AIMA rejects 78,000 immigration applications

During a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday, AIMA's President said that the rejections primarily affect applicants who failed to respond to initial notifications requesting a meeting.

Photo by mana5280 on Unsplash

Portugal’s Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum (AIMA) has begun issuing mass rejections of pending immigration applications, notifying 76,000 migrants in the coming days that their requests for regularization have been denied.

This marks the first wave of an expected 213,000 rejection notices, according to AIMA President Pedro Gaspar Portugal.

During a parliamentary hearing this week, Gaspar Portugal explained that the rejections primarily affect applicants who failed to respond to initial notifications requesting a meeting.

These cases are part of the 446,000 pending immigration processes linked to the now-defunct “manifestation of interest” system, which previously allowed tourists to apply for residency after one year of legal employment and residence in Portugal.

So far, AIMA has scheduled 250,000 appointments, resulting in 233,000 in-person meetings.

The remaining cases are under review, as some applicants failed to comply with notification requirements.

However, rejected applicants can still appeal by requesting a formal hearing to present their case before a final decision is made.

Many non-responses are believed to stem from changes of address, departures from Portugal, or successful regularization through other legal channels.

Challenges and Security Concerns

AIMA officials have also encountered irregularities during the review process, including applicants flagged for international arrest warrants.

Gaspar Portugal noted that such cases required coordination with judicial authorities.

Currently, 100,000 cases are under review, with an additional 133,000 pending assessment.

A critical part of the process involves verifying applicants' documentation, criminal records, and overall eligibility for residency.

So far, only 10,000 residence permits have been issued from the backlog, reflecting the complexity and strict requirements of the process.

Overwhelmed System and Institutional Pressure

AIMA continues to struggle with overwhelming demand, receiving over one million emails and 600,000 phone calls in 2024 alone.

The agency also faces increasing legal challenges, as thousands of applicants have taken their cases to court to demand action on their files.

“Few institutions are under as much pressure as AIMA,” Gaspar Portugal stated, acknowledging the heavy workload.

In 2024, AIMA processed 35,000 family reunification applications, granting residence permits to dependents of individuals already legally residing in Portugal. This represents a 4% increase compared to 2023.

AIMA’s Future and Institutional Challenges

Since its creation on October 29, 2023, AIMA has been working to establish a cohesive operational identity, inheriting responsibilities from the former Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) and the High Commission for Migration (ACM).

As part of its restructuring, AIMA recently launched a specialized unit to handle immigration violations.

However, Gaspar Portugal emphasized that administrative and documentation issues should not be resolved through legal action, expressing frustration over the growing number of court cases related to delayed immigration processing.

Golden visa holders at the back of the queue

This week, it also emerged thatAgency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum (AIMA) has shifted focus to accelerating the exchange of expired residence permits for 220,000 citizens of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP).

This decision has once again put Golden Visa holders at the back of the queue.

“With this move, investors are being left behind yet again,” said lawyer Rodrigo Vicente.

At the start of the year, AIMA officially stated that from January 15, it would resume processing residence permits for foreign investors who had invested at least €500,000 ($540,000) in Portugal.

The agency promised preferential treatment for those under the Residence Permit for Investment Regime (ARI), ensuring document approval within a maximum of 90 days from the submission of required legal information, with much of the process handled electronically.

However, once again, AIMA has failed to fulfill its promise, according to lawyer Fábio Pimentel of CPPB Law. He noted that investors rushed to accelerate their applications, with many waiting for more than two years.

“We are talking about individuals who trusted the government and brought significant financial resources into Portugal,” he added. AIMA did not respond to requests for comment from PÚBLICO Brasil.

Marcelo Rubin, managing partner at Clube do Passaporte, warned that further delays in regularizing investor residence permits could discourage capital inflows into Portugal.

This sector was a key driver in Portugal’s 1.9% economic growth in 2024 - double the European Union’s average of 0.8%.

Under current regulations, the Golden Visa can no longer be used to purchase property in major urban centers or coastal areas in Portugal.

This measure was implemented to curb rising housing prices and address the ongoing housing crisis.

However, the visa remains available for investments of at least €500,000 ($540,000) in investment funds that allocate at least 60% of their assets to Portuguese companies or for opening businesses that create at least ten jobs.