Thanks, that’s good advice. I’ll get the lawyers on it.
My lawyers have just this week asked me to get the same thing (residency renewal app in Jan 2026), but for the transfer of funds for my property purchase. Which was in 2019. They’ve also said I need to ask Millennium for the document. Sound like it’s going to be difficult to get it.
Last time I was able to get it through my Prestige account manager by email, but she left last year and hasn’t been replaced (that’s an entire complaint in itself). I’ve tried calling and emailing the bank, but they just forward the request to the branch where it is duly ignored.
If you’re in Portugal and can go to your branch, you might have better luck. For all the faults of BCP, they are generally more helpful in person. I wasn’t planning to be in Portugal again until after the renewal appointment, so am looking for a remote solution.
My lawyer asked neither bank nor fund declaration for my appointment in late Sept. AIMA issued confirmation of renewal request with no outstanding document, unlike my initial appointment where my NISS declaration was missing and was recorded on that SEF confirmation.
Of course my lawyer said this confirmation doesn’t not prevent AIMA to request additional documents. I am still waiting for renewed card.
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If you have millennium and Gmail (or another email account that’s easy to search), millennium sends me a detailed statement by email as an attachment’s. So just search your email and you’ll find it - even from 2019.
Search this:
from:millenniumbcp has:attachment subject:”extrato combinado”
Unfortunately AIMA won’t accept bank statements. For these purposes, they want a signed declaration.
I would push back on this.
Officially this is not required by AIMA for the renewal.
So how does your lawyer know that it would be required before actually attending the appointment?
Even If AIMA does ask for it during the appointment I would push back then too and show them the printout of their own official requirement list.
There is no logic to have this as extra request - it’s like ‘oh we issued you a card 2 years ago, but we since lost all documents and want you to resubmit all of them, so we could come back in time and reconsider our past decision?’ Sorry, that train has left the station 2 years ago, I am here now with my card in hand, you must renew it.
AIMA official was lenient in this case, however during auto renewals couple of years ago needed nothing either.
I am quite positive that I am correct in this case, as i was at the renewals recently and the AIMA guy was a text book nerd and goes by the book. Luckily we had all the documents in hand. Certificação is the only way a bank can issue a statement of holding the shares, they even do charge the fees as per the tabela de preços of their bank to issue this certificate.
This is possible, however your lawyer should have the original documents submitted during the GV application. Your bank as you have mentioned BCP should have sent you a PDF copy by email. Doesn’t hurt to carry a copy of it.
Information about the required “Term of Responsibility” document for minors applying for residence permit renewals in Portugal.
For this document to have full legal validity,Statement of Responsibility – with signature duly authenticated by a Notary, Lawyer or Solicitor, if not signed before and in the presence of an AIMA representative.
Modelo 4 - Impressos e Minutas - AIMA
modelo-4 (1).pdf (629.1 KB)
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Sadly that’s no guarantee of consistency. Different AIMA officials will insist they are applying the rules correctly even as they demand completely different documents!
Sorry you are right about that. And I already have that document from my custodian bank proving ongoing holding of the shares (not titled Certificação but it is a signed declaration with the language you describe noting ‘valor mobiliário livres de onus e engargos’)
But that’s not the document I’m after. I’m referring to a declaration proving the original transfer of funds from abroad into BCP, then transfer out of BCP into the fund. In many cases, people used the same bank for that transaction and custody, so it can all be detailed on the Certificação you describe. In my case (and many others), funding the investment was transacted through a different Portuguese bank (BCP) to the final custodian bank (Bison) so required seperate documentation at GV application. If that also applies to you, and you weren’t asked for that proof at your recent renewal appointment, that is a useful data point, but based on my lawyer’s reported experience in recent renewals, you could have been.
They do, and so do I. The point is the BCP declaration is now over 5 years old and AIMA could ask for a recently issued version if they don’t have anything on file. I realise little in the process makes logical sense, and we can all point to rules saying that they shouldn’t do that, but AIMA doesn’t operate with standard human logic and we’re just trying to prepare for all contingencies so it doesn’t delay the renewal.
It’s the equivalent of asking for the repeated declaration of the original transfer of money for the RE purchase. It is not part of the renewal documents list, AIMA is not asking for it, and they should not be asking for it. If they do ask for it, I would argue that they should not. 
Obtaining such declaration was a right pain in the butt even 5 years ago when the banks were ‘good’.
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The Renewals Portal is now available for Residence Permit renewals expiring in December 2025.
Source: AIMA Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo (AIMA Facebook)
some backgroud to add:
- My law firm has the old bank declarations for initial biometric appointment.
- My law firm has attended at least 10s renewal appointments before my renewal appointment on my behalf on 26 Sept 2025. When I signed up with them in 2021, they already have 600 ARI clients and now 1500 ARI clients.
- My law firm informed me the following documentation requirements (for main investor) on 30 July 2025:
- A complete scanned copy of each passport (all pages, including blank ones);
- Proof that you have spent at least 14 days in Portugal – this includes boarding passes (entry and exit) and invoices issued in Portugal with NIF.
- Criminal record certificates** (duly legalized and apostilled).
Subsequently, I enquired twice of any addtional documentation requirement, as I am aware of other logical document requirement, such as bank declarations, updated POA as I have changed my passport. The answer has been: it is all we need for now. This leads me to think that this round of renewal is an in-personal ‘auto-renewal’ focusing on background check.
Oh I know, if we can’t get it and they ask for it, we will certainly argue that. My lawyer has just always approached these appointments over-prepared so cards don’t get delayed any more than the usual unacceptable delays.
Of course the stupid part is that I would not be renewing my ARI if I had no ARI that was expiring. And to obtain that ARI in the first place, I had to provide this declaration to them 5 years ago. So how do they explain the initial ARI approval that got me to this point of renewal if I had not previously provided the documentation that they now claim to want to see? 
I think the PSD/Chega narrative is “PS opened the doors to everyone and let criminals in without vetting so now we have to redo all the checks to be sure”
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Uh huh…
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SEF. The gift that keeps on giving.
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Seems NISS bug is fixed now?
(make sure you use PT version of any portal - EN version may not be tested to same rigour)
AIMA Update: Renewal Portal Accepts Applications Without NISS (November 2025)
AIMA… has officially updated the Residence Permit Renewal Portal, allowing applicants to submit their renewal requests even without a Social Security Identification Number (NISS) .
This important change, launched in November 2025, simplifies the process for many residents whose NISS (Social Security Number) has not yet been integrated into the AIMA system. From now on, you can submit your residence permit renewal online even if your NISS is not registered.
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My periodic check-in to see if anyone has received a card from a recent renewal …
Three months in… still nothing 
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