AIMA Moves to Clear Backlog: 20,000 Residence Cards Heading to Applicants

Portugal's immigration agency AIMA is accelerating the delivery of residence permits after months of criticism over processing delays, with approximately 20,000 renewed residence cards now being dispatched to applicants.

According to DN Brasil, the permits — all renewals processed during the second half of 2025 — have been sent to the Casa da Moeda (national mint) for issuance and will be delivered "as quickly as possible." Roughly half have already been shipped, with the remainder expected to reach applicants by mid-April. The urgency is driven by a practical deadline: most renewal certificates expire on 15 April.

Saturday Openings at the Anjos Store

To speed up distribution, AIMA has announced that its store in the Anjos neighbourhood of Lisbon will open on Saturdays — a notable departure from the agency's standard schedule and a concession to the thousands of immigrants who cannot easily take time off work during the week. Residence permits that have been returned to AIMA are available for collection at this location.

For applicants whose initial requests were refused, AIMA has confirmed that formal notifications will be issued. The agency did not specify a timeline for these refusal notices.

Context: A System Under Strain

The delivery push comes against a backdrop of persistent criticism of Portugal's immigration processing system. The Golden Visa programme, while still operational, now faces average processing delays of nearly 40 months, according to recent data. Brazilian nationals — the largest immigrant community in Portugal — were recently informed that visa applications must be submitted in person at visa centres starting 17 March, ending the option of postal submissions.

Meanwhile, changes to Portugal's nationality law have extended the path from permanent residency to citizenship, adding years to an already lengthy process. For the hundreds of thousands of foreign residents navigating the system — from tech workers on Digital Nomad Visas to retirees on D7 permits to families seeking reunification — every incremental improvement in processing speed carries real weight.

A Signal of Intent

AIMA's push to clear the backlog, while modest in the context of the overall caseload, represents a tangible step. The decision to open on Saturdays suggests an awareness within the agency that the status quo is unsustainable. Whether this effort marks the beginning of a broader operational overhaul or remains a one-off sprint before the April deadline will be closely watched by immigrant communities, legal professionals, and the businesses that depend on foreign talent.

For now, 20,000 people are one step closer to having their legal status in Portugal confirmed on a physical card — a document that, for many, unlocks everything from opening a bank account to signing a lease.

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