Chapter VIII · Removal from national territory · Section I · General provisions

Article 142 Coercive measures

Artigo 142.º · Medidas de coacção

Lei n.º 23/2007, de 4 de julho (Lei de Estrangeiros) · consolidated text, as amended by Law No. 62/2026, checked 26 October 2026

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1. In forced removal or judicial expulsion proceedings, in addition to the coercive measures listed in the Code of Criminal Procedure, with the exception of pre-trial detention, the judge may, where there is a risk of absconding, also order the following coercive measures:

1 - No âmbito de processos de afastamento coercivo ou de expulsão judicial, para além das medidas de coação enumeradas no Código de Processo Penal, com exceção da prisão preventiva, o juiz, havendo perigo de fuga, pode determinar ainda as seguintes medidas de coação:

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a) Periodic reporting to the police authorities;

a) Apresentação periódica às autoridades policiais;

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b) An obligation to remain at home with electronic monitoring, in accordance with the law;

b) Obrigação de permanência na habitação com utilização de meios de vigilância electrónica, nos termos da lei;

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c) Placement of the foreign national subject to a removal or expulsion decision in a temporary detention centre or an equivalent facility, in accordance with the law;

c) Colocação do cidadão estrangeiro destinatário de decisão de afastamento ou de expulsão em centro de instalação temporária ou em espaço equiparado, nos termos da lei;

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d) Lodging of a bail bond or other financial guarantee;

d) Depósito de caução ou outra garantia financeira;

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e) An obligation to surrender travel documents to the competent authorities;

e) Obrigação de entrega de documentos de viagem às autoridades competentes;

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f) Placement under an open regime in a temporary detention centre.

f) Instalação em regime aberto em centro de instalação temporária.

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2. The minor criminal jurisdiction divisions (juízos de pequena instância criminal) or the district courts (tribunais de comarca) of the place where the foreign national is found are competent to apply coercive measures.

2 - São competentes para aplicação de medidas de coacção os juízos de pequena instância criminal ou os tribunais de comarca do local onde for encontrado o cidadão estrangeiro.

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3. For the purposes of paragraph 1, the risk of absconding is assessed in the light of the personal, family, social and economic or professional situation of the foreign national, in order to determine the likelihood that the foreign national will go to an unknown location in order to evade enforcement of the removal decision or the duty to leave; relevant factors include, in particular, cases in which the foreign national’s personal or professional domicile in national territory is unknown, the absence of any family ties in the country, doubts as to the foreign national’s identity, or knowledge of acts preparatory to absconding.

3 - Para efeitos do disposto no n.º 1, o perigo de fuga é aferido em atenção à situação pessoal, familiar, social e económica ou profissional do cidadão estrangeiro, com vista a determinar a probabilidade de se ausentar para parte incerta com o propósito de se eximir à execução da decisão de afastamento ou ao dever de abandono, relevando, nomeadamente, as situações nas quais se desconheça o seu domicílio pessoal ou profissional em território nacional, a ausência de quaisquer laços familiares no País, quando houver dúvidas sobre a sua identidade ou quando forem conhecidos atos preparatórios de fuga.

What we checked in this article

Check the exclusion of pre-trial detention, the risk-of-absconding condition, the six additional measures in paragraph 1(a) to (f), the competent courts and the factors for assessing the risk of absconding in paragraph 3.

Moving to Portugal, or bringing a team or family? Article 142 may decide what you can apply for.

We map the visa and residence route that fits your activity, prepare the company side (contracts, payroll, registrations) and coordinate with immigration lawyers for the application itself. A written answer and a fixed quote within one working day.

Unofficial English translation prepared by BCA Portugal for reference. Only the Portuguese text published in the Diário da República has legal force. Editorial notes are ours and are not part of the statute.

Applying the law

Visas and residence in Portugal, planned together with the company

The permit depends on what you will do here: employment, your own company, remote work for a foreign employer or investment. Tell us the plan, and we will set out which route the Act gives you and what the company needs to have in place.

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