The fee is 177 euros through the real estate route.
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Hello.
Thank you for sharing information.
As I understand you passed 5 years. You got appointment slot by yourself. Could you clarify why didn’t not apply for permanent residency? Was it possible to apply renewal and permanent residency on the same appointment?
Hi Miffy, Yes i applied (family of 4) online in January 2024 with lawyer. Even if we haven t seen yet online processes completed, i think it won t take longer to start seeing 2023 online cases completed.
Moreover, we are approaching mid June 2023 online processes and this the date that we started seeing online applications (Article 6.1) processed with less bureaucracy (less admin tasks for conservators, less burdens for them + IRN checks being already done with external bodies ) let s say more efficiency.
Have you tried applying online?
Hi everyone! I just wanted to give an update - my lawyer just told me that she managed to get a renewal appointment for me (main applicant) but not yet for my husband. Our cards expired in January this year, my appointment is for June 6.
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Congratulations @supermoira. Will be interested to hear about your experience at AIMA.
Our lawyer was also able to recently secure an appointment for my spouse. Both of our cards expired back in May 2024. As the primary applicant, I was able to renew online during the brief window when it was possible - back in August 2024. However, as many have posted here, it’s been difficult to renew spouses/dependents.
My spouse had the AIMA renewal appointment a couple of weeks ago, in Lisbon. All the supporting documents (updated FBI and marriage certificates, proof of stay in country, etc) were reviewed and accepted. Biometrics were taken. The processing fee of €618,60 was paid on the spot. However, renewal fee was not collected and the AIMA agent said the file had to be passed to another group for final approval. Apparently the procedure had just changed on 1 March. Our lawyer pushed for an immediate approval, but was not successful. So now we wait… again.
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Just want to share this. After emailing Aima many times - and receiving the standard reply about applying to IRN - I received an email today from Aima informing me that I have an appointment in September in Évora! Very grateful for this, my only problem is that my husband is my sponsor and he hasn’t received his appointment yet. Our lawyer is saying that he will get an email soon and if not, to go to my appointment as well.
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Urgent: Please advise about DUC payment 
Is it true that only law firms can handle the DUC payment process?
I have done everything by myself, and now just need to pay the renewal fee. I believe I can do it on my side. They want to hold that final process in their hand and threaten me that they may stop the payment process if I do not pay their consultation fee (for no jobs/no support), or I must inform them of a new law firm to take over.
They left me for 1 year with no follow-up, no advice, no effort to make an appointment with AIMA, therefore I started to collect the latest information, then got an appointment, prepared ALL the required documents, and visited AIMA to register for biometrics. AIMA rejected my documents, and requested additional support docs, then finally accepted, so now it is at the very final stage. I have done ALL by myself, but somehow the notification was sent to the law firm which I used for the first-time application for a resident card.
I didn’t get any help from the law firm for the renewal process. They presented the cost of renewal support, but I have never said “Go Ahead” or “Agreed”, just asked them to let me know in advance “Which entity (an applicant or a law firm) can proceed”, because I was skeptical if they could work on it with the best earliest timeline, in case, I could do better by myself, as the law firms are always busy handling many cases. Although they didn’t reply to that question, they insisted as if they “assisted” and I “agreed”. The deadline of DUC payment is 30 days. They still hold the payment site and do not disclose it UNTIL I pay their consultation fee. Is it a proper business?
Please advise. Send me a DM. Thank you.
It is absurd and a scam!
DUC is just a reference number and you need that reference number to pay by the bank app or ay the ATM.
In your case, print out the email that lawyer has threaten you. Bring the printed email to AIMA and beg the security guard that you are only here to ask for the reference number. It is better that all emails from Aima go to you directly, not the lawyer. It is painful to read your story. I wish you good luck!
Thank you so much for your warm message… (very emotional by reading it 
)
Yes, I have done ALL the communication directly by myself (struggling for portuguese language, unknown documents, etc), especially it was hard to find two local witnesses who could sign on my “atestado” and come with me at junta de freguesia during Mon-Fri daytime…
The law firm holds up my payment site. During the past year, I was unable to go abroad, or even visit my home country. The time has finally come. If the DUC reference number expires due to the fault of the law firm, I can’t stay sane. I would seriously go to AIMA to finish payment with all the printed paper of communication evidence. Your comment energized me a lot.
