Portugal Introduces New Measures for Golden Visa Program Applications

Portugal’s Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) has implemented a series of new measures aimed at addressing pending applications for the country’s Golden Visa Program. This program provides residency to non-EU nationals in exchange for financial investments within Portugal.

AIMA recently informed applicants of significant updates to the Golden Visa application process, with the primary goal of streamlining procedures. According to a report from Get Golden Visa, these changes prioritize older applications through a more digital and chronological system. Electronic submissions are now mandatory for all applicants.

Under the new measures, all applicants are required to upload their documents electronically via the ARI portal. Starting January 15, 2025, biometric appointments will be automatically scheduled to reflect application updates. Residence permit fees will also be paid during biometric appointments. Certified documents will cost €6,045.20 per application, while uncertified documents will cost €8,060.20, with payments only accepted by card.

Additionally, applicants with pending Golden Visa cases who remain inactive for six months risk having their applications marked as abandoned. If this occurs, they would need to reapply under the updated rules.

AIMA has also launched a new portal for individuals who expressed interest in living in Portugal by April 30, 2024, but were not included in the group of over 400,000 people invited to regularize their documents. According to Publico, immigrants who submitted their Expression of Interest by June 3, 2024, will receive an email instructing them to update their password on the new platform.

The agency anticipates that these changes will simplify the process and accelerate appointments, with the government aiming to resolve all pending cases by June 30, 2025.

However, AIMA has noted challenges in the system’s efficiency due to no-shows at appointments. Approximately 15% of the 6,000 daily services provided by AIMA are not completed because applicants fail to attend their scheduled appointments.

During a debate on “New migrations and talent attraction,” Pedro Portugal Gaspar, the leader of AIMA, emphasized the agency’s collaboration with municipalities and partners to enhance its capacity. He noted that AIMA’s efforts had significantly increased its daily response rate from 1,000 to 6,000 users, with the ultimate goal of regularizing 400,000 pending cases.

By fLEXI tEAM