What is AIMA and what does it do?

Short answer: AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum) replaced SEF in 2023 and handles all residence-permit processing in Portugal.

AIMA issues the cartão de residência after your visa entry. They schedule biometrics appointments, verify documents (often re-verified versus the consulate), and approve the 2-year permit. They also handle citizenship pre-checks at the 5-year mark. Recent operational delays and policy changes are tracked in our AIMA news feed.