Lisbon August 04, 2026 — Holders of " golden visas " are experiencing delays in their residency applications. According to the agency, the goal is to resolve the processes of more than half of the 50,000 investors who are on the waiting list.
In response to constant complaints from investors who invested over 500,000 euros in Portugal through " golden visas ," the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA ) promises to regularize the situation of at least 29,000 citizens who fall into this category this year. They hold Residence Permits for Investment (ARI).
According to AIMA, since February 16, 2026, investors have been able to renew their residency through the Renewal Portal . AIMA's target, however, represents just over half of the 50,000 holders of “ golden visas ” who are undocumented in the country.
Several of these investors, however, had to resort to the courts to ensure they received assistance. And one of their main complaints is the fact that they are forced to remain confined in Portugal because they lack the proper documentation to enter and leave the country. They fear being barred by immigration upon their return trips, as investor Said, who has invested hundreds of thousands of euros in technology projects in Portugal.
AIMA emphasizes, however, that the fact that investors have residency applications pending does not prevent them from leaving Portugal. "The existence of a pending application does not, in itself, equate to a situation of administrative irregularity in national territory, without prejudice to the rules applicable to international travel and border control," it stresses.
According to the lawyer, political will is needed to resolve the outstanding documentation issues for investors. "It's just a matter of updating their documents online and scheduling dates for biometric data collection," she states. AIMA acknowledges that the government has had other priorities in resolving the pending processes.
According to the agency, given the nearly one million pending cases that began to be resolved in September 2024, mainly through the Mission Structure , the option was to start with residency applications made through expressions of interest, with the work continuing with the renewals of CPLP titles, the processes related to the transition regime and, subsequently, family reunifications.