New Visa Portal Promises Relief for 370,000 Immigrants - Check If You Can Already Use It

Portugal’s migration agency has flipped the switch on a long-promised online tool that, in theory, replaces weeks of queuing and unanswered emails with a few minutes behind a keyboard. For anyone holding an expired or soon-to-expire Portuguese visa, the new digital gateway could mean the difference between seamless travel and an awkward chat at border control.

A faster lane finally opens

The Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo (AIMA) quietly added a fresh subject line—“Vistos”—to its contact portal on 1 July. Applicants who choose that topic must upload scanned copies of both passport and visa, plus up to three additional documents if their category demands it. Officials say the change delivers on the government pledge, issued in late June, to unclog a backlog that tops 370 000 files.

Check if you can use it today

The shortcut is available to work-permit holders, digital nomads, students and most other temporary-stay categories.

Go to https://contactenos.aima.gov.pt/contact-form in your browser, pick the “Vistos” option, and follow the prompts. If AIMA already has your biometrics and your passport is still valid, the entire renewal can be wrapped up online. Otherwise, the portal merely schedules an in-person appointment at one of the agency’s mission centres.

What to prepare before logging on

Although the interface looks simple, incomplete files are the number-one cause of rejection. Since April this year AIMA will not open a dossier unless every required document lands on its server at the first attempt.

That means not only passport and visa scans but also proof of income, updated health insurance or enrolment letters, depending on the visa type. Miss something and the system will bounce the request back, giving just ten days to plug the gap.

Two renewal tracks, one deadline

Under last month’s Decree-Law 85-B/2025, all residence permits and visas remain legally valid until 15 October 2025. Online renewals cover cases where fingerprints and photos are already on file. Everyone else—roughly 1/4th of users, by AIMA’s count—must still appear in person to update biometrics. Either way, the executive has ordered AIMA’s mission structure to clear the mountain of lapsed documents by that mid-October cut-off.

A receipt that doubles as a lifeline

Once an application is accepted the platform generates a single payment slip, known as the Documento Único de Cobrança. The paid receipt immediately serves as proof of legal stay for six months, a safeguard for travellers whose plastic card might take months to arrive. Even so, holders report continued headaches when they transit other Schengen countries; some airlines and police officers remain unaware of Portugal’s temporary validation rules.

Early applause—and familiar gripes

Digital nomads in Lisbon praise the new upload tool for eliminating hours on hold, yet criticism persists over slow turn-around times and opaque status updates.

Students complain that appointment slots vanish in seconds, mirroring the notorious scramble that plagued the old SEF booking site. AIMA counters that no-show rates hovered around 15 percent last year and urges users to cancel slots they cannot attend.

Can AIMA hit the October target?

Clearing 370 000 files in little more than three months will test the agency’s revamped workflow. The mission structure, extended through 2025, is throwing its full staff behind renewals while the core agency handles new arrivals. Officials insist they can meet the deadline, citing automated cross-checks and weekend overtime. Advocacy groups are sceptical but agree the online tool marks tangible progress.

Where to get help

Questions still unanswered by the portal can be directed to (+351) 217 115 000 or (+351) 965 903 700, or by email to geral@aima.gov.pt. For most foreigners, however, the best advice is simple: gather every page of your passport, scan in colour, double-check file sizes—and hit submit sooner rather than later.