What to do when AIMA cancels or changes your residence permit appointment
My AIMA appointment was cancelled — what should I do? I have an appointment scheduled for a distant date at AIMA — how do I know if it is still valid? These are two questions we receive very frequently, and the answer is not always what people expect.
AIMA is the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum, Portugal's public authority for immigration, integration, and asylum.
As many expats are aware, AIMA has not had great success in managing and optimising appointments for residence authorisations. In this article, we explain — based on our exclusive experience in immigration law — what practical steps you should take in each scenario.
Your email may not be registered with AIMA
The immigrant's email address is often not recorded in AIMA's system, which means you may not be notified if your appointment is cancelled or rescheduled. See below how to fix this.
How does the AIMA appointment system work?
The appointment date is generally assigned upon request from the Consular Section where the visa was applied for. The visa itself usually includes a note with a link to verify the appointment date online.
In some cases, no date is initially designated. In these situations, you must submit a request through the AIMA contact form, attaching scanned copies of your passport and visa.
Important: right after you submit the form, you will receive an immediate email with proof that your scheduling request was lodged — confirmation that the request was recorded in the system, not the appointment itself. Only later, once AIMA has reviewed the request, a separate email is sent with the date, time, and location of your appointment. These are two distinct steps and message types; keep both when you have them.
The core problem is that the immigrant's email address is not registered in AIMA's system (to this day we have not been able to understand why), and the appointment verification link is not updated when an appointment is cancelled or rescheduled.
Practical conclusion: the only way to be certain that your appointment remains valid is to register your email address with AIMA in advance.
How to update your email and confirm your appointment
There are two ways to register your email in AIMA's system:
Option 1 — Old SEF Portal
Register on the former sef.pt portal using your visa number. This allows you to confirm and monitor your appointment online.
Option 2 — In person at an AIMA Office
Visit an AIMA office in person and request that your email address be added to the system, along with confirmation that your appointment remains valid.
My appointment was cancelled — what do I do?
At this stage, unfortunately, the only way to obtain a new appointment is to submit a new scheduling request through the AIMA contact form.
When you request a new date, you will typically return to the back of the queue — a situation many find unfair, but one that reflects how these cases have been handled in administrative practice.
There is an alternative worth attempting: show up on the day of the original appointment and ask AIMA directly to reschedule. However, this is not always possible or successful.
If you attend and AIMA does not see you
We recommend taking the following steps:
Request an attendance declaration
Ask AIMA for an official written statement confirming that you attended on the scheduled day and time. This document may be essential to prove your good faith to authorities.
File a complaint in the Complaints Book
State in writing that you attended the AIMA office and that, without any prior notice, your appointment was cancelled without being rescheduled, causing you significant harm.
Submit a new request via the AIMA form
Access the AIMA contact form and request a new appointment, attaching all relevant documentation (including the attendance declaration and the complaint).
Will I be illegal if my visa has expired?
This is arguably the most common question we receive — and the honest answer is: it depends.
From a strictly legal standpoint
There is currently no clear legal provision addressing this limbo between visa expiry and the issuance of a residence title. Portuguese law does not expressly and satisfactorily cover this situation.
In practice — our firm's experience
What we have observed throughout our exclusive practice in immigration law is that the interpretation currently followed by AIMA — and, within national territory, also adopted by the PSP (Public Security Police) and GNR (National Republican Guard) — tends to be that, as long as the immigrant can prove they submitted a scheduling request (typically using the proof of request received immediately after the form) or, once issued, that they have written confirmation of the appointment (email with date and venue), enforcement problems or removal measures based solely on that interval while the person remains in Portugal are uncommon. This is not a legal guarantee: it reflects how practice has evolved and always depends on the specific facts of each case.
However, special care is needed when it comes to travel.
Can I travel abroad with an expired visa?
High practical and migration risk — travel
If you are a national of a country that requires a visa to enter or move within the Schengen Area, you may be unable to board a flight or return to Portugal by air, as airlines may refuse boarding. Outside Portuguese territory, none of the following constitutes a valid travel document on its own: the proof that your scheduling request was lodged, the appointment confirmation email (with date and venue), or an expired visa. Third countries are not required to accept them. This is where the most serious and immediate consequences for immigrants tend to concentrate — including border issues and disrupted return plans.
