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Attributions

The attributions of SEF are:

1.Internally:

1. The surveillance and control of border posts, including the international zone in ports and airports, the movement of persons, with the ability to prevent passengers and crew from disembarking from ships and aircraft, when they are without documents or their situation is irregular;
2. Preventing passengers and crew disembarking from ships and aircraft coming from ports or airports that are a health risk, and without the prior consent of the competent health authorities;
3. Controlling the movement of persons at border posts, preventing the entry or exit to or from Portugal of persons who do not meet the legal requirements demanded for the purpose;
4. Authorising and verifying the entry of persons on board ships and aircraft;
5. Controlling and inspecting the leave to stay and activities of foreigners throughout Portugal;
6. Carrying out mobile controls and joint operations with similar national and Spanish security services or forces;
7. Investigating crimes that assist illegal immigration, as well as investigating other associated crimes, without prejudice to the competency of other agencies;
8. Issuing reports on consular requests for visas;
9. Granting in Portugal visas, extensions of leave to stay, authorisation for residence, as well as travel documents, as laid down by law;
10. Recognising the right to family regrouping;
11. Collaborating as required with the agencies responsible for controlling compliance with the law regulating foreign labour;
12. Opening inquiries, examining and determining procedures for the administrative expulsion of foreigners from Portugal and executing administrative and judicial expulsion decisions, as well as activating, examining and deciding on procedures for readmission and ensuring that they are executed;
13. Escorting nationals who are the object of removal measures;
14. Deciding on approval of the analysis of applications for asylum and examining concession procedures, determined by the State responsible for the analysis of the respective applications, and the transfer of applicants between the member states of the European Union;
15. Analysing and giving an opinion on granting Portuguese nationality by naturalisation;
16. Analysing and giving an opinion on applications for the status of equality submitted by foreign citizens covered by international conventions;
17. Ensuring the management and communication of data in the National System for Schengen Information (NSSI) and of other common information systems used by the member states of the European Union for the control of the movement of persons, as well as for data bases used in the issue of passports (BADEP);
18. Co-operating with the diplomatic and consular representations of other States, duly accredited in Portugal, namely in the repatriation of their nationals;
19. Ensuring that the attributions envisaged in legislation on the entry, stay, exit and removal of foreigners from Portugal are implemented;
20. Ensuring co-operation among all State agencies and services, particularly with all security services and forces, as well as with legally recognized non-governmental organizations;
21. Co-ordinating co-operation among national security forces and services and those of other countries in dealing with the movement of persons, control of foreigners and investigation into crimes assisting illegal immigration and other associated crimes.

Internationally:

1. a. At the Government’s decision, SEF may represent the Portuguese State in the European Union, namely within the Strategic Committee for Immigration, Borders and Asylum, and in the High Level Group for Asylum and Migration, in the Budapest Group and in other international organizations, as well as participating in work groups for police co-operation that deal with matters related to SEF attributions;
2. At the Government’s decision, represent the Portuguese State in developing the Schengen Agreement within the European Union;
3. Ensure that commitments assumed within international co-operation are respected through the work of liaison officers, in the terms legally envisaged;
4. Collaborate with similar foreign services, establishing forms of co-operation.