AIMA Opens New Route to Permanent Residency in Portugal

Thousands of non-EU citizens who have lived legally in Portugal for at least five years now have a new way to apply for permanent residency. AIMA has opened a dedicated option on its online Contact Form, allowing eligible foreign residents to request an appointment to submit their permanent residence applications in person.

The new procedure, announced on 5 November 2026, is for applications under Article 80 of Portugal’s Immigration Law (Law No. 23/2007). Applicants must upload their valid residence card and proof of at least five years of legal residence before waiting for AIMA to provide appointment instructions.

For foreign workers, families and long-term residents who have spent years renewing temporary residence cards, this is an important development. Permanent residency offers a more stable legal status in Portugal, without the need to keep renewing temporary residence authorisations.

But who qualifies, which documents are needed, and what happens after submitting the new form? Here is what foreign residents need to know.

AIMA introduces a new appointment system for permanent residency

AIMA has published a dedicated option on its official Contact Form specifically for people who want to obtain permanent residence under Article 80 of Law No. 23/2007.

Previously, people seeking permanent residency had to obtain an appointment through AIMA’s available contact channels and attend an office to submit their applications. The new option provides a specific online channel for requesting that appointment.

To access the service, applicants must visit: https://contactenos.aima.gov.pt/contact-form

They should select these options:

• Type of Subject: Autorização de Residência (Residence Permit).
• Subject Subtype: Pedido de Agendamento – Concessão de Autorização de Residência Permanente (Appointment Request – Granting of Permanent Residence Permit).

After selecting the correct category, applicants must complete the requested information and attach two supporting documents.

This is an important distinction: the online form does not issue a permanent residence card. It is the first step towards obtaining an appointment at an AIMA office, where the formal application will be submitted and assessed.

AIMA has not published a guaranteed waiting time for receiving an appointment. Applicants should therefore avoid assuming that an appointment will arrive within a particular number of days.

Who can apply for permanent residency after five years?

The most important condition is that applicants must have held a temporary residence authorisation in Portugal for at least five years.

This means that simply arriving in Portugal five years ago does not automatically make someone eligible. The relevant condition is the period during which the person held temporary residence authorisation.

For example, imagine someone who moved to Portugal in 2021, obtained a temporary residence permit and has continued living legally in the country. If that person has now completed five years holding temporary residence authorisation, they may be eligible to apply, provided they also meet the other requirements.

Under Article 80, the applicant must meet the following conditions together:

1. At least five years of temporary residence

The applicant must have held a temporary residence permit for at least five years.

2. Meet the criminal record requirement

During the last five years of residence in Portugal, the applicant must not have been sentenced to prison terms exceeding one year, individually or cumulatively.

There are additional legal rules for certain serious offences, including terrorism and violent or organised crime, where suspended sentences can also be relevant. This requirement is assessed under the applicable wording of Article 80.

3. Have sufficient financial resources

Applicants must show that they have enough regular financial resources to support themselves and, where applicable, their family.

In simple terms, AIMA wants to establish that the person can meet everyday living expenses without depending on insufficient or unstable financial support.

4. Have accommodation in Portugal

Applicants must have a place to live and provide evidence explaining their right to occupy that property.

5. Know basic Portuguese

Foreign residents must demonstrate basic knowledge of the Portuguese language through an accepted certificate or other recognised evidence.

6. Have their tax and Social Security situation regularised

Applicants must have their obligations towards the Portuguese Tax Authority (Autoridade Tributária) and Social Security (Segurança Social) in order.

AIMA states that all these conditions must be met. Completing five years of residence alone is not enough to guarantee approval.

Which two documents must be uploaded to AIMA’s new form?

This is one of the most important details in AIMA’s new announcement.

According to the instructions displayed on the new Contact Form, applicants must upload two mandatory documents.

Document 1: A copy of your valid residence card

Applicants must upload a scanned copy of their current Portuguese residence permit (Título de Autorização de Residência).

The document must be valid when submitting the request. Make sure the scan is clear and that the personal details and expiry date can be read.

Document 2: Proof of five years of legal residence in Portugal

Applicants must also demonstrate that they have been legally resident in Portugal for at least five years.

AIMA gives examples of documents that can be used:

• Copies of previous Portuguese residence permits.
• Social Security contribution history (Extrato de Carreira Contributiva).
• Portuguese income tax declarations (Declarações de IRS).

For example, a person who has worked in Portugal for several years may be able to use their Social Security contribution record to help demonstrate their residence history.

Applicants should make sure the evidence covers the relevant five-year period. A single recent document may not, by itself, establish the entire period.

Important: These two documents are specifically required for the appointment request. They are not the complete list of documents needed to obtain permanent residency.

What happens after you submit the AIMA form?

After uploading the documents and submitting the request, applicants must wait for AIMA to process it.

The procedure has four main stages:

Step 1: Open the Contact Form

Visit the official AIMA website and select the permanent residence appointment option.

Step 2: Enter your information

Complete the form with the requested personal and residence permit details.

Step 3: Attach the documents

Upload your valid residence card and evidence of at least five years of legal residence.

Step 4: Wait for an appointment

After submitting the form, wait for AIMA to contact you with further instructions and appointment information.

