Portugal | Advance fees for certain residence permits

The government of Portugal is requiring certain applicants to submit a 300 euro (about US$325) fee ahead of their application for residence permits.

Key Points:

• Foreign nationals that have submitted an expression of intention in the old SAPA portal prior to April 30, 2023, will now be required to submit a 300 euro fee ahead of their application for a residence permit.
• The new Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) instructed applicants to pay the fee within a 10-day period before submitting their application.
• The fee requirement previously applied only to those who had submitted their application, and officials have not yet confirmed whether the money will be returned if an application is ultimately unsuccessful.

Additional Information: Applicants will receive an e-mail from AIMA to create an account in the new service platform, where they will be prompted with the fee request. Upon completing payment individuals will receive an appointment within the next 20 business days. Before the scheduled appointment date, applicants should resubmit any updated information and documentation. The Portuguese government is currently transferring administrative powers from the Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) to AIMA as part of a larger restructuring of the immigration system. The ongoing reorganization at AIMA is delaying resident permit issuance and backlogging appointment availability.

BAL Analysis: The new measure is designed to accelerate the regularization process and grant residence permits faster. BAL will provide further updates as information becomes available.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

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