I am a bit confused as to which ‘portal’ to use for renewal requests.
It seems there are two of them:
Anyone had success with the latter ‘portal’? Does it accept an ARI dependant request?
At present, both online portals for case registration are functioning properly.
My lawyer successfully used the second portal to schedule an appointment for my case, where I am listed as the primary applicant. However, it’s important to note that this portal currently does not support the registration of dependants—only primary applicants can proceed with scheduling through it.
In contrast, the first portal offers broader functionality. It allows both primary applicants and their dependants to complete the registration process. As part of the application, users are required to upload several documents, including:
Another significant difference between the two portals is the speed at which appointments are scheduled. Based on tracking data from last week, the second portal consistently provides faster appointment availability. In comparison, the first portal tends to be slower, with an average delay of approximately three weeks between appointment dates offered by the two systems.
@TommyReine Thank you for one of the best and more fact based summaries of this confusing process so far.
And to add more chaos, AIMA announces yet another process: (it is unclear if this process applies to ARI)
… (AIMA) has opened a page on its website to make life easier for those who need to renew their expired residence permits but have not been notified by the mission structure.
This service is available to immigrants whose residence permits expired between February 2020 and December 2024. According to the AIMA portal, you need to click on the link for services > available at the mission structure (https://services.aima.gov.pt/) — there are 20 service centers
throughout the country — then click on “residence permit renewals” and then on
“I have not been notified (https://services.aima.gov.pt/RAR/reqrenew/index.php?lang=pt)”. When the page opens, simply enter the required information, such as the number of the expired residence permit
Last communication I heard from AIMA was that they apologized for ignoring ARI family renewals but it was necessary because of many people in the country without criminal checks, and now in the 3rd quarter AIMA would definitely prioritize ARI. Seriously. But now I see on facebook forums that the D7 group is receiving renewal appointments en masse. Crickets for my renewal. Have we already been forgotten?
I have a problem with renewal, ne and my family residency cards expired 3.8.2025 and my Lawyer tried to access AIMA platform for renewal but there us a technical error said that our residency permits are invalid, he tried to contact them but no answer, did anyone have the same problem ?
Yes, this is a common issue. You may need to try several times before it goes through successfully. If the problem persists, I recommend using the contact form linked above — that method is reliable and should work
I applied via the ‘contactenos’ form yesterday, so will hopefully be able to give an update on the delay soon.
Just a heads up that I got a renewal appointment about 10 days after I filled out the contact form, and now my husband, who came on as family reunification, got an appointment about 2 weeks after he requested his. I’m at the end of October in Santarem and he’s at the end of November in Setubal.
Congrats - curious: did the AIMA emails suggest the option to not show up in-person (only your lawyer), as biometrics is still up-to-date?
Good to know. When do your cards expire?
Our cards expired in April and literally all I did was go into that link that has been shared and requested appointments. We can appoint someone to go.
My son who is dependent over 26 years old, finished university, and in 4month need to renew his residence card. The law says he must present proof of enrolment in an educational establishment. My question is: does enrolment in an IEFP course (for example, Portuguese course for foreigner A1-A2) count as valid proof of enrolment for renewal?
My card expired in March 2025. The company I used to get my GV has advised me that they received a renewal appointment for the end of October. I made a private equity investment and I’ve been told my renewal fees are €3090.40 plus €605.10 for disbursements, all paid to AIMA. Does anyone know what these disbursement fees are. The aforementioned company also wants to charge me €1250 for someone to accompany me to the meeting 
, which makes me wonder if they are not also fabricating and pocketing the €605.10 fee.
The screenshot is from the ‘tabela-de-taxas’ of 6th March, 2025. I suppose 3.a) is the point you are referring to.
Google translation of this point is - Receipt and Analysis of the application for Granting or Renewal of a Residence Permit for Investment (ARI), including the receipt and analysis of the application for granting or renewal of an AR for Family Reunification (RF) of the holder of the right to a Residence Permit for Investment (ARI), under the terms of Articles 90-A no. 1 and 2, 76 no. 2, 78, 80 and 98.
Thanks. It looks like that might be it, although strange that the Renovacao fees are spot on and the Analise do pedido are slightly different.
Why do you want to be accompanied if your personal attendance is not required by AIMA (supposedly)? Or the lawyer is just asking you for the extra ‘travel fee’ regardless if you attend yourself or not?
The lawyer will charge an even bigger fee to travel from Lisbon to Tavira as that´s where he is located. I would also have to get an updated PoA at an extra cost. The person who is proposing to travel with me for €1,250 is the person who sent the email to AIMA to get me an appointment(not a lawyer). She is located in the company office in Lagoa. I have not been able to do any of this myself as I don´t have access to my account on the portal (they wouldn’t give it to me), but if I understand correctly, I can go and do the renewal by myself now that I have an appointment. The company that did my GV is a royal ripoff.
the above fees to AIMA is also confirmed by our lawyer. the required documents for renewal (family ARI) are less clearly cut,especially it is required, according to the lawyer, that family ARI have to prepared criminal records in original country and in PT. (although i informed that we live in PT and tax payers in PT).
our lawyer informed that “Concerning the criminal record requirements, we would like to clarify the following:
The main investor may submit a criminal record certificate either from their country of origin or their current country of residence.
Family members, however, must submit a criminal record certificate from their country of origin as well as from any country where they have lived for more than one year.’’
Something odd happened with our renewal. It has been over 90 days since our appointment in May, so I started calling AIMA to see if the cards had been sent (to work out whether CTT had them or they were still being printed). I finally got through today, only to be told that they were still listed as “under analysis”. The person answering the help line could not say why, but directed us to the email for the Porto office. My lawyer is following up now, but it’s a very general email address and who knows how long it will take to get an answer.
The lawyer was quite surprised at the news, and we, of course, are very frustrated. But the lesson, I guess, is no chicken counting until the card is in your hand, no matter what you hear at your renewal appointment.
I had my lawyer send me my first card via DHL. Of course it went into one of those flimsy tyvek envelopes, since that’s the cheapest way to do it, and why would you think…
DHL left it by my garage door while we were out. This is 2021, COVID of course, they didn’t feel a need to get a signature or anything.
I live on a windswept hill near the top of a 25pct grade.
The wind blew it down the hill without my knowledge. After all, an A4-size tyvek envelope with a residence card in it bears a good resemblance to a piece of flyaway plastic trash.
I kept wondering where it went. The lawyers said DHL said it was delivered, and knew not what else to do, and of course DHL would do nothing. Drama ensued for several days, including learning getting SEF to issue a card would take forever and involve much drama…
I happened to spy it at the bottom of the garden 30ft below the house, caught in some weeds. Thankfully that stopped it, because the next stop was all the way across a 2 acre lawn into the woods…
I now tell my lawyers to hang onto cards until our next visit where I can take it from their hands in person despite the annoyance of driving into Marquis do Pombal. (Our place is up by Nazaré; we almost never go into Lisbon.) They don’t really understand but it doesn’t bother them either. Especially if I take them to unch.
Just a reminder to be aware of EVERYTHING that could possibly go wrong. 
