Portugal’s Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) has officially transitioned Golden Visa renewals to a digital-first system. While the move aims to slash administrative backlogs, early users report significant technical glitches.
On February 16, AIMA launched the Portal das Renovações, a dedicated online platform designed to become the sole channel for processing Golden Visa (ARI) renewals. This shift marks a major policy change, effectively eliminating the need for in-person submissions for thousands of investors and their family members.
How the New Digital Process Works
Under the new mandate, applicants must submit all renewal requests and settle applicable fees directly through the portal. The agency intends to manage the entire workflow—from document submission to the final decision—digitally.
However, a physical presence is not entirely a thing of the past. In-person visits to immigration offices are now strictly limited to biometric data collection.
Key Features of the Portal:
- Automatic Scheduling: If an applicant’s biometric records are expired or invalid, AIMA will automatically schedule an appointment and notify the holder of the date, time, and location.
- Conditional Approval: While documents are handled online, a renewal cannot be finalized until biometrics are successfully collected.
- Existing Appointments: If you already have an in-person appointment scheduled for biometrics, AIMA confirms that these remain binding and must be attended.
Technical Growing Pains
Despite the promise of a more efficient system, the rollout has not been seamless. Legal experts and early applicants have noted that the portal is currently plagued by “informatics issues” or “bugs.”
Madalena Monteiro, founder of Liberty Legal, cautions that the platform is not yet fully functional. “There are issues that do not allow applicants to submit their renewal requests,” she noted, though she remains optimistic that once these bugs are fixed, the platform will be a “great tool” for avoiding unnecessary trips to immigration offices.
A History of Delays
This digital transition comes at a critical time. In early 2025, AIMA overhauled its procedures to tackle a massive backlog of approximately 55,000 applications. At the time, the agency promised processing windows of 30 to 90 days—deadlines that have largely gone unmet.
As of early 2026, the situation remains challenging:
- 20,000+ investors are still waiting for appointments.
- Some applicants have been waiting for decisions since 2021.
- The Portuguese government recently extended the naturalization timeline to ten years for most applicants, a move that has caused frustration among the investment community.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The Portuguese government has pledged to resolve all outstanding Golden Visa applications by the end of 2026. This ambitious goal is expected to generate approximately €85 million in revenue for the state.
For now, investors are advised to monitor the new portal closely and prepare their documents for digital upload, while remaining patient as AIMA works to resolve the system’s technical instability.
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