AIMA Residency Validity: Permit Ends Oct 15

Criticism and concerns are still rising

Despite the government's efforts, the renewal process has been plagued with issues, drawing criticism from immigration specialists and associations.

A businessman that caters to immigrants expressed skepticism about AIMA's ability to meet the deadline. "The timeframe is very short," he stated, highlighting the history of repeated extensions. He believes another extension of the decree-law might be necessary while also pointing out a critical limitation: the current extension is only valid within Portugal. The situation leaves immigrants with expired documents unable to travel outside the country for fear of being denied reentry.

A member of an immigrant association voiced the frustration of many, stating that even when immigrants complete the necessary steps, the delivery of the physical residence card is severely delayed. "People are not receiving their valid documents," he said. He also criticized the renewal process itself, citing cases where AIMA officials claim documents are missing and a lack of chronological order in scheduling appointments. "There are people whose permits expired in May of this year who have been called, while others with documents expired in 2021 and 2022 are still waiting," he noted.

Another immigrant association member pointed to significant technical problems with the AIMA platform. She recounted instances of the system incorrectly flagging individuals for tax debts and even calling a person who had already obtained Portuguese nationality for a residence permit renewal. Rocha also observed that the renewal process seems to be faster for those in the IT sector, suggesting a disparity in how cases are being handled.