The majority have been sent to Lisbon airport (52), while the remaining inspectors have gone to Faro (16), Porto (15) and Madeira (3) airports.

"This is an excellent reinforcement for SEF's needs in terms of its mission," SEF's national director, Botelho Miguel, told Lusa agency.

SEF is currently undergoing a restructuring process, with the extinction of the service which was initially scheduled for January having been postponed to May 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Within the scope of the service's extinction, the current administrative attributions of SEF in relation to foreign citizens will be carried out by the Portuguese Agency for Migration and Asylum (APMA), which the Government still needs to create, and by the Institute of Registries and Notaries (IRN), in addition to having to transfer police powers to the PSP, GNR and Judiciary Police.