The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) has begun accelerating the dispatch of residence permits renewed by the Mission Structure in the second half of 2025. An agency source told DN Brasil that approximately 20,000 documents have been sent to the Mint for issuance in recent weeks. This effort aims to clear the backlog, with at least 50% of all cards already dispatched. AIMA is prioritising this process ahead of April 15, when most renewal receipts expire. Additionally, the agency is addressing rejected applications and managing the collection of returned residence permits, with extended opening hours at the Anjos office to assist immigrants.
AIMA accelerates the dispatch of renewed residence cards
Thursday, 12 March 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
The AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo—Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum) is Portugal's immigration authority responsible for managing residence permits, visa processing, asylum, and immigrant integration.
History: AIMA replaced the dissolved SEF (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras) on October 29, 2023, following a 2021 Assembly decision. SEF's dissolution was motivated by reform needs, administrative inefficiencies, and a 2020 scandal involving a Ukrainian national's death in custody. SEF's responsibilities were redistributed: security functions to PSP/GNR/PJ, and administrative immigration matters to AIMA and IRN.
Expat Interface: Expats contact AIMA for residence permit applications and renewals (D7 passive income, D8 digital nomad, Golden Visa), family reunification, asylum requests, and visa extensions. AIMA operates 34 service counters nationwide, requires complete document submission (mandatory since April 2025), and processes cases that typically take 6-18 months. The agency inherited 300,000+ pending cases from SEF, with government funding allocated to clear backlogs.
Pedro Gaspar is the president of the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo or AIMA). His office is responsible for migration and asylum policies, so changes or statements from him affect migrants, asylum seekers and those using integration services in Portugal.
Temporary residence is a limited residence permit that allows non‑EU nationals to live in Portugal for a set period (commonly one year, renewable) for study, work or other reasons. The Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo (AIMA) launching an online form means eligible students who also work can apply or regularise their status more easily through AIMA’s process rather than only via consular services.
