Could someone verify if this is true?
Just fessing up to how regularly Iām on here, refreshing my feed, hoping for ONE 2022 pre-approval to show up. Just oneā¦
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Same here. I check everyday to see if there is any progress, no matter how small it is 
Lookin for a promotion to next tier āawaiting Biometricsā
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I just found this PDF on the AIMA site: comunicacao-duvidas-comuns-en.pdf - Google Drive
Speeding up pending expressions of intention
AIMA is changing the procedure to schedule the service needed to obtain a residence permit. The new procedure is simple and practical, and also safer and more effective. This way it will be possible to speed up service scheduling and enact the new rules that were introduced in early 2024.
What is the new procedure all about?
All foreign citizens that have submitted an expression of intention in the old SAPA Portal prior to April 30, 2023, will receive an e-mail from AIMA.
In this e-mail you will be asked to change your password in a new service platform. This is necessary because many users may no longer have the password used to create an account in the dedicated web portal.
Afterwards, you will be asked to generate a Single Billing Document (DUC), in order to pay the fees, which will have to occur within the following 10 days. Having payed the fees, you will receive a scheduling proposal within the next 20 business days, indicating day, time a place.
After scheduling, and before the scheduled date, you will receive a link by email that will allow you to resubmit all the updated information and documentation, in order to speed up your process and simplify service.
Why was the procedure changed?
This procedure implements the new rules that have come into force in early 2024, and where it is stipulated, among other things, that the payment of the fees shall occur upon submitting the request, and not after a final decision is granted. This is applied to both new and pending requests (see paragraph 1, of article 90, of Regulatory Decree no. 84/2007, of 5 November, in its current wording, and paragraph 2, of article 5, of Regulatory Decree no. 1/2024, of January 17).
This procedure was designed to give answer as quickly as possible to the hundreds of thousand requests submitted that await decision.
With the new procedure, the applicant will receive a scheduling proposal after paying the fee.
This procedure aims to be:
ā¢ Simpler and more accessible , because it runs solely on the internet until the moment the scheduled service happens.
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ā¢ Safer , because it assures that all communications are made in a safe environment, and because and, by anticipating the payment of fees, it does not require cash closing operations in the front office (which also enables a faster and more efficient service).
ā¢ More agile , because it allows for your submission to be analysed under the most recent information. Because some expressions of intention were presented a considerable time ago, it is possible that some of the submitted documents are out of date. Thus, the service provided will be made simpler and a final decision will be granted faster.
ā¢ More effective , more efficient, because it makes it possible to eliminate some applications that no longer correspond to the interests of theperson who submitted them ā they may have moved to another country in the meantime. In this way, it will be possible to make vacancies available to more people and more quickly.
Has there been an increase in the fees charged?
No. The fees are set out in Ministerial Order 307/2023, of 13 October, and have the same value as those charged by SEF, with the annual update due to inflation.
For example, the fee for Expression of Intention is ā¬56.80 for nationals of Brazil and Portuguese-speaking African countries (PALOP), or ā¬397.90 for all other cases (resulting from the application of the 25 per cent discount on the ā¬530.50 fee). This fee has exactly the same value as the one that was charged over the counter and is the result of an update in line with inflation, under the terms of article 3 of Ministerial Order 307/2023 of 13 October.
It should be noted that in the previous procedure, the user could receive an appointment in a very short period of time (within one, two or three days, for example) and have to pay the fees at that time. This situation could be more inconvenient than having to pay the fees within the 10-day period now granted after receiving the e-mail.
It should be noted that in the previous procedure, the applicant could receive an appointment within a very short period of time (within one, two or three days, for example) and have to pay the fees at that time. This could be more inconvenient than having to pay the fees within the 10-day period now granted after receiving the e-mail.
Main issues found by applicants and how to solve them
The main issues that made applicants look for assistance in AIMA Shops are as follows:
Issue: I no longer have access to the e-mail address that I used to submit the Expression of Intention.
How to solve: Access AIMAās services web site by clicking in āPortal SAPAā and choose the option āUpdate E-mail addressā, or access this link:
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Enter your identification details as well as the new e-mail address where you wish to be notified.
The system will assume that this is your new e-mail address, and you will not be hindered in obtaining an appointment.
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Issue: I get a ālink expiredā message when I try to change the password.
How to solve: You can solve this by resetting your password in the authentication menu on the platform by clicking the āForgot your password?ā link, as shown in the following image:
Issue: I mistakenly clicked on the link to say that I was no longer interested in the expression of intention.
How to solve: Please send an e-mail to manifestacao.interesse@aima.gov.pt requesting that the expression of intention be reactivated, indicating your identification details (name, nationality, date of birth, expression of intention number). The expression of interest will be reactivated, and you can resume the process of updating your information and booking your appointment without any problems.
