One Last Step

Receiving your D7 Residency Visa is a major milestone, but one last important step remains, the AIMA appointment once you arrive in Portugal. This guide walks you through preparing for it, which documents you'll need, how to request your appointment, and what to expect once you sit down at the counter.

The Good News

This step is far lighter than what you just went through with your VFS Global appointment. Most of what you submitted with your original application is already on file with AIMA. What you'll be providing now is a handful of updated documents and a few new ones you'll need to gather while you're actually in Portugal.

I Know, You Have Questions

Did AIMA book your appointment for you, or do you request your own? What exactly will they ask you for, and does any of it need to be translated? What's a realistic timeframe so you can get this done and get on with actually enjoying Portugal? This guide answers all of it, starting with AIMA's online contact form, exactly what to select and what to have ready so your request goes through cleanly the first time.

What to Expect

From there, we'll go through your updated document checklist together, including recent financial statements, proof of accommodation, and the handful of new documents AIMA requires that you likely didn't present at your VFS Global appointment. We'll also cover Portugal's private health insurance requirement, since this trips up a lot of people, what AIMA requires and which providers actually meet it. We'll walk through the appointment itself: what happens at the counter, what you walk away with, and the timeline from that meeting to receiving your Residency Card.

What Happens Now: Now is the time to take a deep breath and relax, all of your hard work is finished and it’s time to enjoy what you have accomplished. If all goes well, AIMA will process the final paperwork and soon you should have your Residency Card that will make it official. They have been steadily improving how they handle this process and adding features to the website to automate things.

Let’s Get Settled in with a few useful tools you might need to get things done. I have put together a mobile pocket guide with 25+ everyday Portuguese phrases to get you fed, found, and to the nearest restroom. Also I have written about how Portugal has changed my diet and me, both worth a look at while you're getting used to your new life here.

Portugal Living | European Portuguese Phrase Pocket Guide

Portugal Living | How Moving to Portugal Changed My Diet and Me