Has anyone ever tried explaining their situation to AIMA ?

Member since 16 August 2023

sandraawilliams153Active member03 June 2025 14:49:36

Has anyone ever tried explaining their situation to AIMA to ensure their residence permit wouldn’t be canceled due to long absences for work?

According to Article 85 of the Portuguese Foreigners Law, a residence permit can be canceled if the holder is absent from Portugal for too long without a valid reason — specifically, more than 6 consecutive months or 8 months in total for temporary residence permits.

The law does allow exceptions: if you're absent due to professional, cultural, or social reasons, you must submit a request to AIMA — ideally before leaving the country, or in exceptional cases, after.

I recently signed a job contract outside Portugal and will need to travel frequently between Portugal and another country. It’s possible I may exceed the 8-month total limit.

If you’ve been through something similar or have any advice, I’d really appreciate hearing from you!