AIMA Portugal: your appointment and residence permit, done for you
The visa gets you into Portugal. The residence permit lets you stay. We manage the AIMA appointment and the residence card, the stage most visa services leave you to handle alone.
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What is the residence permit, and the AIMA appointment?
Your national visa (D7, D8, Golden, or D2) is what you apply for at a VFS center in the US. It lets you enter Portugal. Once there, you attend an appointment with AIMA (the Portuguese immigration authority that replaced SEF in 2023) to give biometrics and receive your residence permit, the residency card (título de residência) that lets you live, work, and access healthcare. It is valid two years, renews, and after five years of residence opens the door to permanent residence or citizenship.
The full journey, from first document to residence card
The AIMA stage is where people get stuck
AIMA has worked through a large backlog since it replaced SEF, so appointment availability and processing can take several months and are the least predictable part of the move. A missed appointment, a document that does not meet the current requirement, or a misread notification can cost you weeks. This is the stage where doing it yourself, or using a service that stops at the visa, goes wrong.
We do not promise to make AIMA fast, nobody honestly can. We make it correct and handled: scheduling, the right documents, the follow-up, and careful handling of anything unexpected, so you keep your place in line and reach the card.
A managed service, from first document to residence card
GetFastVisa is a done-for-you visa service. We handle the administrative and procedural side of your move: documents, appointment scheduling, and follow-up, from your first form through the VFS visa appointment in the US to the AIMA appointment in Portugal. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice. If your case needs legal counsel, we will tell you and recommend a qualified attorney.
Based at Rua Fialho de Almeida 14, Lisbon. Last updated May 29, 2026.
Residence permit and AIMA: common questions
What is a Portugal residence permit, and how is it different from the visa?
The national visa (D7, D8, and so on) is what you apply for at VFS in the US. It lets you enter Portugal. The residence permit (título de residência) is the actual residency card you receive in Portugal after your AIMA appointment. The visa gets you in; the residence permit lets you stay.
What is the AIMA appointment?
AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo) is the Portuguese immigration authority that replaced SEF in 2023. After you arrive on your visa, you attend an AIMA appointment to have your biometrics taken and your residence permit issued. It is the final legal step of the move.
How long does the AIMA stage take?
It varies and can take several months. AIMA has worked through a significant backlog since it replaced SEF, so appointment availability and processing times are the least predictable part of the journey. This is exactly the stage where a managed service that handles scheduling, documents, and follow-up makes the biggest difference.
How long is the residence permit valid?
An initial Portuguese residence permit is typically valid for two years, then renewable for successive periods. After five years of legal residence you become eligible to apply for permanent residence or Portuguese citizenship.
Do you handle the AIMA stage, or only the visa?
Both. GetFastVisa manages the full done-for-you process, from your first document through the VFS visa appointment in the US and the AIMA appointment in Portugal, all the way to the residence permit card in your hand. We are a support service, not a law firm; if you need legal advice, we recommend consulting a qualified attorney.
Get to your residence card, the right way
Book a free 30-minute call. A GetFastVisa expert will map your full path, visa to residence permit, and answer your AIMA questions. No obligation.