The political situation in Spain, from 1931, included strong anticlerical movements, bringing more and more difficulties to religious life. By this reason, the Handmaids have temporarily transferred a few communities and schools to Portugal, between 1933 and 1940. Ultimately, responding to a request from the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon, they decided to settle in Portugal in a definitive way, and opened the School in Lisbon in November 1934.
As years passed by, in an attempt to correspond as well as possible to the needs of the Mission, the Handmaids have opened different apostolates and got erected as a Province in 1975. The 1st January 2014, in an internal restructuring of the Institut and trying to respond to New Evangelization in Europe, the Atlantic Province took form, uniting Portugal, England, Ireland and France.
At present time, there are 4 communities in Portugal: Lisbon, Oporto, Palmela and Fonte da Prata.