It seems the big news is that AIMA is collapsing the whole GV process into much fewer (hopefully faster) steps:
Old steps:
Online application and payment of analysis fee.
(after long delay) Pre-approval [documents checked at this step]
(after long delay) Scheduling of biometrics
(after long delay) Attending biometrics [documents checked at this step]
(after long delay) Final approval [documents checked at this step] and DUC issuance for payment of card fee.
(short delay after paying fee) Card issuance.
Suggested new steps:
Online application and payment of analysis fee.
(after short delay) pre-approval [documents checked at this step] and assignment of biometrics
(30-90 days later) attending biometrics, final approval and payment of card fee.
(after short delay) Card issuance.
So the big suggested change is much fewer steps, and documents only being checked once instead of three times. And overall much shorter timelines if their goal of scheduling most biometrics in first half of 2025 holds.
To facilitate the reduction in document checks, for the initial application you now have to send physical copies of your docs to your lawyer who certifies the physical copies before uploading them. Presumably this gives AIMA more confidence to just check the docs once, compared to before when the initial application were only online âpreviewsâ of the real docs.
Happy New Year and (hopefully) Happy New GV process!
thanks for sharingâŠ
Still huge doubt about what Aima will be doingâŠBasically it is the same thing i.e. to collect the biometrics. But now, people who are waiting for years to get the biometrics done will need to refresh all documents first. What a fuss about it!!!
Personally I do not see it as an improvement at all. Why doesnât AIMA let those investors complete the biometrics in Portuguese embassy in their home countries? Majority of investors are required a schengen visa to enter Portugal. It means that they submit their biometric at the embassy to get the visa in order to come to Portugal to submit another set of biometrics ⊠Maybe AIMA does not want their staffs to lose jobsâŠ
I think the Aliens Law says that you have to apply from within the National Territory, so at some point you have to come to Portugal. Of course, the law could be changed.
Actually the turnkey is how Aima is going to respect their own rule. If they do not respect their timeline as they disrespected in the past, new protocol means nothing. Letâs see and keep the expectation low for now!
Itâs the law. The law - not even the regulations, the underlying law - specifically and literally says you have to be on Portuguese national territory when you make the application. It is a requirement specific to ARI in Article 90. Iâd quote you text but I donât have it handy.
Could the law be changed? Yes. AIMA doesnât get to do that, though. Therefore.
Although there is a strong case for some kind of special visa or arrangement for people to come to Portugal for an appointment with AIMA without also having to jump through the Schengen visa hoops.
Of course Aima must have a concrete ground to produce a protocol. A new protocol is just not an improvement in my opinion. Other than that I have nothing to say. Portugal always has law. So do every other countries. Letâs see how aima respects the timeline of their newly created protocol.
That is how D7 works. First you apply to the PT consulate for a D7 visa. The visa often comes with an AIMA appointment date printed on it. You enter on the visa, attend the appointment, and get the card.
In theory the GV is supposed to be more lax by letting you enter on Schengen visa. Since for visa waived nationals like US, UK, you donât need any visa. While Americans applying for D7 still do need the visa.
Whether you like it or not, the LAW clearly states that the GV application must be submitted in pt territory. No need to talk about embassy or alike. Unless you are able to change the LAW.
I donât think it would be a problem as apostille is an agreement and by de facto process, the signatory (Portugal) has to honor it. But you have to submit the originals with the E-apostille to AIMA anyway.
I see, but since the E-Apostille is an electronic PDF, what exactly do you mean by submitting the âoriginalsâ? Do you mean I need to print the PDF with the E-Apostille and submit a physical copy or just sending PDF online?
I donât see how this is really that much faster.
They combined a few steps (2 & 3 are a single step), 4 & 5 are a single step.
And are only checking the documents once.
They should just process existing applications under the new process, itâs pretty basic to just review all docs and
I donât want to get more documents done, and the slow FBI Apostle that takes months to wait another 3 years, then theyâll say itâs out of date again, if itâs out of date now, and it will be out of date when they approve, why do they need new documents. They should only care if it was up to date when I submitted it.
The real problem is they take thousands of dollars, which should be enough to pay 1 person a months wages and they allocate this money to other uses (non-GV), and we only need them to spend 1 hour to handle our individual application and handle all steps. I donât even see why we need a strict biometrics appointment, just let us book it online like I would a doctor or anything else, why is there even a person involved here.
In the US we get the criminal report the same way: via email with a facsimile signature. As others have said, as long as your State Department will issue the Apostille on the document, Portugal should accept it.
Weâre discussing that in the âAwaiting Final Approval (Stage 4)â thread, and whether Bios with no acceptance yet = âformalizadoâ (per the AIMA email statement âIf the application for the granting of an ARI has already been formalized, you must disregard this notification.â)
So is there a cutoff where previous Bio docs are considered âtoo oldâ in this new process? Maybe! Is it the standard length of time for AIMA Bios? Donât know!
I didnât receive anything from my lawyer regarding this⊠It seems that only those who did biometrics in Lisbon got notified. I did my bio in Coimbra in Feb 2024.
⊠Maybe AIMA does not want their staffs to lose jobs⊠