AIMA specifically asks applicants to submit only one request for the same purpose. Do not repeatedly submit the same application while the first request is awaiting a response.

Once an appointment is arranged, applicants must attend the designated AIMA office to submit their formal application and provide the required documentation.

What documents should you prepare for the permanent residence appointment?

Although AIMA requires only two documents for the online appointment request, applicants should prepare additional paperwork for their in-person application.

According to AIMA’s permanent residence guidance and the government service information on gov.pt, the documentation includes:

• Valid passport: Your passport or another valid travel document.
• Current residence card: Evidence of your temporary residence status and the required five-year period.
• Proof of financial resources: Documents demonstrating that you have sufficient means of subsistence.
• Proof of accommodation: Evidence showing where you live and your legal basis for occupying the property.
• Tax and Social Security documents: Evidence that your obligations are regularised.
• Portuguese language certificate: An accepted document proving basic Portuguese knowledge.
• Criminal record consultation authorisation: Permission for the relevant Portuguese authorities to consult your criminal record.

AIMA may also request additional information depending on the applicant’s circumstances.

How can you prove that you have accommodation?

This requirement is particularly important for foreign workers and families who rent rooms or share accommodation in Portugal.

AIMA’s guidance allows applicants to provide a declaration under honour explaining their residential address and the legal basis on which they live there.

The supporting evidence depends on the situation:

• If you own your home: You may need a land registry certificate (Certidão de Registo Predial) or its access code.
• If you rent a property: A declaration from the landlord explaining your right to live at the address may be required.
• If you live in accommodation provided by someone else: The relevant accommodation provider may need to explain the legal basis for your stay.

The important point is that applicants must be able to explain where they live and why they are legally entitled to occupy that accommodation.

How can you prove basic Portuguese knowledge?

You do not necessarily need to attend a traditional Portuguese language examination if you already have another qualification accepted by AIMA.

The official government guidance recognises several ways of demonstrating basic Portuguese knowledge, including:

• A recognised school qualification obtained in Portugal.
• An accepted school qualification from a Portuguese-speaking country.
• A certificate showing successful completion of a basic Portuguese course.
• A recognised Portuguese language certificate obtained through CAPLE.

Another important option is the Português Língua de Acolhimento (PLA) programme.

AIMA confirms that successfully completing a PLA course at A2 level or higher can demonstrate the required Portuguese language knowledge for permanent residence.

For foreign residents who have not studied Portuguese before, this may be a useful route to prepare for their application.

What does permanent residency actually mean?

For many foreign residents, the biggest question is simple: what changes after obtaining permanent residency?

Portugal has two different residence authorisations: temporary and permanent.

A temporary residence permit is issued for a limited period and must be renewed according to the applicable rules. Permanent residence provides a more stable legal status that does not have a fixed end date.

According to AIMA’s official guidance, permanent residence authorisation has no limit of validity.

However, there is an important detail that many applicants misunderstand.

The permanent residence status does not expire, but the physical residence card still needs to be renewed.

AIMA explains that permanent residence is issued for five years, and the physical residence document must be renewed every five years or whenever the identification details recorded on it change.

For example, if someone receives permanent residence in 2026, the physical card will need renewal after five years. This does not mean that the person must apply for temporary residence again.

The person retains permanent residence status, subject to the legal conditions governing that status.

This is one of the biggest advantages of permanent residency: foreign residents no longer need to go through the ordinary temporary residence renewal process every few years.

Is this new AIMA form for permanent residence card renewals?

No. This is another important point that applicants should understand before using the new service.

The new Contact Form option is exclusively for people requesting an appointment to obtain permanent residence for the first time under Article 80.

It is not intended for:

• Renewal of an existing permanent residence card.
• Permanent Residence Certificates for EU citizens.
• Permanent Residence Cards for family members of EU citizens.

AIMA has specifically clarified that these procedures must continue through the Portal de Renovações.

The rules for EU citizens and their family members are also different from those applying to non-EU nationals who hold temporary residence permits.

Therefore, applicants should carefully check which procedure applies to them before submitting any request.

What about the cost and processing time?

Applicants should also understand that submitting the online appointment request is not the same as completing the permanent residence application.

The official AIMA guidance directs applicants to its current table of administrative fees. The exact amount should be checked before attending the appointment because fees can change.

Similarly, AIMA has not announced a guaranteed number of days for processing the new appointment requests.

The government service page describes the permanent residence application as an in-person procedure. Applicants should wait for their appointment and follow the instructions provided by AIMA rather than rely on unofficial waiting-time estimates.

What should foreign residents do now?

AIMA’s new online option provides a specific route for non-EU residents who have completed five years of temporary legal residence and want to move towards permanent status.

If you believe you qualify, start by checking your residence history, confirming that your current residence card is valid and collecting evidence covering the required five years.

You should also check your financial situation, accommodation documents, Portuguese language qualification and tax and Social Security records before attending your appointment.

The key message is simple: five years of temporary residence may open the door to permanent residency, but the other legal requirements still matter.

For eligible foreign residents, AIMA’s new Contact Form is an important opportunity to begin the process through an official, dedicated appointment channel.

If you have already completed five years of legal temporary residence in Portugal, check your eligibility and submit your appointment request through AIMA’s official Contact Form. Permanent residency could be the next important step in building your future in Portugal.