For this reason, we do not recommend travelling during this period — the limbo between an expired visa and obtaining a residence title.
Exception: urgent travel to your home country
If you need to travel for relevant personal reasons and your nationality does not require a tourist visa to enter the Schengen Area, we recommend that both your departure and re-entry be made through Portugal.
In these cases, we typically prepare a letter for our clients, signed by us, explaining the urgency of the situation and the significance of the trip. Although this letter is not binding on border authorities, it helps demonstrate the traveller's good faith and that the delay is not attributable to them, but rather to the actions of the public administration, which has not met its own deadlines.
📝 Tips for using the AIMA contact form
When using the AIMA contact form, keep the following recommendations in mind:
Use the Portuguese version of the form
We recommend selecting the Portuguese-language option and, if needed, using your browser's automatic translation to English. The English version of the form frequently presents errors and technical conflicts.
Form link: contactenos.aima.gov.pt/contact-form
Options to select:
- Subject Type: Autorização de Residência (Residence Authorisation)
- Subject Subtype: Autorização de residência com visto consular (Não CPLP) — Consular visa residence authorisation (Non-CPLP)
Documents to attach:
- Scanned passport (good quality — illegible or low-resolution scans are a frequent reason for no reply)
- Scanned visa
- Attendance declaration (if applicable)
- Filed complaint (if applicable)
Right after you submit the form, you will immediately receive proof that your scheduling request was lodged by email. Keep it: it shows the request was made. When AIMA assigns your appointment, another email will follow with the date and location of the appointment — keep that message too. Either or both may help when explaining your situation to Portuguese authorities, depending on how far your case has progressed.
Frequently asked questions — AIMA appointments 2026
How do I know if my AIMA appointment is still valid?
The only reliable way is to have your email registered in AIMA's system. You can do this through the former sef.pt portal using your visa number, or in person at an AIMA office. The verification link included in your visa is not updated if the appointment is cancelled.
My AIMA appointment was cancelled without notice. What should I do?
Submit a new appointment request through the AIMA contact form (contactenos.aima.gov.pt), attaching your passport and visa. File a complaint at the AIMA office's Complaints Book and keep all documentation proving your scheduling attempts.
My visa has expired and I still don't have a residence title. Am I illegal?
In practice, AIMA, PSP, and GNR have adopted the interpretation that those who can prove they lodged a scheduling request (proof of request after the form and, when applicable, appointment confirmation with date and venue) are not at risk of deportation within Portugal. However, the situation is legally ambiguous and we strongly recommend seeking legal advice, especially if you plan to travel.
Can I travel abroad while waiting for my residence title?
We do not recommend it. If your passport requires a visa to enter the Schengen Area, airlines may refuse boarding. Third countries are not required to treat either the proof of scheduling request or the appointment confirmation email as a valid entry document.
Is the email I get after submitting the form the same as my appointment confirmation?
No. Immediately after submission you receive proof that your scheduling request was lodged. Only later, once AIMA has processed the request, may you receive a separate email with the date, time, and location of your appointment. These are different documents and stages.
What subject type should I select on the AIMA form for a cancelled appointment?
Select "Tipo de Assunto: Autorização de Residência" and "Subtipo de Assunto: Autorização de residência com visto consular (Não CPLP)". Always use the Portuguese version of the form, as the English version frequently has technical issues.
ZR Lawyers — Immigration and Nationality Law
AIMA appointments — legal services information
ZR Lawyers is a law firm based in Lisbon, with practice focused on Portuguese immigration law and nationality. Our team regularly advises individuals, families, and international professionals on residence authorisations, visas, nationality, and proceedings before AIMA and other competent authorities.
We provide legal advice and assistance with document review, preparation of applications, administrative follow-up, and representation before Portuguese public bodies, including procedures involving AIMA and other competent authorities.
This guide is for general information only and does not replace adequate legal advice for your specific situation. Immigration legislation and administrative practice change frequently; we recommend consulting a lawyer for a case-specific assessment.