Russian propaganda Telegram channels claim that due to changes in Portuguese legislation, Portugal will expel 60,000 Ukrainian refugees. They also allege that 5,000 Belarusians who have political asylum will supposedly be forced to return home. “It seems that European hospitality evaporated exactly at the moment when it had to be paid for,” such posts comment sarcastically.

This fake has been debunked by fact-checkers at StopFake.

However, this story is a fake. In reality, Portugal’s Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) has launched a review of residence permits (mainly affecting foreign students) in order to comply with European Commission regulations. This process does not lead to automatic deportations; on the contrary, it allows students to switch to alternative legal statuses and remain in the country to continue their studies even after temporary protection ends.

The figure of 60,000 refers to the total number of Ukrainian refugees currently residing in Portugal. The country is not planning mass expulsions, but rather aims to regularize the legal status of migrants after the expiration of the temporary protection period. At present, this protection for Ukrainians in Portugal – like in other EU countries – has been extended until March 2027.

The Portuguese government has indeed amended its legislation, extending temporary protection for Ukrainians until March 4, 2027. This status guarantees the right to reside, work, access healthcare, and receive education, as stated in the original legislation. However, new applications for temporary protection from Ukrainians are no longer being accepted: to enter the country, individuals must now obtain a visa in advance at a Portuguese consulate, as is required for citizens of other countries planning to relocate.

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale aggression, the Kremlin has continuously fabricated falsehoods about the status of Ukrainian refugees abroad. Yet none of these grim predictions about “mass deportations” or the “sudden cancellation of assistance” have come true.