Having been through biometrics and seen how much waiting around it involves, and the time our lawyer spent going through documents with the officer, I don’t think 3 desks could do 50 per day. I’d guess 1 - 2 applicants per hour. Maybe 5 hours per day (as they’ll have other work to do too). So maybe 5-10 applicants per desk per day.
From my experience, we were 4 people (2 for renewal and 2 for first time biometric). All was done in less than 1 hour. To be realistic, i would give them 30 minutes/person. But in my case, they handled all 4 in just 1 hours.
Reading that AIMA page, the walk-in centre in Anjos, “will operate exclusively for Information” - suggesting you can’t achieve much there other than the status of your application?
DN article today suggests same thing. But it also refers to the new centre in Telheiras (appointment required?), and to be honest by the latter paragraphs it gets messy which centre they’re referring to.
AIMA center in Anjos. As of today, the location exclusively serves people seeking information, without the need for prior appointment, using the available tickets. This Monday, at 8:57 am, the 120 available tickets were all sold out.
Sounds like they might be streamlining the process itself, not just access. So hopefully that would help move things along better
Sadly my lawyer said the walk-in biometric doesn’t apply to GVs, we still need to wait for an appointment. My dependents have been waiting since the beginning of the year and god knows when they will get one.
hi,
ive applied in dec21. approved jan 24. still no biometrics appointment 
anyone in the same situation?
thanks
I would recommend filing a lawsuit. It doesn’t appear as if AIMA is doing anything with approvals and biometrics without a lawsuit.
I applied for our GV in March 2023 and won a lawsuit last week for a biometrics appointment (in early Jan 2025) after waiting for 18+ months for a pre-approval. I’m fully braced for filing a second lawsuit for the final approval if doesn’t come through within 6 months of us completing our biometrics.
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when you filled lawsuit, mine already completed 4 months no update so far
My lawyer filed in early September and got a positive response in early November, so two months from filing to being assigned a date for biometrics.
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how much did the lawsuit cost you? thanks
If I understand correctly, AIMA is staffed and ready but people not appearing for appointments, so AIMA staff sits around with nothing to do? Can this be correct?
15% of daily AIMA appointments not filled - The Portugal News
I can believe it, but that’s a real shame given the backlogs. Must be a way round this - maybe over-booking by 15%?!
It is a shame. People don’t appear for various reasons (visa difficulties being one) compounded by a tendency for AIMA to give appointments for the same family in different locations, making it difficult especially if there is a child involved. They explained in their presentation that the system does not yet allow to link the family members to each other for appointments (or payments or renewals). This speaks to a failure in AIMA’s IT system that is, at present, not up to the task.
Another solution might be a list/queue of applicants prepared to take up vacant slots at short notice at specific locations…
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It is correct for GV investors. Remember that over 90% GV investors come from countries where it is required a visa to enter Portugal. Aima usually distributes appointments randomly and lots of investors cannot get visa on time. I know at least 8-10 families from my country that missed the appointment because of the difficulty in getting the visa on time.
Like flying standby… could work. Likely plenty of applicants who live near an AIMA office who’d say yes if they were asked “Can you come in tomorrow?” or “next week?” Question is would they have all their docs notarised/apostilled and ready to go on such short notice??
Docs do not have to be shown on the day of collecting biometric. The appointment has the purpose of collecting biometric. If one happens to have all docs at the moment of appointment, then it is the best thing. However if he does not have all docs ready, it is still OK to attend the appointment. After collecting the biometric, applicants are always allowed to submit docs later.
I would prefer to complete the biometric as soon as possible, then I submit docs later. That way i never have to worry about the expired docs.
Same timeline here. Still waiting for biometrics appointment. Have you received an appointment by now? Lawyer said soon but no word from him as of today.
i sent all updated docs to the lawyer. she should apply next week. hopefully will get biometrics appointment then
Did you mail them physical copies?
We didn’t receive anything.
anyone got their biometrics appointment after submitting updated docs?
biometrics appts were supposed to come after 15.01 but no one afaik reported that they got theirs?