Agency for migration warns that it has expanded care to citizens with residence permits due in Portugal. Initially, those with expired documents were contacted in 2020 and 2021.
The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) began to call immigrants whose residence permits expired in 2022 and 2023 so that they can renew the documents. Until then, this service was concentrated among foreigners with residence permits expired between 2020 and 2021.
According to members of AIMA’s mission structure, emails calling these new immigrant groups (2022 and 2023) are already being sent. From the moment they receive the notifications, they will be able to access the renewal portal of the agency to enter the required data. Once this is done, AIMA will send the Single Billing Document (DUC) to pay the required fees by law.
As soon as AIMA’s systems register the discharge of fees, the mission centers will make the scheduling for the delivery of documents and the collection of biometrics, since most immigrants with expired residence permits are with the outdated security data.
AIMA ensures that the 20 mission centers throughout the country are operating normally for the renewal of expired residence permits, despite complaints from immigrants and lawyers that face-to-face services are very slow.
“In mission centers, everything is working normally. We have made daily attendances for the renewal of expired documents, "says an AIMA employee who accompanies the services. He explains that the agency chose to make a gradual service, so that the work flows better. “We started with the residence permits expired in 2020 and now we have reached 2023,” he adds.
In total, more than 374,000 immigrants with residence won between February 2020 and July 2025 must pass through AIMA’s mission centers. The agency, however, still does not have a survey of how many people have been personally served in mission centers or their nationality. “We have not closed these data yet,” the technician points out.
Request for lawyers
Brazilian lawyer Elaine Linhares says that by facilitating the access of immigrants with expired documents to an online system for entering data, AIMA has made the process of renewing residence permits in Portugal easier.
“This is even true for those whose documentation expired from July 1 of this year. At the moment, they are attending to immigrants with residence won in July and August, "says Elaine, remembering that this system was a demand of lawyers through the Order that represents the category, since the decree downloaded by the Government only provided for the renewal of the documents expired until June 2025.
Elaine warns, however, that immigrants who are going to update their residence in Portugal must be with all documentation on time, including NISS (registration with Social Security) and proof that they do not have debts with the Tax Authority. “There are many requirements to be met,” he reinforces.
NISS, a problem
In the case of NISS, which has been a major obstacle for immigrants, AIMA informs that the document is mandatory for all, regardless of the expiration date of the residence permit. The Tax Identification Number (NIF) is also essential.
"AIMA suggests to all applicants for renewal of residence permits who do not have the NIF or NISS, to schedule at the counters that the AMA (Agência for Administrative Modernization) makes available for this service and requests the missing numbers. This service is free," the agency for migrations on its social networks reports.
AIMA also points out that for children under 18 years of age, there is no need to present the Social Security number. “Children of age do not need to own NISS to renew a residence permit on the renewal of the renewal portal. Applications for minors without NISS are analyzed in accordance with the procedures established for all others, "he said.