AIMA Appointments in Portugal: Official Channels by Case

A person checking official AIMA appointment information before acting.

Last updated: September 11, 2026 By E-Residence Team

Portugal’s immigration appointments are no longer handled by SEF. The official channel you need depends on your specific case — and using an outdated SEF-era instruction can cost you months. This guide maps the current official routes published by AIMA.

In short

  • SEF was abolished; AIMA has handled administrative migration cases since 29 October 2023 (Decree-Law No. 41/2023).
  • There is no universal booking page. Your appointment is set at visa issuance, proposed by AIMA by e-mail, scheduled after an online renewal request, or requested via AIMA’s contact channels — depending on your case.
  • Renewals of residence permits are handled online through the Portal de Renovações for permits inside the published expiry-date windows.
  • Scheduling is free and is done only by Portuguese state entities or by you personally. Any paid “appointment slot” offer is a red flag.

SEF is gone: what AIMA took over

SEF (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras) was abolished, and AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo) became operational on 29 October 2023, succeeding SEF in administrative competences in migration and asylum matters (Decree-Law No. 41/2023 of 2 June). Police and border-control functions were moved to other entities — AIMA is the administrative body that processes residence permits, renewals and the related appointments.

This means any guide that still tells you to book through SEF pages, SEF phone lines or a SEF app is outdated. Start from AIMA’s official website and select the guidance that matches your case.

The official appointment channel depends on your case

New residence permit (first application). The old “manifestação de interesse” route — applying for a residence permit from inside Portugal without a consular visa — was abolished by Decree-Law No. 37-A/2024 of 3 June 2024. New residence permits now generally require a prior consular residence visa. According to AIMA, the appointment for the grant of the permit is made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when the visa is issued; if no date was set, you request it through AIMA’s contact form (contactenos.aima.gov.pt), the Contact Centre (+351 217 115 000) or geral@aima.gov.pt.

Renewal of a residence permit. Renewals are handled online on AIMA’s Portal de Renovações (portal-renovacoes.aima.gov.pt) — the portal is for renewals only. As of AIMA’s July 2026 update, it admits residence permits expired or expiring between 1 July 2025 and 31 October 2026, ARI (Golden Visa) permits expired between 22 February 2020 and 31 October 2026, and permanent residence certificates/cards of EU nationals and their family members. These admission windows are widened step by step, so always check the current version of AIMA’s renewal page against your expiry date. After registering the request and paying the fees you receive a receipt (comprovativo) valid for 180 days. If your biometric data or passport has expired, AIMA schedules the biometric appointment itself and notifies you of the date, time and location — the in-person visit is then limited to biometric collection.

A pending SAPA expression of interest. AIMA’s published workflow for expressions filed in the former SAPA portal by 30 April 2023 says to wait for its official e-mail, revalidate access on the services platform, pay the fee and then receive an appointment proposal. Other legacy or transitional cases must follow AIMA’s current case-specific instructions; do not assume that this workflow applies by analogy.

Family reunification. AIMA runs an online platform for family reunification requests involving children and young people under 18; the biometric appointment is scheduled automatically by AIMA in registration order — no phone call is needed. For other family-reunification categories, verify the current procedure on AIMA’s website, as the published channels differ by case.

CPLP permits. AIMA provides a dedicated appointment form for CPLP citizens who hold a consular residence or job-seeker visa without an appointment date. The form requires the visa and passport numbers plus copies of both documents. If the visa’s observations field already contains a date, use that appointment.

Infographic: AIMA appointment channels by case — new permit, renewal, pending SEF-era process, family reunification and CPLP each follow a different official channel.

Expired documents: the rules that actually apply now

The pandemic-era practice of automatic extensions is over. Decree-Law No. 85-B/2025 extended permits expiring between 22 February 2020 and 30 June 2025 only until 15 October 2025; after that date, automatic extensions ended, and an expired permit whose holder had not started renewal ceased to be valid.

At the same time, AIMA clarifies that the right of residence is maintained for up to 6 months after the card’s expiry date (Article 63(14) of Regulatory Decree No. 84/2007). If you have already started a renewal, carry the expired title together with the renewal-request receipt as proof.

Official contact channels

  • Contact Centre: +351 217 115 000 (Monday–Friday, 08:00–20:00)
  • E-mail: geral@aima.gov.pt
  • Contact form: contactenos.aima.gov.pt
  • In person: AIMA stores; confirm the current location and opening hours on the official AIMA website

Opening hours and locations can change; confirm them on AIMA’s official website before visiting.

Fraud warnings AIMA asks you to know

AIMA publishes standing warnings that matter for anyone searching for an appointment:

  • Scheduling for in-person attendance is free of charge and is carried out only by Portuguese state entities or by the applicant personally.
  • Fraudulent e-mails falsely claiming that an appointment was booked circulate; legitimate appointment communications originate from the aima.gov.pt domain. Suspected fraud should be reported to the Judicial Police, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, PSP or GNR.
  • Look-alike websites (AIMA has specifically flagged aimapt.com as unofficial) have no connection to the Agency. Never enter personal or banking data and never make payments on unofficial sites.

What to check

  • Identify your exact case (new permit, renewal, pending process, family reunification, CPLP) before looking for a channel.
  • Use only AIMA’s current official pages for that case — channels and renewal windows change.
  • Keep official instructions, receipts and confirmations for your records.
  • Treat any paid “guaranteed appointment” offer as fraud.

Official sources

Frequently asked questions

Is SEF still the authority for appointments in Portugal?

No. SEF was abolished and AIMA became operational on 29 October 2023, taking over the administrative migration and asylum cases (Decree-Law No. 41/2023). Border-control and police functions were separated to other entities.

Is there one website where I can book any AIMA appointment?

No. The channel depends on the case: the appointment may be set when your residence visa is issued, proposed by AIMA by e-mail, scheduled by AIMA after an online renewal request, or requested by you through the contact form, the Contact Centre (+351 217 115 000) or geral@aima.gov.pt.

Can I renew my Portuguese residence permit online?

Yes, if your case falls within the current admission window of AIMA’s Portal de Renovações (portal-renovacoes.aima.gov.pt). The portal covers permits within the officially published expiry-date ranges, which AIMA widens step by step — check the current version of AIMA’s renewal page for your dates.

My residence card has expired. Am I staying illegally?

Not necessarily. AIMA clarifies that the right of residence is maintained for up to 6 months after the card’s expiry date (Article 63(14) of Regulatory Decree No. 84/2007). If you have started a renewal, carry the expired title together with the renewal-request receipt.

Are expired Portuguese residence documents still automatically extended?

No. Automatic extensions ended on 15 October 2025 (Decree-Law No. 85-B/2025 covered permits expiring between 22 February 2020 and 30 June 2025). After that date, an expired permit whose holder has not started renewal is no longer valid.

Can an agency sell me an AIMA appointment slot?

No. AIMA warns that scheduling for in-person attendance is free of charge and is carried out only by Portuguese state entities or by the applicant personally. Legitimate appointment e-mails come from the aima.gov.pt domain; ignore look-alike websites and messages promising slots.