Renewing a residence permit has become one of the biggest sources of anxiety for immigrants in Portugal. With the usual in-person appointments gone and the process moved online, many residents of Barreiro and the Setúbal Peninsula arrive at my office with one concrete worry: my permit has expired — am I still legal? Here is how renewal through the AIMA portal actually works.
My document expired. Have I lost my legal status?
Not necessarily. Documents and residence visas that expired from 22 February 2020 onwards have been extended by law and remained accepted for all legal purposes during the periods set by the Government. These extensions have cut-off dates that are updated over time, so the first step is to confirm which regime applies to your permit before assuming you are irregular.
Where is the renewal done?
Renewal is no longer handled at a registry counter; it is done online, on AIMA's Renewals Portal (portal-renovacoes.aima.gov.pt). The path depends on when your permit expired:
- Permits expired up to 30 June 2025: holders are contacted by email by AIMA's Mission Structure to complete the renewal;
- Permits expiring from 1 July 2025 onwards: renewal is requested directly on the Renewals Portal.
How the application works, step by step
- Register on the portal with your details; you receive a password at the email address you provided.
- Submit the renewal request; the system runs the necessary checks.
- Pay the fees — note: the payment references issued can only be paid within 24 hours.
- Receive the request receipt and the file enters review by the services.
- Biometrics, if required: where biometric data must be collected, AIMA schedules and notifies the date, time and place; the in-person visit is only for that collection.
To submit, you need your tax and contributory status in order with Social Security and the Tax Authority, and you must attach the legally required documentation.
What usually goes wrong
The most common problems I see are easy to avoid: notification emails landing in spam, the 24-hour window to pay the fees slipping by, and gaps in documentation that stall the review. Keeping proof of every step and acting within the deadlines is half the battle for a smooth renewal.
As long as your renewal request is validly submitted and the extensions are in force, your stay remains regular. The most expensive mistake is ignoring the notifications.
How my office can help
I confirm whether your permit is covered by the extensions, gather the documentation, submit the request on the portal, and follow up on notifications and the biometrics appointment. This is part of my Private International Law service, aimed at people who need to keep their residence current without losing time in queues.
If your permit is about to expire or has already expired, talk to me, in person or online, before the deadlines move on.