This centre is located in the Hindu Centre, in Telheiras, with opening hours from 08:00 to 22:00, and staffed by employees of the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) itself, as well as collaborators from civil society entities that have already received technical training from the security forces and other competent authorities, the organisation told Lusa.

According to AIMA, the “objective [is] to resolve the more than 400,000 cases pending analysis”, with the organisation highlighting the “integrated and robust logistical operation” that was necessary for this centre to be ready today.

The opening of the Telheiras service center fulfils the intention expressed on August 22 by the Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, to have the first centers to assist immigrants “up and running in September”.

In addition to linguistic support, the new centers will have structures from the Institute of Employment and Professional Training (IEFP), Social Security, and also migrant associations.

The Mission Structure includes a one-year reinforcement of 300 members for AIMA, which will be in place until June 2, 2025 and includes two types of reinforcements.

On the one hand, a “group of experts, including AIMA workers and former SEF inspectors” is planned, who “can help with the administrative and documentary processing of pending processes”. On the other hand, the Mission Structure includes resources to reinforce face-to-face service, with the collection of biometric data, for a total of two hundred elements.

In addition to the service center in Lisbon, there will be 29 more spread across the country, according to the president of AIMA, Pedro Gaspar, who highlighted that these new structures are the first phase of a process that aims to create “a relatively broad capillary network”, with the dissemination of services throughout the territory.

Pedro Gaspar assured that immigrants are being contacted to legalize themselves and stressed that “this is the only way to achieve the thousand daily appointments”. The official said that, in the last three months, when the Action Plan for Migration was presented and which immediately revoked the regime of expression of interest as a form of entry into Portugal, more than 90,000 people were served immigrants.

The president of AIMA said that there are “four or five competitive procedures underway” to increase human resources and that “mobility mechanisms will be strengthened and implemented”.

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