Almost 50 members of Frontex will reinforce Portuguese airports in 2026 to work together with police officers from the PSP’s National Foreigners and Borders Unit to control air borders.
According to the Public Security Police, members of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) will begin supporting the National Foreigners and Borders Unit (UNEF) at airports from January 2026, but it will be in March that the reinforcement reaches all 48 police officers.
The reinforcement comes within the scope of a plan signed between the PSP and Frontex that integrates a set of initiatives that, in addition to the availability of human and material resources, also include a training component, the Portuguese police told Lusa.
The PSP indicates that this reinforcement lasts for one year and can be renewed if necessary.
According to the PSP, Lisbon airport will be reinforced with 26 Frontex elements, 23 of which will serve as border guards, Porto airport will have 12, eight of which will be border guards, and 10 Frontex police officers will go to Faro (six border guards).
The police add that, between January and March, Frontex will have 18 elements at Lisbon airport and eight in Porto.
In recent months, passengers have faced long queues at passport control at Portuguese airports, mainly in Lisbon, but the situation worsened in October with the entry into operation of the new European border control system for non-EU citizens, which recently led the Government to create a ‘task force’ with representatives from various ministries and entities.
The PSP also states that, within the scope of the ongoing plan with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, four Frontex members are currently in Portugal working in Lisbon and Porto to provide assistance and advice in the area of voluntary returns and four other police officers who support the Portuguese police in the technical and operational management of voluntary and forced returns that are carried out.
Under the same plan and in the area of Frontex training, around 100 Portuguese police officers have already been certified for air escorts.
With the extinction of the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) two years ago, some responsibilities of this security service, namely control of air borders, passed to the sphere of the PSP, which since August 21st expanded its responsibilities with the creation of UNEF, becoming responsible for the removal, readmission and return operations of people in an irregular situation.
Currently, UNEF has around 1,200 police officers working at all airports and in inspection throughout the country.