Find answers to frequently asked questions on applications for a Residence Permit for Investment Activity (ARI), ARI family reunification, documents, payments, appointments, renewals and use of the ARI Portal.
The ARI Portal allows applicants to register applications under the Residence Permit for Investment Activity (ARI) scheme and related family reunification applications, register duly authorised legal representatives, upload documents required for assessment of the procedure, and generate a Single Collection Document (DUC).
Applications to renew ARI permits expiring from 22 February 2020 to 31 December 2026 must be submitted through the Renewals Portal.
Access to the ARI Portal is available through AIMA's dedicated ARI Portal page.
Investors, family members and duly authorised legal representatives must use the registration and access options available on the portal.
To change the e-mail address and password associated with an ARI procedure initiated on the ARI Portal, send a request to geral@aima.gov.pt with the subject line “Alteração de Credenciais ARI”.
The request must clearly identify:
Until the details have been updated, notifications may continue to be sent to the contact previously registered.
If you submitted the ARI renewal application through the Renewals Portal, request the e-mail address change through the AIMA Contact Form by selecting: Subject > Renewals Portal and Subject subtype > Report/rectify e-mail address.
The address associated with the procedure must correspond to the information relevant for administrative, residence or contact purposes, depending on the purpose concerned.
A legal representative's office address may be provided as a professional address or address for service where there is a valid mandate for that purpose. However, it must not replace the investor's residential or tax address whenever either address is required for assessment of the procedure.
To change the address, send an e-mail to geral@aima.gov.pt with the subject line “Alteração morada ARI”. Attach suitable supporting evidence and clearly identify the type of address to be updated, namely:
For ARI renewal applications submitted through the Renewals Portal, request the address change through the AIMA Contact Form by selecting: Subject > Renewals Portal and Subject subtype > Communicate/Rectify address.
The ARI Portal allows duly authorised legal representatives to be registered.
If, as a legal representative, you use the same e-mail address for several investors or family members, you must ensure that:
If a technical block or access difficulty occurs, report it by e-mail to geral@aima.gov.pt with the subject line “Registo ARI mesmo e-mail vários investidores ou familiares”. Include the procedure number(s) and details of the applicant(s) and legal representative.
You must comply with the notification as instructed, unless the ARI application has already been formally submitted in person and the notification itself states that it should be disregarded in that case.
If in doubt, check the status of the procedure and ensure that all required documents have been correctly submitted or updated.
You must submit all documents required by the applicable legislation on the ARI Portal, namely:
up-to-date documents relating to the investment, providing unequivocal evidence that the investment was made when it was legally provided for and that it is still maintained;
a declaration from a credit institution authorised or registered in Portugal with Banco de Portugal confirming the actual transfer of an amount equal to or greater than the statutory minimum, if this was not previously submitted or does not clearly establish the facts it must certify;
a valid passport; if you hold more than one nationality, submit the respective passports;
valid certificates confirming that there are no outstanding debts to Social Security and the Tax Authority, or proof that you are not registered with those bodies;
a declaration of honour confirming compliance with the minimum quantitative and time requirements for the investment activity in Portugal;
information on personal tax identification numbers, or equivalent numbers, in your country of origin, country of residence or country of tax residence, or proof that no such numbers exist;
a criminal record certificate from the country of origin or country of permanent residence, issued less than three months previously, translated into Portuguese and duly certified by the Portuguese consular representation or bearing an Apostille;
where investments are made through a single-member private limited company, an up-to-date commercial registration certificate proving that the ARI applicant is the sole shareholder.
Whenever invited or notified to do so, you must update any of the above documents that, when the application was submitted or the DUC assessment fee was paid, were considered insufficient, missing, expired, or not duly translated or certified.
No. The documents initially submitted must remain attached to the application. They must not be deleted, even when updated versions or additional documents are submitted.
Documents must be submitted in PDF format. Each file must not exceed 4 MB. Where necessary, divide a document into parts and clearly identify the content of each file.
Documents issued abroad must comply with the applicable translation, certification and legalisation or Apostille requirements.
