Foreigners and Borders Service
| Foreigners and Borders Service Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras | |
|---|---|
Logo of SEF | |
| Abbreviation | SEF |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1974 |
| Preceding agency | |
| Dissolved | October 2023 |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| National agency | Portugal |
| Operations jurisdiction | Portugal |
| Primary governing body | Government of Portugal |
| Secondary governing body | Ministry of Internal Administration |
| General nature | |
| Specialist jurisdiction | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Lisbon |
| Agency executive |
|
| Website | |
| www | |
The Foreigners and Borders Service - SEF (Portuguese: Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras) was the police service integrated into the Ministry of Internal Affairs, whose mission was to enforce immigration and asylum in Portugal, in accordance with the provisions of constitutional, legal and governmental guidelines.
Among other duties, the SEF was the agency responsible for border control and the issuing of residence permits to foreign nationals legally residing in Portugal.
This police force was dissolved in October 2023, splitting its duties between the National Unit for Foreigners and Borders subordinated to the PSP (the Portuguese national civilian police force), the National Republican Guard (the country's Gendarmerie force), the Institute of Registries and Notary and the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum