Getting an AIMA appointment is the step most newcomers find hardest. Here is which channel to use for first permits, renewals and visa extensions, what the 2026 fees really are, what the legal deadlines mean, and what to do if AIMA doesn't reply.
Short answer · checked 29 September 2026
- Arrived on a D visa? The Foreign Ministry may have booked your AIMA appointment when your visa was issued. Check your visa paperwork and email first.
- Need to request one? AIMA accepts requests through its contact form (contactenos.aima.gov.pt), its contact centre (+351 217 115 000) and email (geral@aima.gov.pt). Booking is free.
- Renewing? Most renewals go through the AIMA renewals portal. Permits that expired between 22 February 2020 and 30 June 2025 have a separate route.
- 2026 fees: a first temporary permit costs €247.30 at the standard rate, or €185.60 at the reduced rate that currently applies to most applications.
- Deadlines: AIMA must decide a first permit within 90 days (extendable by 30 days in exceptional cases) and a renewal within 60 days. That is the decision, not the date your card arrives.
In this guide
AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo) replaced SEF in October 2023 and handles residence permits, renewals, family reunification and extensions of stay in Portugal. Getting an appointment, or a "marcação AIMA", is where most people get stuck. This guide explains which channel fits your situation, what it costs and how long it takes.
How to book an AIMA appointment
AIMA says in-person appointments are free and are only booked by Portuguese state bodies (such as the consulate that issued your visa) or by you. You will always receive a confirmation email from an @aima.gov.pt address.
Never pay for an appointment slot: people selling AIMA appointments are not an official channel. Paying a lawyer or adviser to prepare your file and request the appointment on your behalf is different from buying a slot.
| Your situation | How to get the appointment |
|---|---|
| First residence permit after arriving on a D visa (D2, D7, D8 and others) | The Foreign Ministry may have booked it when your visa was issued. If not, request it yourself through the contact form, phone or email. |
| Renewing a temporary or permanent residence permit | Submit online at the AIMA renewals portal (portal-renovacoes.aima.gov.pt). A biometrics appointment is only booked if needed. |
| Permit that expired between 22 February 2020 and 30 June 2025, and AIMA has not contacted you | Use AIMA's separate renewal request service (services.aima.gov.pt/RAR/reqrenew). This does not cover CPLP permits, Golden Visas or EU residence cards. |
| EU citizens and family: permanent certificates and residence cards | Renewals portal. Since 15 September 2026 you no longer need to give a NIF or NISS for these requests. |
| Extending a visa or temporary stay | AIMA contact form, category "Vistos", with scans of your passport and visa. Read about the online visa extension form. |
| Family reunification, change of status and other requests | AIMA contact form (choose the matching issue type), phone or email. |
The three ways to request an appointment
- Contact form: contactenos.aima.gov.pt
- Phone: +351 217 115 000, Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm (normal call rates)
- Email: geral@aima.gov.pt, with your full name, date of birth, nationality and the reason for your request
Tip: use the contact form or email where you can. Both leave a written record with a date, which matters if you later need to show AIMA did not respond. Old SEF-era numbers such as 808 257 257 still circulate online; use the AIMA contact centre number above.
Using the AIMA contact form, step by step
- Go to contactenos.aima.gov.pt.
- Choose the issue type and subtype that match your case exactly. A wrong category is a common reason for delays.
- Enter your details exactly as they appear in your passport, plus your NIF if you have one.
- Attach the documents requested (at minimum your passport and your visa or residence card).
- Save or screenshot the confirmation. Keep it as evidence.
Using the renewals portal
- Log in at portal-renovacoes.aima.gov.pt and choose "Submeter renovação".
- The portal opens in batches by expiry month. Cards expiring in September and October 2026 could renew from 29 June 2026, and cards expiring in November and December 2026 from 3 August 2026.
- Some users report that the portal only works from a Portuguese internet connection. If it will not load, try from Portugal.
- How long the new card takes to arrive after an online renewal varies. Keep your submission receipt.
What to bring to your AIMA appointment
The exact list depends on your permit type, so always check the confirmation AIMA sends you. Most first-permit appointments need:
- Passport, with your residency visa
- NIF
- Proof of means of subsistence (for example Portuguese bank statements, pension or salary evidence)
- Proof of accommodation (a registered lease or deed)
- Health coverage or proof of SNS registration where required
- Documents specific to your route, such as your remote work contract (D8) or business documents (D2)
NISS at AIMA: AIMA announced in July 2026 that it would start assigning Social Security numbers (NISS) during regularisation appointments. If you already have a NISS, bring it. See our NISS guide.
AIMA fees in 2026
AIMA's current fee table has applied since 1 March 2026 (Portaria 307/2023, consolidated). It shows two amounts for most services: a standard rate and a reduced rate that is 25% lower. The reduced rate applies to applications made through a digital channel and, until a service becomes available digitally, to in-person applications for that service as well. In practice, most applicants currently pay the reduced rate.
Most procedures combine two charges: one for receiving and analysing the application, and one for granting or renewing the permit. The totals below add them together.
| Procedure | Standard rate | Reduced rate |
|---|---|---|
| First temporary residence permit (analysis €133.00 + grant €114.30) | €247.30 | €185.60 |
| Renewal of a temporary residence permit (analysis €133.00 + renewal €114.30) | €247.30 | €185.60 |
| Permanent residence permit (analysis €133.00 + grant €351.10) | €484.10 | €363.20 |
| Extension of stay for residence visa holders (analysis €53.40 + extension €106.10) | €159.50 | €119.60 |
| Golden Visa (ARI): analysis / grant / renewal | €842.80 / €8,418.90 / €4,210.30 | €632.10 / €6,314.20 / €3,157.80 |
| EU citizen certificate or residence card, aged 25 or over | €18.00 in person | €15.00 digital |
| EU citizen certificate or residence card, under 25 | €15.00 in person | €12.50 digital |
Exemptions and category-specific rules can change what you pay, so check AIMA's own table before paying. For background on the March 2026 increase, see Portugal immigration fees 2026.
What about "Article 92" fees? Article 92 of the Foreigners Law (Law 23/2007) covers residence permits for students. It is not the legal basis for D2, D7 or D8 permits, so "Article 92 fees" are not the standard residence permit fees. If you are a student, check AIMA's student permit page.
How long does AIMA take in 2026?
The legal deadlines
- First residence permit: AIMA must decide within 90 days. Since Law 62/2026 (10 September 2026), this can be extended by 30 days in exceptional, justified circumstances, and you must be told about the extension.
- Renewal: AIMA must decide within 60 days. Law 62/2026 removed the old rule under which an undecided renewal was treated as automatically approved.
- Other procedures, such as family reunification, have their own deadlines.
These are deadlines for a decision. They are not a promise that you will get an appointment within that time, or that your physical card will arrive by then.
What our clients actually experienced
Across 312 Visas.pt client cases between October 2023 and June 2026, the average time from biometrics appointment to card delivery was 4.8 months. Times have fallen steadily: the national median for the first half of 2026 was 3.9 months. Regional medians ranged from about 2 months in Faro to over 8 months in Lisbon. Full details are in our AIMA processing time report 2026.
AIMA does not publish official processing times, and other estimates vary widely by office and permit type, so treat any single figure as a guide rather than a promise.
Residence card validity and expired cards
- The first temporary residence permit is usually valid for 2 years, and each renewal for 3 years.
- A permanent residence card must be renewed every 5 years.
- Old blanket extension: Decree-Law 85-B/2025 extended the validity of permits that expired by 30 June 2025 until 15 October 2025. After that, holders had a further six months of residence rights, which ended on 15 April 2026.
- Cards expiring now: AIMA has confirmed that your right of residence continues for 6 months after your card expires. If you have started your renewal, carry both the expired card and your renewal receipt.
Travelling on an expired card can still cause problems at borders, so renew as soon as the portal opens for your expiry month. Also check you stay within the absence limits for your permit: see Portugal's stay rules and absence limits.
What to do if you can't get an AIMA appointment
- Keep evidence of every attempt: form confirmations, emails and the dates of calls.
- Use every channel and put your request in writing. A dated, written request to AIMA is the basis for any later step.
- Take legal advice before going to court. The right route depends on your situation and on what harm the delay is causing you.
About court action: many applicants used the urgent "intimação para proteção de direitos, liberdades e garantias" to make AIMA act. Since October 2025, Article 87-B of the Foreigners Law limits this route. You must show that AIMA's action or delay seriously and directly harms your personal rights, and that an ordinary interim measure could not protect you in time. Courts must also take into account AIMA's backlog and resources. A lack of reply on its own is usually not enough. By February 2026, the Lisbon administrative court had around 130,000 AIMA cases pending, and extra judges started in April 2026. Our AIMA delays legal action guide explains the options in more detail.
Mini-SEF, the task force and other AIMA changes
- UNEF ("mini-SEF"): a PSP police unit that started on 21 August 2025 with 1,200 officers. It handles airport borders, removals and immigration offences. It does not issue residence permits.
- The AIMA task force (Estrutura de Missão) formally ended on 31 December 2025, after issuing over 300,000 residence titles.
- Manifestação de interesse, the old route to regularise from inside Portugal, has ended.
Citizenship is not an AIMA matter
Many people search for "naturalisation waiting times at AIMA", but citizenship applications are decided by the IRN (the registry office), not AIMA. Since 19 May 2026, ordinary naturalisation based on residence requires 10 years of legal residence, or 7 years for nationals of EU and Portuguese-speaking countries. The new law also changes how qualifying residence is counted, applications already pending on 19 May 2026 keep the previous rules, and other routes (such as marriage or descent) have their own requirements. The IRN does not publish official waiting times. See residency vs citizenship in Portugal.
Frequently asked questions
How do I book an AIMA appointment in 2026?
Request it through AIMA's contact form (contactenos.aima.gov.pt), its contact centre (+351 217 115 000) or by email (geral@aima.gov.pt). If you arrived on a D visa, the Foreign Ministry may already have booked it. Renewals are submitted on the AIMA renewals portal. Booking is free.
Can I book an AIMA appointment by phone?
Yes. AIMA lists its contact centre, +351 217 115 000 (weekdays 8am to 8pm), as one of the ways to request an appointment, alongside the contact form and email. The form or email gives you a written record, which is useful if you later need to show you asked.
How much are AIMA fees in 2026?
A first temporary residence permit costs €247.30 at the standard rate (€133 analysis plus €114.30 grant) or €185.60 at the reduced rate, which currently applies to digital and most in-person applications. A permanent residence permit costs €484.10 at the standard rate or €363.20 reduced.
How long does it take to get a residence card from AIMA?
AIMA must decide a first permit within 90 days (extendable by 30 days in exceptional cases) and a renewal within 60 days. These are decision deadlines, not card delivery dates. Across 312 Visas.pt cases from October 2023 to June 2026, the average from biometrics to card was 4.8 months.
Is my residence card still valid after it expires?
AIMA has confirmed that your right of residence continues for 6 months after your card expires. If you have started your renewal, carry the expired card and your renewal receipt, and renew as soon as the portal opens for your expiry month.
What can I do if AIMA never replies?
Keep evidence of every request, use all of AIMA's channels and put your request in writing. Then take legal advice. The urgent court action is only available when the delay seriously and directly harms your personal rights, so a lack of reply alone is usually not enough.
Let us handle AIMA for you
Our AIMA support with a lawyer covers preparing your file, requesting the appointment and accompanying you. It is also included in Complete Visa Assistance Plus. Not sure where you stand? Book an immigration consultation.
Sources: AIMA appointment guidance, AIMA fee table in force from 1 March 2026 (Portaria 307/2023), Law 23/2007 as amended by Laws 61/2025 and 62/2026, Decree-Law 85-B/2025, AIMA notices of 15 September 2026 and on permits expired between 2020 and 2025, and Visas.pt client data. General information, not legal advice. Checked on 29 September 2026. AIMA procedures and fees change often, so confirm details on aima.gov.pt or with a lawyer.