Awaiting Final Approval (Stage 4)

Residencies & citizenships Portugal Golden Visa
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2829

Hello.

I have a question. I did my biometrics in March 2023 in Guarda and got approval end of July 2024 (although some info on the card was incorrect and lawyer resubmitted correction but no new card yet!!). My family did their biometrics in Lisbon in June of 2023 and no approval yet. My lawyer says my family’s file is in Guarda because I am the main applicant. I thought it was in Lisbon (although as read here some have been sent elsewhere). Are family files sent to the main applicant’s place of biometrics? Any new Guarda approvals? Lisbon is around March 2023 biometrics right? Thank you to all for their updates in this frustrating process.

2830

Files have been forwarded to many other offices throughout the country. We did our biometrics in Lisbon in Jan 2023. My final approval came from Funchal, Madeira. Who knows where my wife’s file is…

2831

Yes, the DUC was issued and paid for my husband in July. Our lawyer told us that only once the primary card is delivered to the lawyer’s office, will AIMA generate the DUC for the dependent’s card. :roll_eyes: So the wait continues.

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2832

Just received the cards finally, complete timelines:

Application submitted : Nov 2021
Pre-approval: Jul 2022
Biometrics: Mar 2023
Portal status changed to Transferred : Apr 2025
DUC primary: Early Jun 2025
DUC dependent: Mid Jun 2025
Card received for both: Jul 2025

Best of luck to everyone out there!

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2833

You got your card within a month?! My DUC was paid successfully 5+ months ago, still waiting…

Wait Goodbye GIF by Silicon Valley

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2834

Same wagon :smiley:

2835

Thank you all for the contributions to this forum, it is very helpful to all of us who feel completely lost…
Going over the Stage4 database it seems we are part of the bunch left behind (Applied Dec-21, Biometrics Nov-23, waiting…)
We have left the process to our lawyers to handle but it’s been radio silence for many months. Question, is one allowed to enter the AIMA portal to check on progress/status? or is this only the privilege of applying lawyers? Are the law firms obligated to provide one with credentials to access AIMA portal? - THANK YOU

2836

@Maybe1day: excellent questions. I was told by my attorney that multiple clients are included in the firm’s login to the AIMA portal and that it cannot be shared for privacy reasons.

2837

Two years aog, SEF/AIMA sent me my login. My lawyer had initiated the process. I doubt that this isn’t available anymore.

2838

I have access to my ARI portal, just like my lawyer does. So, we both can view the same information.

But if you’re expecting to find something special or different there — unfortunately, there isn’t. The same silence continues, and it’s honestly frustrating because updates on the portal are extremely slow.

2839

This has been addressed in this forum multiple times. The short answer is that you are being misled. It is possible to change email after the creation.

But this is maybe a moot point anyway because a new portal will be launched in 2026.

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2840

Terrence- it isnt that they cant change the email address. The lawyer filed everyone’s visa applications under the same account number. It was a lazy thing to do but they insist they can’t change it and give me direct access.

But moot point now as I am going to leave portugal and cancel my application.

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2841

As someone who was in the same situation and had the email changed by the law firm, I can only tell you that is not factual in my situation. I doubt the 20 year old SEF system was changed since then.

2842

Just for reference, the following steps were posted about 2 years ago. It may still work!

Step 1
Call your lawyer and get the email address they use to login to the ARI portal - you only need the email address they use (NOT the password) - this email is “registered” with the SEF as the one associated with their law firm - unless it is a single lawyer firm, usually they have a special email they use for their SEF portal login, not their actual email.

Step 2
Create an account for yourself with your email at SEF ARI portal at ari.sef.pt 57. In the sign up flow, there is a place to put in legal representative. Use the email from Step 1 there - the screen will update immediately with the name of the law firm if the email is recognized (before you even submit the form). If that does not happen, you do not have the right email address.

Step 3
You MAY have to do this - I did, but not sure if this is necessary. I entered by US social security number, and my US passport number. DO NOT SUBMIT any documents (as the lawyers usually don’t like that, as they want to control what exactly gets submitted)

Step 4
Now ask your lawyer to login to their portal and see if they can see your account. My lawyer was able to. From here, they were able to submit documentation via their portal, and I am able to continue to see their progress on my account from my login.

Basically we both have access to my account now - they have it through their portal, and I do through mine. And we are both able to edit or submit stuff.

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2843

That sounds fishy to me, but anyway you’re not missing much. Just a 1990s-era webpage that infinitely says that you’re waiting.

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2844

I updated the time line database.
The below xxx to xxx was shared under this topic a little while ago. I am providing the updates on the dependent’s part.

xxx
Primary & Dependent
Application submitted on Nov 12, 2021
Pre-approval received on May 25, 2022
Biometrics in Lisbon: Feb 8, 2023
Law suit filed on: July 8, 2023
Law suit decided on July 18, 2023 - lost
Appealed on Aug 4, 2023
Decided on Jan 28, 2024 - won
Our lawyer pushed multiple times but no success and the last filing of statement by the law firm: Nov 30, 2024
AIMA contacted our lawyer: Jan 22, 2025 notifying they are ready to issue approval by the end of the week subject to the receipt of a copy of the dependent’s valid passport (the one in file was expired)

Primary applicant
Final approval received on: Jan 31, 2025 (1 day after a copy of the updated passport submission)
The fee paid on: Feb 5, 2025
Card issued: as of March 20, 2025

Dependent /me
On March 28, 2025, AIMA requested me to show up for ANOTHER BIOMETRICS appointment in June in again LISBON!!! (And marriage certificate and criminal record)
xxx

My lawyer contacted the judge for our appealed case with these AIMA’s requests, the judge contacted AIMA, AIMA then called my lawyer that they mistakenly requested these requests, i.e., no Biometrics or additional document would be required.

The Dependent’s first card was issued on June 26, 2025, with a wrong birth place printed on the back of the card (My lawyer emailed the primary applicant on July 9 to check my mailing address to receive the card… the amount of fee for AIMA was escrowed in the account of the law firm. Hence, I do not know when the final approval notice came in and when the fee was paid).

This should be my final update under this topic. Wishing the best of luck for those who are still waiting. Nomad Gate Community has been my emotional support. Thank you all. And I will appreciate the support for the rest of my journey. For the on-going developments around the citizenship law, I will write to the government about my points…

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2845

Speechless

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2846

Congrats on getting the cards.
You can write to the government, but I think it’d be better to also write to the Deputies of the Assembly who are supposed to revise and eventually vote on this law.

https://www.parlamento.pt/sites/COM/XVIILeg/1CACDLG/Paginas/Composicao.aspx

Click the name, click ‘Enviar e-mail’, complete the form (with attachments if you prefer)…

It is also possible to write to the President:

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2847

Thank you for posting these! I was just about to go back to the other thread to find the links, but now I’ve got both open from your message here—and bookmarked. Saved me a lot of time!

2848

Good news. I have today received notification of final approval, and request to pay fees € 6179.40
Dates are:
Application submission: 28 October 2021
Application fees paid: 2 November 2021
Pre-approval received: 24 April 2022
Biometrics: 02 March 2023, Lisbon
No additional documents requested after biometrics
Lawsuit initiated March 2025 demonstrating urgency. Final response not received.
Final approval notification 18 July 2025 - Funchal.

After 3.7 years in Stage 4, pleased to move onto next stage 5! :joy:
Database updated.

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