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One important thing. Make sure that AIMA does not send the card to lawyer. Instead, they inform you to pick up the card at AIMA’s office. Keep fighting and know that we are on the same boat. My lawyer is even worse than yours. I am thinking a way to get rid of my lawyer too. Now I can do things on my own.
Better yet, see if you could change address (since you already have “atestado de residência”) to the one in Portugal, that would be the address AIMA would use to send your card.
That’s a good point. I will definitely emphasize that.
This time, I expected to receive the notification and card at my home address, but somehow AIMA sent a notification to the former rep (= the law firm). In this way, they hold up my final step.
Thanks for encouraging me. Once it’s resolved, I am happy to help you, sharing my experience/knowledge.
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That’s true. As I have lived in Portugal for a few years, I am the one who represents myself, doing tax declarations at Finanças every year, already managing my daily life here independently.
At the AIMA office, I have clearly written my home address on the application form of renewal, so the new card should indicate my address. Otherwise, I will promptly take action to revise the address on my card.
Thanks for your insight.
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I would probably threaten the firm with making a formal complaint about them. Assuming you never formally instructed them to handle your renewals (you didn’t sign anything upfront?), I don’t see how they can be holding you to ransom in this way, it’s deeply unprofessional.
This is very unethical, in the legal sense, on part of your law firm. I’ve worked with two excellent lawyers. The scope of work and payment terms were agreed beforehand and there was no indication from either of them that certain work would be withheld without payment.
First try to get help from AIMA and then complain against the lawyer to their professional body as suggested by others.
Hi Kay,
I totally get where you’re coming from. Coping with Portuguese bureaucracy is tough—especially coming from Hong Kong, a highly efficient place like Singapore. Back home, government websites are clear and officials don’t ask for random documents like they often do here.
I moved to Portugal in 2021 with a GV and, like you, quickly learned to rely on myself. Even though my lawyer has been the most reliable person I’ve met here, I still double-check all the facts, laws, and documents myself—because in the end, we’re the ones who suffer if someone else messes up.
Today, I received my AIMA renewal email with an appointment scheduled for April 11—just 10 days from now—and it’s in Madeira, even though I live in Lisbon! Since we’re both based here, I think your experience could be really helpful. I read about your difficulties getting the atestado, and I have a few quick questions:
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Did you prepare your documents based on the old SEF checklist?
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How did you obtain the SNS-related document? Can it be downloaded from the SNS website? (I’ve already managed to get the no-debt certificates for Social Security and Tax online.)
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How did you prove your residence in Portugal? Is there any alternative to the atestado?
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Did you provide a non-criminal record from your home country? Getting one from Hong Kong is notoriously difficult. From what I understand, if you’re residing in Portugal, it should be enough to authorize AIMA to check your Portuguese criminal record.
Thanks so much in advance for any insights you can share! And if any of this feels too private to reply here, feel free to PM me 
Congrats Miffy. It’s exciting to see that someone pulled this off. I also got an appointment in 10 days in Madeira. I have a few quick questions:
- Did you prepare your documents based on the old SEF checklist?
- How did you obtain the SNS-related document? I’ve already managed to get the no-debt certificates for Social Security and Tax online.
- How did you prove your residence in Portugal? Is there any alternative to the atestado?
- Did you provide a non-criminal record from your home country? From what I understand, if you’re residing in Portugal (I have lived here since 2021), it should be enough to authorize AIMA to check your Portuguese criminal record.
Thanks so much in advance for any insights you can share!
Did you get this through your lawyer or by emailing AIMA yourself? How long did it take them to respond to you after your request for renewal?
Regarding your question on SNS, I suppose you should have your initial printout from SNS from when they issued your Numero de utente.
If misplaced, you can go to SNS24 website and print out your Identificação page.
I am not aware of this being required for renewal. Why do you think they’d ask to prove your residence if you are already a resident by virtue of possessing a valid GV card? They’d rather want the proof of stay min 7 days, i.e. your boarding passes, hotel receipts, local receipts with NIF etc.
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