Consult AIMA's information on recognition of documents and, where applicable, the specific legislation governing the document concerned.
Article 49(8) of the Portuguese Civil Registration Code also provides that documents written in a foreign language must be accompanied by a translation made or certified as required by law, unless they are in English, French or Spanish and the competent officer understands that language.
You must submit the following documents:
a criminal record certificate from the country of origin and the country in which the family member has resided for more than one year, issued less than three months previously, translated into Portuguese and duly certified by the Portuguese consular representation or bearing an Apostille;
valid certificates confirming that there are no outstanding debts to Social Security and the Tax Authority, or proof that the family member is not registered with those bodies;
an Investor Sponsorship Declaration with a certified signature, unless it is signed in person at the appointment;
up-to-date evidence of the family relationship and its continuation, where the previously submitted evidence had expired by the date on which the assessment fee was paid or where doubts arise;
any missing evidence of the family relationship, particularly for dependent adult children and dependent ascendants.
Evidence of family relationships must be current where its validity has expired or where there are doubts about the continuation of the relationship or dependency.
In ARI procedures, you may be required to provide proof of accommodation and means of subsistence under the rules applicable to other residence permits.
ARI renewal depends, among other requirements, on evidence of:
Where an investor does not receive income in Portugal, means of subsistence may, depending on the circumstances, be evidenced by documents relating to foreign income, pensions, financial investments, bank statements or other evidence of sufficient available funds.
Assessment always takes account of the origin, sufficiency, currency and reliability of the documents submitted.
Upload documents to the fields corresponding to the relevant document type or category.
Where no specific field exists or the category does not exactly match, use the closest available field and clearly identify the file.
Examples of file names:
Do not upload documents to unrelated fields, as this may hinder assessment of the application.
As a rule, certification of the signature is required on Investor Sponsorship Declarations relating to family members, unless the declaration is signed in person before the competent services at the appointment.
AIMA schedules the appointment according to the progress of the procedure, the update of the application on the portal and operational availability.
For applications already accepted, AIMA may contact the applicant or legal representative to confirm the continuing interest in the application and the need for an appointment.
Where applicable, applicants must allow sufficient time to prepare their travel to Portugal, including obtaining a visa, arranging travel and certifying foreign documents.
The choice of service location may be subject to operational management requirements and the size of the family group.
If your application has been accepted and no appointment has yet been scheduled, send an appointment request to geral@aima.gov.pt with the subject line “Pedido de agendamento ARI”.
Include:
If your absence was due to a serious and substantiated reason, send a rescheduling request to geral@aima.gov.pt with the subject line “Pedido de reagendamento ARI”.
Include:
If you receive no response, you may submit a further request, attaching evidence of the previous request and explaining any risk of procedural prejudice. Avoid sending multiple requests containing inconsistent or contradictory information.
If you do not attend the rescheduled appointment without a duly justified reason, the procedure may be closed under the applicable law.
Your absence may prevent assessment from continuing and may compromise the grant or renewal of the residence permit.
An appointment for only one applicant does not, by itself, mean that the other applicants have been refused or excluded. It may result from differences in procedural status, document validation, biometric requirements, the association of the family member with the main procedure, or separate processing.
Check that:
You may also request clarification by e-mailing geral@aima.gov.pt with the subject line “Pedido esclarecimento ARI”, identifying all procedures and attaching evidence that the applications were submitted at the same time.
After the in-person appointment, wait for the procedure to progress.
If further information is required, or if an unfavourable decision is proposed, you will receive the applicable notification in accordance with the law.
You can follow the status through the AIMA Contact Form by selecting: Subject > Process status and follow-up and Subject subtype > What is my process status?
Applications to renew ARI permits expiring from 22 February 2020 to 31 December 2026 must be submitted through the Renewals Portal.
The applicable fees and documents must also be paid and submitted through that portal.
Existing appointments must be kept where the notification states that an in-person appointment is required to collect biometric data.
In such cases, the in-person appointment is solely for the collection of biometric data.
As a general rule, the following are relevant:
The ARI scheme requires a minimum stay in Portugal of seven days during the first year and fourteen days during each subsequent two-year period, under the applicable law.
