Portuguese visa resources
After you arrive in Portugal
What to do once you enter Portugal on a national long-stay visa: attend AIMA within the visa validity window and obtain your residence permit.
Important
For a temporary stay visa, the visa itself covers the whole authorised stay and permits multiple entries, so no further permit is needed. For a residency visa, arrival is only the halfway point: the residency visa allows two entries and is valid for four months, during which you must obtain a residence permit (autorização de residência) from AIMA.
The key task after arrival is therefore to complete your AIMA appointment and residence permit before the four-month visa window closes.
Complete your residence permit with AIMA
- Attend your AIMA appointment within the residency visa's four-month validity
- Provide biometric data and pay the fee at the AIMA service point
- If your visa was issued without an appointment attached, contact AIMA via its contact form, contact centre or email to arrange one as soon as possible
If you have no appointment scheduled
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes that when no AIMA appointment is available at the moment the residence visa is issued, the visa is affixed without appointment details. In that case you should contact AIMA through its designated form to minimise the impact and secure a slot.
Next steps
Official sources
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.
Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.