Renewing your residence permit at AIMA

Renewing a residence permit sounds simple, but in practice there are several channels, each for a type of permit and an expiry date. Picking the wrong one slows things down. This guide helps you work out which is yours, what to do at each stage and who to turn to if something stalls. The overview of AIMA, the first application and the decision deadline is in the AIMA guide; here we go deeper into renewal.

Who applies, and to whom

As worded by Law No. 62/2026 of 10 September, article 81-A of the Foreigners Act says a renewal request may be made by the person concerned or by a legal representative and is submitted to AIMA’s services. Article 78 now provides that AIMA may sign protocols with local authorities and other public bodies to help receive and forward renewal requests and the resulting permits. Before travelling to any counter, check on AIMA’s website where your request can be submitted.

When to apply

gov.pt describes renewal as a service for people whose residence permit is valid or expired for less than six months. For temporary permits it says you can start from 90 days before the end of validity and that the request must be made up to 30 days before it expires. The page itself warns that it may be out of date. So:

• note the card’s expiry date and begin preparing about three months ahead;
• confirm the current deadline on AIMA’s portal before applying; article 78(1) of the Foreigners Act requires the request up to 30 days before validity ends;
• if you have no permit in Portugal, or it lapsed more than six months ago, gov.pt says the route is a residence application at an AIMA counter, not renewal. The same service states that residence permits cannot be requested at the Registos counters; in-person renewal is by appointment only, and IRN contacts eligible people to book it. If IRN contacts you, follow that instruction and keep the message.

Choosing the right channel

Situation	Channel
Permit expiring after 1 July 2025, within the date range shown on the portal	Renewals Portal
Permit expired between 22 February 2020 and 30 June 2025 (except ARI, CPLP and EU citizens’ cards)	services.aima.gov.pt
CPLP title	services.aima.gov.pt, option Renovar AR CPLP
Permanent residence permit	email to geral@aima.gov.pt
Grant of permanent residence certificates and cards for EU citizens and family members	Renewals Portal (renewal of the permanent EU card is under particular cases below)

The range of dates the Renewals Portal accepts keeps being extended: open the portal and read the current notice before deciding. The portal also accepts renewal of residence permits for investment (ARI).

The channels do not mix. The step-by-step for the CPLP title, with its own particularities, is in the CPLP guide. What follows on registration, address and the DUC concerns the Renewals Portal, unless stated otherwise.

The route on the Renewals Portal

1. Register. According to AIMA, the access password arrives at the email address you give.
2. Fix your address before going further. If the address in your personal area is wrong, request a change through AIMA’s Contact Form, choosing Portal de Renovações and Comunicar/retificar Morada. AIMA says the update is made within two working days at most and recommends paying the DUC only once the address is correct.
3. Check your address at Social Security. AIMA asks you to see which address is registered; if it still shows an address abroad, report your Portuguese one as soon as possible. See the NISS guide.
4. Submit the request. The system runs validations and, if all is in order, issues the DUC (Documento Único de Cobrança) with the fees due.
5. Pay the DUC within 10 working days of its generation. The amount is shown on the DUC itself.
6. Receive the receipt and wait for review. According to AIMA, a receipt for the request is issued after payment and review begins.

For permits expiring after 30 June 2025, AIMA says the request requires a regularised situation with the Tax Authority and Social Security, advance payment of the fee and copies of the required documents. AIMA checks the criminal record, precautionary and security measures, and means of subsistence in Portugal. The specific documents depend on the type of permit; the portal lists them during the request.

Partial payment and a DUC that does not appear

• Paid only part of the fee? On the Renewals Portal, use the same DUC to pay the balance, through a different bank from the first payment. Do not pay through CTT or Payshop.
• DUC not generated or expired? First confirm that you still meet the conditions to issue it. If you do, write to geral@aima.gov.pt with the subject Problemas na emissão do DUC - Portal/MI/CPLP/RAR, or ask at an AIMA shop, subject to its hours and services.

Biometrics and the new card

AIMA explains that, for permits that expired after 30 June 2025, biometric data collection at an AIMA shop is needed only if the request is approved and the biometrics or passport need updating. If the card is returned, collecting it in person at an AIMA shop carries the fee of 28.50 euros set by Portaria No. 307/2023, according to AIMA’s FAQ.

On the services.aima.gov.pt channel, AIMA says that once payment is confirmed you receive a proposed biometrics appointment and instructions to upload documents to your personal area before the date. Proof of the request becomes available in that area up to 10 working days after payment is confirmed.

Particular cases

• Permanent permit. Ask for an appointment by email to geral@aima.gov.pt, with the subject Agendamento de Concessão/Renovação de AR permanente, and wait for the booking. For renewal, AIMA says to present the residence title and a valid passport.
• Permanent EU card. The March 2026 FAQ points to the Contact Form, under Cartão da Residência UE, choosing the subtype that matches your case (EU citizen or family member); the Renewals Portal handles the grant of these certificates and cards, so confirm with AIMA which channel applies to your case. If the card had a validity of under five years, AIMA says you make a new grant application, not a renewal.
• Student permit. AIMA says that someone who has not finished their studies and is working cannot renew it, but may apply for a grant of residence under article 122(1)(j) of Law No. 23/2007, provided they meet that regime’s requirements.
• Lost or stolen title. This is a request for a replacement (2nd copy), with the report made to the police, by appointment through the Contact Centre or by email.

While the request is under way

Article 78(7) of the Foreigners Act, in the text current to Law No. 62/2026, says the receipt for the renewal request has the same effects as the residence permit for 60 days, a period that can be renewed. In addition, AIMA cites article 63(14) of Regulatory Decree No. 84/2007 in its clarification of 17 October 2025: the right of residence continues for up to six months after the card’s expiry date. For cards that expired on or before 30 June 2025, AIMA kept that right until 15 April 2026, a date that has now passed.

Anyone who has started the renewal should carry the expired title and the receipt proving the request. If your card has expired and you have not yet applied, do not count on this regime: apply now and confirm your position with AIMA.

Travelling during the process

AIMA stresses that the receipt for a grant application is not a travel document: it does not allow travel to other Schengen countries. It also does not issue declarations for travel and advises travelling with your residence title. The extended validity of documents, where it applies, holds only in Portugal; elsewhere in Schengen the Schengen Borders Code applies. The effects of the receipt and the right of residence described above apply in Portugal. Before booking a trip, confirm your position with AIMA and always carry your passport.

If the case stalls

1. Gather the essentials: case number, receipt, DUC and proof of payment.
2. Contact AIMA: Contact Centre, (+351) 217 115 000, working days, 8:00 to 20:00, or geral@aima.gov.pt. Write clearly and use one of the site’s message templates.
3. Go to an AIMA shop (see Where to be served), subject to hours and services.
4. Look for support at a CLAIM centre if you need help with documents or platforms; the AIMA guide explains how to find one.
5. Keep everything. Residence time counts towards citizenship, and the residence-time certificate can be requested at any AIMA shop.

For terms such as DUC, title or ARI, see the glossary.