My lawyer informed me a primary applicant for renewal can provide a criminal background check from EITHER country of residence OR birth.
Is there some legal mention of the requirement for a criminal background check from country of residence?
I doubt about the background check from country of residence.
Because, what happened to me in 2024 was that during my renew I had to submit the criminal record from country of birth although I was living full time in Portugal. They did not accept the my criminal record from Portugal (which I preferred because it was easy. Cost med 5 euros and it is already in portuguese and does not involve any apostilled and translation).
It is likely that when you provide the background from country of birth, they will say " we also accept the background from country of residence".
But, if you only submit the document from country of residence (specifically: Portugal if you reside in Portugal), then they will require you to provide the background from country of birth.
That’s what I am experiencing. Portugal has laws but to understand how law interprets, it depends on the person, on his attitude, on his mood, and on his competence. Therefore, it is best that we prepare all documents. But do not show them all. Just show them just enough. Then wait, until they ask you to provide more, you can take it out immediately from your file and insert into their mouth. And they will keep quiet.
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Yes, I think it is assumed the ‘country of residence’ besides Portugal.
Because a criminal check from Portugal is separately mentioned in another line of AIMA requirements, which they themselves would obtain based on the applicant’s consent which he/she signs.
This requirements is rather nuanced, and very much open to interpretation by the AIMA agent processing your case.
Check out the old threads on this forum for some more in-depth analysis:
Thanks! Safest thing is probably to get both from country of residence and birth.
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I applied in 2023
Thank you for hosting the webinar today @madalenamonteiro!
Did I understand it correctly that it’s only the main applicant that is supposed to updated their documents (criminal records, etc), not the family members? If so, does that mean that they will not all be called at the same time?
Also, could you comment on what you learned at the call with AIMA today? Anything that we didn’t know based on the email or something that got clarified further?
This just posted by Sara Sousa Rebolo at Prime Legal on a WhatsApp group:
Hi All!
Following today’s session at AIMA, please find below a summary of what we understood from the information received:
- AIMA is changing the process to be more efficient and faster but asks for understanding for the constraints in which they will do so - same platform and same team;
- There are 58,000 pending cases (investors and family members);
- The new procedure is for those who have not yet taken biometrics;
- All investors without biometrics will be reopened (in principle even those that re-submitted between 26 of December until now) so that the most complete documentation possible can be submitted, including new criminal records, which, if submitted valid and legalized/apostilled, will not be requested to be updated again in the biometrics;
- AIMA will be sensitive to exceptional cases in the online submission (lack of appointments for legalization, countries in war, etc). To upload at the platform the justification or an affidavit and bring it to the biometrics whenever possible;
- The objective is to process all possible documentation electronically to avoid wasting time with the movement of physical processes and digitalization by the services;
- Complete processes re-submitted with all documentation, duly updated, will be scheduled without the possibility of choosing dates/locations, also respecting the initial seniority;
- The network of AIMA places that will receive biometrics will be expanded;
- Rescheduling of appointments only for the second half of the year and when justification for non-attendance is demonstrated;
- Processes that have not been touch from the applicant’s side for 6 months from notification of the new procedure may be considered abandoned;
- Payment of the card issuance fee will be made in the biometrics - alert banks to possible limits on transactions to avoid problems and delays;
- The process will be analyzed after the biometrics and if there is any missing or incorrect documentation, there will be a notification for correction;
- If the lawyers certify (attest that complies with the original) the documentation submitted online, there is no need to bring any originals to the appointment with the exception of the passport, proof of legal entry and AIMA application form;
- Marriage and birth certificates can be used as long as they were valid and apostilled on the date of the original online submission;
- The counting date of the 5 years of access to nationality is made from the date of payment of the analysis fee for the online submission;
- Renewals will once again be in person - a platform for requesting appointments will be made available in the upcoming months;
- To submit online all pages of the passport that have information;
- The rate with penalty for non online applications will not be applicable under any circumstances;
- To update investment documents that have validity and that proof the maintenance of the investment;
- Foreign Tax document or equivalent shall be submitted with apostille / legalization;
- They were only re-opening for submission the Investors (main applicants) but will now try to reopen also family members to bring all family together (it is an informatic system limitation that they are dealing with);
- Until the 15th of January the platform might be subject to updates;
- CONCLUSION: AIMA needs the electronic processing of updated and complete applications with the maximum amount of documentation so that the process, appointment diligence and analysis can be as quick as possible and decentralized by more AIMA technicians and AIMA places, which seems to be receiving training as we speak
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Thomas, thats correct. Only the main applicants need to update the documents in the portal.
Family members will present the documents in the appointment
I would like a clarification on payment at time of biometrics. My bank NovoBanco is being very difficult with allowing me to perform transactions!
Is it possible to pay the fee at biometrics with a US credit card?
Payments are only made at AIMA using MB debit cards. If you have Novo banco, it should be good.
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I do have NovoBanco but they are not allowing transactions on the account because they say it was opened by proxy by legal representatives and not by me. Hopefully this can be corrected before biometrics but they are not responding to my emails.
Try to call them to clear the account restriction. This will make it much easier.
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Alternatively, you may ask your lawyer to pay onsite in AIMA and you can transfer fund to the lawyer from the US account.
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Look up the thread on PT banks recommendations, I would strongly suggest moving your account out of Novo Banco.
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Including the webinar recording here since it does answer some of the questions posted earlier:
Feel free to ask any follow-up questions for @madalenamonteiro in this thread!
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@madalenamonteiro what about countries that don’t issue a personal tax number or a declaration for not having a tax number? Can the normal i.d number from citizen card be enough?
I was wondering if there is a recording of the session with AIMA.
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Chris
We have attended the meeting at AIMA and the presentation has all the details that were provided in consideration
Hello
7 days in the first year
14 days every subsequent 2 year period
Thats the rule