To expedite pending backlog of cases, AIMA has already processed 250,000 pending applications on residence visas, family reunification or residence permits for investment (ARI) in one year. In 2024, Portugal Government established a framework to resolve the more than 400 000 pending cases of – mostly – labour migrants, awaiting regularisation by the Portuguese Agency for Integration, Migraion and Asylum (AIMA).
The immigration authority has handled more than 560,000 phone inquiries and 230,000 in-person appointments.
Backlog to be Fully Cleared by June 2025
The President of the AIMA – Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), Luís Goes Pinheiro, has vowed that pending processes will be fully resolved by the summer of 2025, under the Migration Action Plan launched on June 3, 2024 to address 41 issues with immigration.
Extension of Validity
To implement the initiative, Portugal has extended validity of residence permits and visas relating to stay in national territory, which expired from 22 February 2020, are valid until 30 June 2025 providing one year extension. AIMA will be appointing additional 300 staff members dedicated to processing the administrative procedures on the backlog and helping new applicants.
Expedited Process for Children
AIMA has already begun the process of family reunification of foreign citizens with children and young people up to 18 years of age under the migration action plan.
New Procedure
AIMA has also initiated a streamlined and efficient procedure designed to allow a response as quickly as possible to hundreds of thousands of residence permit applications awaiting resolution. AIMA appeals to all citizens with appointments at AIMA Stores to actually attend their appointments, on the dates and times designated in the notice individually sent for this purpose.
Wait Times Count
To calm investors, Portugal drafted a law, allowing waiting times to count towards citizenship application after 5 years from the time of filing first application.
AIMA Report
According to the AIMA Migration report, a study by AIMA (The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum) revealed a startling rise in U.S. investors alone of 162.5% and an expected 83% increase in the number of families requesting Portugal Golden Visas.
The total number of foreign nationals with residence permits by the end of 2023–1,044,606. Brazilians continue to make up the majority of foreign residents counting upto 35%. The number of requests for Portuguese nationality applications 66,943 compared to 74,506 previous year.
