intention of implementing the reform/extinction of SEF (postponed from January 2022 to May 2022). SEF reform/extinction already approved by Parliament involves the separation and redistribution of SEF’s current policing and administration functions. Atualidade - Página Oficial da Presidência da República Portuguesa.
Administrative functions are to be re-allocated between the existing IRN (Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado) and a new Portuguese Agency for Migration and Asylum (APMA).
On SEF administration, the new Government’s program now specifies that the reform is to “simplify and shorten procedures for authorizing and processing Portuguese residency visas”. SEF personnel will be re-allocated. The full 4.5year Government program is due to be discussed in Parliament this Thursday/Friday.
https://www.moveaveiro.pt/en/mai-garantit-que-la-reforme-du-sef-se-concretisera
Any hope that SEF recent efficiency - chronological processing of residency applications (including ARI) and processing 27,000 applications for Ukrainian refugee status - might earn a reprieve, is now extinguished.