Portugal’s infrastructure minister has reversed a controversial requirement tied to the country’s Social Mobility Subsidy, scrapping the obligation for travelers to upload receipts after widespread criticism and a growing public petition.

Speaking before Parliament, Infrastructure and Housing Minister Miguel Pinto Luz acknowledged flaws in the platform’s rollout. “Not everything was perfect,” he said, announcing the immediate removal of the receipt requirement, which had drawn complaints for creating unnecessary bureaucracy.

The change follows a petition with more than 7,000 signatures arguing the rule had no legal basis. Attorney Clélio Meneses, who led the effort, called the requirement “a purely bureaucratic demand” and accused the central government of imposing policies that disadvantage the Azores.

Pinto Luz said the government is also working to eliminate another long-standing burden: requiring island residents to pay the full cost of flights upfront before reimbursement. A solution, he said, could be in place within weeks.

So far, nearly 30,000 users have registered on the platform, receiving about €1.4 million in reimbursements for roughly 5,000 trips—a 45% jump in just one week.

In the Azores, Regional Secretary Berta Cabral welcomed the rollback but warned that deeper issues remain. She said the platform still lacks user-friendly functionality and urged authorities to keep traditional reimbursement channels, such as postal services, available until the system is fully reliable.

From a news story on Diário Insular-José Lourenço, director

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.