New: memberships with ongoing adviser support after your visa.See memberships
Book a consultationBook
Contact us

Legal · Regulatory

AIMA (Portugal)

Portugal’s agency for integration, migration and asylum. It took over residence permit processing, including the golden visa, from SEF in 2023.

  • Updated

Also known as:AIMAAgência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo

Definition

Portugal’s agency for integration, migration and asylum. It took over residence permit processing, including the golden visa, from SEF in 2023.

AIMA schedules biometric appointments, decides residence applications and issues and renews residence cards. Golden visa applicants deal with AIMA for the initial permit and each renewal.

Where AIMA (Portugal) comes up

  • Programme

    Portugal Golden Visa

    Portugal Golden Visa: residence rights for qualifying investors from €500,000, typical processing of 6–8 months, 7 days per year, and family inclusion.

Latest insights and guides

See all insightsSee all guides

Plan your next step

Compare live programmes on eligibility, timelines and family rules, check where you qualify, then read the country guides before you book a paid 60-minute consultation.

  • Browse live programmes

    Residency and citizenship by investment programmes that are currently open, with the qualifying routes for each country.

  • Compare programmes

    See two or more programmes side by side: investment routes, processing stages, family inclusion and residence rules.

  • Check your eligibility

    Answer a few questions about your nationality, family and goals to see which programmes may fit.

  • Read the country guides

    Plain guides to each programme: requirements, documents, due diligence and the steps from application to approval.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see this term in practice?

Follow the related programme and guide links on this page to see how the term applies to live programmes.

Who can explain how this applies to me?

An adviser can explain how the term affects your application. Book a consultation or send us a message.

What is investment migration?

Investment migration is the legal process of obtaining citizenship or residency in a foreign country through a qualifying financial contribution — such as a government fund donation, real estate purchase, or business investment. Programmes are offered by sovereign governments and are fully legal, internationally recognised, and increasingly common among UHNW and HNW individuals and families.

What is the difference between residency and citizenship by investment?

Residence by investment gives you the right to live in a country; citizenship by investment makes you a national with a passport and full civic rights.

Residence permits usually need renewing and may carry stay requirements, while citizenship is generally permanent. Many families combine the two to cover different needs.

Explore further

Programmes, guides, insights and tools related to this page.

Book a consultationPricing