"The only cases still pending within the Mission Structure are 30,000 awaiting a decision on approval or rejection," said the Secretary of State's Assistant to the Presidency and for Immigration. He was accompanying the Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, during the latter's periodic hearing before the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees at the Assembly of the Republic.
According to Rui Armindo Freitas, these are "somewhat more complex cases that require analysis or for the applicants themselves to be contacted."
"These are the only ones remaining from the nearly one million cases we inherited from the previous government," he added.
AIMA's Mission Structure was established in mid-2024 and formally concluded its operations on 31 December, 2025. The Porto office remains open to provide support for unresolved cases.








My residence card expired last year. I've jumped through every possible hoop, including a 10 hour wait at AIMA Loja #2 starting at 4:30 in the morning. The waiting continues, with no end in sight. I know several people who applied for renewal in the last year, and none of them have received new cards either. But it's nice that the government is proud of itself for all of this supposed progress.
By resident in limbo from Lisbon on 01 Jul 2026, 21:48