Immigrants in Portugal have received emails from AIMA, the Agency for Integration, Migrations, and Asylum, instructing them to pay a €300 fee before applying for a residence permit.
According to Portuguese media, this advance fee must be paid within ten working days. Previously, the fee was required only after submitting the application. The new measure aims to speed up the regularization process, granting residence permits more quickly. However, while migrants report receiving emails, AIMA’s website has not posted any recent updates on the new requirements.
Additionally, AIMA has not clarified if the fee will be refunded if the regularization request is denied.
Phishing Concerns Raised
On a Reddit forum, some users questioned the legitimacy of the emails, suspecting they might be phishing attempts. Despite contacting AIMA, callers were told the agency was unaware of the emails. However, immigration lawyer Nuno Pinta Silva confirmed the emails’ authenticity after visiting AIMA offices and speaking with officials.
Foreign Population in Portugal
In 2022, 791,915 foreigners resided in Portugal, with men outnumbering women—409,523 to 372,392, according to Statista. Brazilians were the largest group, followed by British nationals. Notably, four of the top ten nationalities were from Portuguese-speaking countries: Cape Verde, Angola, and Guinea-Bissau.
