Following the creation of the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA, I.P.), a streamlined strategy was introduced to simplify the administrative process related to Residence Permit applications, including ARI procedures – Residence Permits through Investment, commonly known as the Golden Visa.
At the end of 2024, AIMA, I.P. announced a significant policy change to all investors and/or their legal representatives concerning the evaluation of online applications and the scheduling of biometric data collection appointments for both investors and their family members. The primary goal of this update is to prioritize older pending applications.
Accordingly, investors were instructed to resubmit all required documentation online, updated and complete, and to correct any formal issues or irregularities identified in the application.
Once the legal documents have been submitted, duly validated and legalized, and in chronological order of update, AIMA, I.P. will automatically assign an in-person appointment for biometric data collection.
Changes to Payment Procedure
A noteworthy change concerns the payment process for the issuance of Golden Visa residence cards, which must now be completed in person, unlike the previous remote procedure.
It is now also possible to submit documentation online for family members.
AIMA has committed to delivering decisions on applications within a maximum of 90 days from the date of complete document submission.
Prioritization and Scheduling
Priority is currently being given to applications awaiting biometric appointments, as well as to the resolution of abandoned cases. Biometric appointments have been scheduled since January 15, 2025, based on the chronological order of document uploads, with appointments available 30 to 90 days in advance.
Validity of Cards and Renewals
Existing cards remain valid until June 2025, and renewals will continue to be processed in person at AIMA branches. A dedicated online scheduling platform for renewals will soon be made available.
The validity of renewed cards depends on the type of investment:
- 2 years for fund-based investments;
- 3 years for real estate investments.
Government fees may be subject to updates. The current fees are:
- Legalized documents: €6,045.20 per application;
- Documents requiring legalization: €8,060.20 per application.
Documentation and Accepted Languages
All documentation must be updated and current, with the exception of birth and marriage certificates, which may be reused if they were legalized at the time of the initial application fee payment. However, using these documents may cause delays in validation. If reused, the investor must submit a sworn statement confirming the accuracy of the information (e.g., still married).
Documents are accepted in Portuguese, English, French, and Spanish.
Appointment Locations
All appointments will be scheduled exclusively by AIMA and may take place anywhere within the national territory, including the islands. Investors cannot select the location, date, or time of the appointment.
If an investor cannot attend the scheduled appointment, a justification must be provided for reasons of force majeure (e.g., a medical certificate). A new appointment will then be scheduled for the second half of 2025, and updated documents may be required.
Note on Nationality
It is important to note that the five-year residency requirement for Portuguese nationality is counted from the date of payment of the initial application analysis fee. Therefore, investors who submitted their formal application in 2020 may already be eligible to apply for nationality in 2025.