For any other issue regarding this procedure, please send an e-mail stating your doubts to manifestacao.interesse@aima.gov.pt.
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Issue: I submitted an Expression of Interest (MI) before April 30, 2023, but I didnāt receive the e-mail to pay the fee.
How to solve: If you didnāt receive the e-mail, please report it in the website by clicking the option āI did not receive the e-mailā, as shown in the following figure:
Then, fill in the form with your personal information:
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Issue: I received the email, but I have already regularised, or am in the process of regularising, my stay in Portugal by another means (acquisition of nationality, family reunification or other), or I am no longer interested in the residence permit.
How to solve: If you have already regularised or are in the process of regularising your stay in Portugal in another way, there is no need to follow up on the request in the email. In this case, please cancel the expression of interest by clicking on the link provided in the e-mail message:
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That would be this for the manifestaĆ§Ć£o applicantsā¦
For what little itās worth, copy-pasting an update we just got from our agency:
Recently, the President of Portugal has expressed great dissatisfaction with AIMAĀ“s rate of progress, as well as stating that a task force should be deployed quickly to address the issue. Task forces have been deployed in the past, and they have largely proved successful. This is the first time since AIMA took over from SEF, that the President has spoken about a task force, and we will monitor to see whether the government follows through.
The President has also recently stated that the minister overseeing AIMA had promised him directly that the transition of functions would be quick. Now that the first part of the year has passed, we can conclude that there has been a failure to follow through on the promise of a swift transition. The PresidentĀ“s statements align with the updates we have shared over the past several months, which have included government promises on timelines and improvements that it has yet to meet.
We want to assure you that AIMA is clearly operating, but that the flow of client processing remains delayed and the applications of our clients are experiencing extended delays when compared with past government timelines.
We are heartened by the PresidentĀ“s comments and hope to see a government response to his statements in the coming months.
Glad to know this is keeping the President up at night - I for one will sleep better tonight. 
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Got the same from Henley.
The problem is - none of this AIMA anger is in the context of GV. Out of the 400k pending applications, I would assume less than 10% to be GV applications and even if processing speeds were to go back to what the SEF did at itās peak, it would still be too slow!
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Yep, we have to think in terms of the overall numbers rather than just GV applicants. And of that 10%, itās a far smaller subset who want to actually move to Portugal and live there full-time. So, weāre too small a number for anyone to worry about as a separate group. (Iām guessing the GV-applicants who donāt intend to move donāt care as much about AIMAās glacial pace.)
At this point, I am inclined to believe that IMI article from last year, which said it would take until 2030 to clear the backlog ā and that calculation was based on there being no more new applications! So even once we get through this first stage, it will still be a long and frustrating wait.
Weāve been reluctant to file a lawsuit, but if thereās no movement until mid-year, weāre planning to pull the trigger. If nothing else, at least it will give me one more Nomadgate thread to pore over and rant in 
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Anybody in this group from Dallas, Texas
Perhaps we can meet up and down our sorrows in a beer? 
It would be awesome to meet up a few fellow sufferers and build up a bond. Looking forward to hearing from yāall
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Preliminary Approval for Golden Visa (ARI) received for primary and spouse in early May 2024. Application filed by Portugal attorneys during last few days of December 2021. Fee paid first few days 2022. So just barely under 2-1/2 years. No additional documents requested by (then) SEF. No interim communication. Status was always āunder review.ā Our profile is hounds-tooth clean and straightforward. Attorneys say no biometric appoints yet available.Changed plans over last 2 years so now, not intending to move to Portugal immediately. Life moves on rapidly.
Updated spreadsheet with Preliminary approvals.
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Thank you for sharing this info.
I live in Plano as well. Small world Indeed!
I guess I am not allowed to post my email address. Try reaching out to me at 2**3955785 if it works. The asterisks are there to prevent bots from harvesting the number. You sure know the other two digits.
Text me and I can call you back.
Came across this article on Google search. Seems problems in AIMA resources continueā¦
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Entire thread about that over here 
Ah okay. Thanks for sharing.
You should probably edit out your number and just send him a DM.
Thank you. I just did.
For anyone else in the DFW, TX area it would be awesome if we could meet at Legacy Hall at Legacy West in Plano Tuesday June 11th at 5:00 PM. DM me for additional info.
Come on folks, there ought to be more than the two of us in Dallas. Letās get together for āTears over Beersā and commiserate
Seriously though, we can perhaps get together and begin working on learning Portuguese
Got pre-approval for dependent (wife) on 22nd of May. Submitted her docs in Feb-Mar 2022.
Primary applicant applied on 28.12.2021. Got pre-approval in September 2023, with 2 dependent kids (their docs were submitted later than my wife in 2022). Biometrics done in November 2023, Portimao, for all three. Still no updates on that.
Now waiting for biometric appointment for wife but no news so far.
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