Evidence may be requested where reasonable doubts arise, and suitable proof of presence in Portugal may be submitted.
Family members holding a residence permit associated with the ARI scheme must comply with the requirements applicable to their permit and renewal.
The specific assessment depends on age, family circumstances, permit dates and the information in the procedure.
For as long as you seek to renew the ARI permit on the basis of the investment underlying the permit, you must show that you continue to satisfy the requirements of the scheme, including maintenance of the relevant investment where applicable.
If you have since obtained a separate status, such as a permanent residence permit, the assessment must also take account of the requirements of that status.
Disposal or alteration of the investment underlying the ARI permit may compromise renewal if the investment remains the basis for the permit.
Any change must be assessed in advance in light of the specific procedure, the type of investment and the applicable law.
If you have obtained a separate permanent residence permit, your situation will be assessed under the requirements applicable to that status.
You should nevertheless confirm the type of permit issued, the decision granting it and any specific conditions attached to it.
ARI permit holders may apply for a permanent residence permit under the Immigration Act, provided that they meet the applicable statutory requirements.
Long-term resident status is subject to separate requirements and may not apply in every situation. Eligibility depends on the specific circumstances and the legislation in force.
If the circumstances on which your ARI permit was based have changed, you must inform AIMA.
Where the conditions justifying the permit no longer exist, it may be necessary to consider another type of residence permit, provided that the statutory requirements are met.
Continuation of the permit depends on compliance with the conditions applicable to the specific circumstances.
Fees are paid by means of a Single Collection Document (DUC) when issued by the portal, or by bank card at an in-person appointment. Cash is not accepted.
Payment must be made within the stated deadline and for the stated amount.
If the PDF is not generated, this may be due to a technical limitation associated with the browser used.
Keep the details of the DUC generated and, if necessary, request clarification by e-mailing geral@aima.gov.pt with the subject line “Esclarecimento PDF DUC ARI”.
Before paying a DUC with an apparently incorrect amount, request clarification by e-mailing geral@aima.gov.pt with the subject line “Esclarecimento valor ou prazo DUC ARI” and attach evidence of the payment notice issued.
If payment has already been made, attach proof of payment to the procedure and request validation by the competent services.
A late payment may not be automatically reconciled.
The validity of the payment and any new payment notice, adjustment or refund depend on the specific assessment.
If the application is refused, the corresponding statutory and procedural rules apply.
Where paid amounts are refundable, processing depends on validation by the competent services and submission of the required information, such as the NIB/IBAN and NIF, where applicable.
Do not create duplicate applications through other channels.
Wait for a response where the application has been pending for a reasonable period. In urgent cases, request clarification by e-mailing geral@aima.gov.pt with the subject line “Erro submissão pedido pendente ARI”. Identify the pending application, the person concerned and the procedure, and attach evidence of the error or block.
Report the error by e-mailing geral@aima.gov.pt with the subject line “Erro criação conta ou conclusão pedido ARI”.
Attach:
Whenever possible, try to obtain a NIF before submitting the application.
If this is not possible in time and the portal prevents submission, report the matter and attach:
The portal may request a NIF as a technical identifier and for issuing a receipt or payment confirmation. If the minor does not have a NIF, provide evidence of this.
If the portal prevents submission because no NIF is available, request clarification or unlocking by e-mailing geral@aima.gov.pt with the subject line “NIF menor ARI”.
Attach:
The fact that the portal has not immediately updated does not necessarily mean refusal. The request may still be pending, further validation may be needed, documents may be insufficient, or there may be a system synchronisation error.
Keep evidence of the request, attach up-to-date proof of address and request confirmation of the update where necessary.
Ensure that the procedure is complete, up to date, correctly documented and submitted through the appropriate channel.
Whenever a technical difficulty or an error concerning data, the DUC, e-mail address, address, NIF or appointment occurs, document it with screenshots and supporting evidence, identifying the procedure and the person concerned.
When an ARI application is “under assessment”, it is awaiting further processing according to its procedural status, validation of the documents and any need for an appointment.
Before requesting further clarification, check that: