Latest news and stories about aima in legal in Portugal for expats and residents.
The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) has issued a warning regarding fraudulent schemes targeting immigrants seeking appointments. The agency emphasized that all scheduling requests for in-person services are free and must be handled exclusively through official state channels or by the applicants themselves.
The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) has opened an internal inquiry after the Judicial Police (PJ) conducted searches at its office in Ponta Delgada. The agency stated it is providing full cooperation with the authorities regarding the investigation.
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.
The PJ (Polícia Judiciária) is Portugal's national criminal investigation police agency, founded in 1945. Operating under the Ministry of Justice and supervised by the Public Ministry (prosecutors), the PJ is a "higher criminal police body" specializing in serious and complex crimes. Mission: The PJ assists judicial and prosecuting authorities by investigating terrorism, organized crime, homicide, kidnapping, drug trafficking, corruption, cybercrime, financial crime, and money laundering. It conducts forensic examinations, operates Portugal's Interpol and Europol liaison offices, and maintains specialized units including the National Counterterrorism Unit and National Anti-Corruption Unit. Difference from PSP/GNR: While PSP (civilian urban police) and GNR (military rural police) focus on preventive policing, public order, and investigating minor crimes, the PJ exclusively handles serious crime investigation requiring specialized technical and scientific expertise. PSP and GNR report to the Ministry of Internal Affairs; PJ reports to the Ministry of Justice. PJ officers receive higher pay and prestige but face greater operational risk.
The Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo (AIMA) is facing scrutiny after reports of an attempt to expel a long-term resident. The individual, who has lived in Portugal for eight years, reportedly cannot renew her documents due to a lack of response from AIMA, despite having established a home and business in the country.
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.
Legal professionals are denouncing the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo or AIMA) for failing to pay for services rendered. Lawyers hired to analyze migration cases report thousands of euros in outstanding payments, noting the situation deteriorated following the conclusion of a specific task force. The president of AIMA stated that approximately 200,000 euros remain to be settled.
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.
The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo or AIMA) has acknowledged a procedural error in the residency renewal application of a nine-year-old Brazilian child. The agency confirmed that the previously issued notice requiring the child to leave the country has been cancelled and the process is being corrected.
Update: AIMA faces further criticism over residency errors
Reports have emerged of additional administrative errors, including a case where a 41-year-old Brazilian woman was incorrectly registered as a minor, and her husband was denied residency renewal due to alleged failure to prove housing. These cases have intensified public scrutiny regarding the agency's efficiency in processing residency applications.
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.
The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo or AIMA) now allows immigrants enrolled in vocational courses to request residency appointment slots through its official online contact form. This administrative pathway aims to help thousands of students regularize their status in Portugal.
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.
Nearly 3,000 Nepalese nationals living in Portugal are at risk of expulsion after submitting residency applications that included forged stamps on otherwise genuine criminal records. These individuals, who have been working in the country since 2022, were reportedly victims of a scam. The government of Nepal has formally requested assistance from Portuguese authorities to resolve the status of these residents.
The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo or AIMA) released guidance to help immigrants avoid technical errors on its digital portals. Users are advised to use short filenames without special characters, accents (acentos), or cedillas (cedilhas) to speed up the analysis of residency processes. Those awaiting residency should be aware that switching browsers or checking file sizes can also resolve submission failures.
The Portuguese Bar Association (Ordem dos Advogados) is calling for the creation of a specialized court to handle the massive backlog of immigration-related lawsuits. João Massano, head of the Lisbon Regional Council, estimated that there are currently 200,000 cases pending in administrative courts against the Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo (AIMA). Visa holders and those awaiting residency should note that the proposal aims to speed up judicial decisions through mediation and specialized judges.
The Bar Association (Ordem dos Advogados) is the professional body that regulates lawyers in Portugal, manages ethics and professional registration, and organises legal aid and court-appointed defence. The association can set up permanent teams of court-appointed lawyers if it judges the current system inadequate, which is why the Ministry of Justice said it would not object to such a move.
João Massano is the President of the Lisbon Regional Council of the Bar Association (Ordem dos Advogados). He is currently highlighting the backlog of 200,000 cases in administrative courts involving the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo or AIMA). Those awaiting residency should note his proposal for specialized judicial branches to speed up these pending immigration proceedings.
The Superior Council of Administrative and Tax Courts (CSTAF) has appointed 28 judges in an accumulation regime to handle urgent cases linked to the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), where nearly 130,000 files are pending and only 28 of 50 available judge slots were filled. The measures aim to speed decisions concentrated at the Lisbon Administrative Court but signal continued delays for many immigration and asylum appeals. Those with pending AIMA files should expect long processing times and monitor court communications or legal counsel for case-specific updates.
