Portugal: Residence Permit Appointment Unavailability and Issuance Delays
January 2, 2024
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At a Glance
- The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) announced that there are currently significant delays in issuing residence permits.
- Further, foreign nationals are currently unable to apply for residence permits as they cannot obtain appointments at AIMA.
- As a concession, AIMA is allowing immigration documents or visas that expire on or after November 10, 2023 to be accepted until June 30, 2024.
- The delays are a result of the transition of responsibility for immigration matters from the Immigration and Border Service to AIMA, a new agency.
The situation
The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) announced that there are currently significant delays in issuing residence permits. Further, foreign nationals cannot apply for residence permits as they cannot obtain appointments at AIMA. AIMA is postponing previously-scheduled appointments.
Impact
- Residence permit issuance delays. Due to the backlogs, foreign nationals should not expect residence permits to be issued soon; the backlog is unlikely to be addressed early in the year.
- Automatic extensions. As a concession, and as previously published, AIMA is allowing immigration documents or visas that expire on or after November 10, 2023 to be accepted until June 30, 2024.
Background
The backlogs and appointment unavailability are the result of the transition of responsibility for immigration from the Immigration and Border Service to AIMA, a new agency.
Looking ahead
A new portal where foreign nationals will be able to schedule appointments is forthcoming, but authorities have not yet announced a release date.
It is not clear when appointments for residence permits will become available again. Fragomen will provide updates on the situation as they become available.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
