Residence Renewal - AIMA Meeting

After submission online, you receive a DUC (Single Collection Document). You generally have 10 business days to complete the payment. If the system determines that your biometric data (photo and fingerprints) needs updating, AIMA will contact you to schedule a collection appointment.

Currently, biometric appointments occur between 1 to 3 months after payment, though in high-pressure areas (like Lisbon or Porto), this can extend up to 6 months. You will be notified primarily via email or through a notification in your personal area on the portal.

Most expats report of 1 to 3 months waiting time for those using the Online Renewal Portal.

@jerrybbrown

It depends.   

If you are post July 2025 then they will contact you in a few months to get your biometrics after you submit your documentation and payment.  People report seeing their card within a month after paying the fee and uploading the required documents.  You can apply for renewal within the quarter that the card expires or within 30 days of expiration.

If pre 2025, it should be right after they invite you pay for the process.   That invitation to pay took 3 months after my card expired.   Different people report different times in this group.

Based on what several members have shared, after you submit the renewal online and pay the fee you usually get a biometric appointment within 1–3 months; in high‑demand areas like Lisbon or Porto this can stretch to up to 6 months if your photo or fingerprints need refreshing.