{"id":14761,"date":"2026-11-03T22:07:03","date_gmt":"2026-11-03T22:07:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/portugal-golden-visa-processing-time\/"},"modified":"2026-11-03T22:07:03","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T22:07:03","slug":"portugal-golden-visa-processing-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/portugal-golden-visa-processing-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Portugal Golden Visa processing time in 2026: two real cases, month by month"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ask how long the Portugal Golden Visa takes and you&#8217;ll hear anything from <strong>six months to three years<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s no use to you when you&#8217;re deciding when to wire the money, when to fly in for biometrics and when your family can travel with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The honest answer is a dated one.<\/strong> So we&#8217;ve taken two recent Golden Visa files of ours and walked through them month by month, next to the government&#8217;s own figures on the queue behind them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-sum\">\n<style>\n.nm-sum,.nm-flow,.nm-qs,.nm-dep,.nm-cost,.nm-stg{font-family:inherit;margin:34px 0 38px;}\n.nm-sum{background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #F2E6BE;border-left:5px solid #F5C518;border-radius:0 18px 18px 0;padding:24px 28px;}\n.nm-k{font-size:12.5px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.1em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#8a6d00;margin:0 0 14px;}\n.nm-sum ul,.nm-qs ol{margin:0;padding:0;list-style:none;}\n.nm-sum li{position:relative;padding-left:26px;margin:0 0 11px;font-size:16.5px;line-height:1.55;color:#1B2A4A;}\n.nm-sum li:last-child{margin-bottom:0;}\n.nm-sum li:before{content:\"\";position:absolute;left:4px;top:9px;width:8px;height:8px;border-radius:50%;background:#F5C518;}\n.nm-flow{position:relative;padding-left:4px;}\n.nm-fs{display:grid;grid-template-columns:44px 1fr;gap:0 18px;position:relative;padding-bottom:26px;}\n.nm-fs:last-child{padding-bottom:0;}\n.nm-fs:not(:last-child):after{content:\"\";position:absolute;left:21px;top:46px;bottom:4px;width:2px;background:#E3E7EF;}\n.nm-fn{width:44px;height:44px;border-radius:50%;background:#1B2A4A;color:#F5C518;font-weight:700;font-size:18px;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;}\n.nm-ft{font-size:17.5px;font-weight:700;color:#1B2A4A;margin:9px 0 5px;line-height:1.35;}\n.nm-fd{font-size:16px;line-height:1.6;color:#3d4c6b;margin:0 0 9px;}\n.nm-chip{display:inline-block;font-size:13.5px;font-weight:600;padding:5px 12px;border-radius:999px;background:#F4F6FA;border:1px solid #E3E7EF;color:#1B2A4A;}\n.nm-chip.g{background:#FFFBF0;border-color:#F2E6BE;color:#8a6d00;}\n.nm-qs{background:#F4F6FA;border:1px solid #E3E7EF;border-radius:18px;padding:24px 28px;}\n.nm-qs .nm-k{color:#5a6b8c;}\n.nm-qs li{display:grid;grid-template-columns:30px 1fr;gap:12px;margin:0 0 14px;font-size:16.5px;line-height:1.5;color:#1B2A4A;font-weight:600;}\n.nm-qs li:last-child{margin-bottom:0;}\n.nm-qs li span{width:30px;height:30px;border-radius:8px;background:#fff;border:1px solid #C9D0DC;color:#00B67A;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;font-weight:700;}\n.nm-dep{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:16px;}\n.nm-dc{border:1px solid #E3E7EF;border-radius:16px;padding:20px 22px;background:#fff;}\n.nm-dc.y{background:#1B2A4A;border-color:#1B2A4A;}\n.nm-dc h4{margin:0 0 4px;font-size:18px;color:#1B2A4A;font-family:inherit;}\n.nm-dc.y h4{color:#fff;}\n.nm-dc .w{font-size:13px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.06em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#5a6b8c;margin:0 0 12px;}\n.nm-dc.y .w{color:#F5C518;}\n.nm-dc p{font-size:15.5px;line-height:1.55;margin:0;color:#3d4c6b;}\n.nm-dc.y p{color:rgba(255,255,255,.85);}\n.nm-cost{border:1px solid #E3E7EF;border-radius:18px;overflow:hidden;}\n.nm-cost .nm-ch{background:#1B2A4A;color:#fff;padding:18px 24px;font-weight:700;font-size:17px;}\n.nm-cost .nm-ch span{color:#F5C518;}\n.nm-cg{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(4,1fr);}\n.nm-ci{padding:20px 22px;border-right:1px solid #E3E7EF;}\n.nm-ci:last-child{border-right:0;}\n.nm-ci .v{font-size:24px;font-weight:700;color:#1B2A4A;line-height:1.2;}\n.nm-ci .l{font-size:14px;line-height:1.45;color:#5a6b8c;margin-top:6px;}\n.nm-stg{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(5,1fr);gap:10px;counter-reset:s;}\n.nm-sg{background:#F4F6FA;border:1px solid #E3E7EF;border-radius:14px;padding:16px 14px;position:relative;}\n.nm-sg:before{counter-increment:s;content:counter(s);display:flex;width:30px;height:30px;border-radius:50%;background:#F5C518;color:#1B2A4A;font-weight:700;align-items:center;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:10px;}\n.nm-sg b{display:block;font-size:15.5px;color:#1B2A4A;line-height:1.35;margin-bottom:4px;}\n.nm-sg small{font-size:13.5px;line-height:1.45;color:#5a6b8c;display:block;}\n.nm-stg-note{grid-column:1\/-1;font-size:14.5px;color:#5a6b8c;margin-top:4px;}\n.nm-flow p,.nm-qs p,.nm-sum p,.nm-dc p,.nm-cost p{margin-top:0!important;}\n.nm-flow .nm-ft{margin:9px 0 4px!important;}\n.nm-flow .nm-fd{margin:0 0 8px!important;}\n.entry-content ul.wp-block-list,.entry-content ol.wp-block-list{margin:6px 0 26px;padding-left:22px;}\n.entry-content ul.wp-block-list li,.entry-content ol.wp-block-list li{font-size:17px;line-height:1.6;margin:0 0 10px;padding-left:4px;}\n.entry-content ul.wp-block-list li::marker{color:#F5C518;}\n@media(max-width:820px){.nm-dep,.nm-cg{grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr!important;}.nm-stg{grid-template-columns:1fr!important;}.nm-ci:nth-child(2){border-right:0;}.nm-ci:nth-child(-n+2){border-bottom:1px solid #E3E7EF;}}\n@media(max-width:560px){.nm-dep,.nm-cg{grid-template-columns:1fr!important;}.nm-ci{border-right:0!important;border-bottom:1px solid #E3E7EF;}.nm-ci:last-child{border-bottom:0;}.nm-sum,.nm-qs{padding:20px;}}\n<\/style>\n\n<p class=\"nm-k\">The short version<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Plan for well over a year<\/strong> from filing to your first residence card. Below are two recent files of ours, analysed month by month.<\/li>\n<li>Our investor who filed in <strong>March 2025<\/strong> had his card at the <strong>end of August 2026<\/strong>, about seventeen months later.<\/li>\n<li>A family of five who filed from <strong>November 2025<\/strong> is booked for biometrics in <strong>May 2027<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>The law gives AIMA <strong>90 days<\/strong> to decide. In early October 2026 about <strong>40,000 Golden Visa applications<\/strong> were still waiting.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Be careful with anyone who promises you a fast track.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The routes, the costs and the fees are on our <a href=\"\/portugal-golden-visa\/\">Golden Visa page<\/a>. This post is only about <strong>the wait<\/strong>, and what it does to your plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<style>\n.nm-toc{font-family:inherit;margin:30px 0 8px;border:1px solid #E3E7EF;border-left:4px solid #1B2A4A;border-radius:16px;background:#fff;}\n.nm-toc summary{list-style:none;cursor:pointer;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;gap:12px;padding:16px 22px;font-weight:700;font-size:16.5px;color:#1B2A4A;}\n.nm-toc summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none;}\n.nm-toc summary small{font-weight:600;font-size:13.5px;color:#5a6b8c;margin:0 auto 0 4px;}\n.nm-toc summary::after{content:\"\";width:9px;height:9px;border-right:2px solid #1B2A4A;border-bottom:2px solid #1B2A4A;transform:rotate(45deg);margin:-4px 4px 0 0;transition:transform .2s;flex:none;}\n.nm-toc[open] summary::after{transform:rotate(-135deg);margin-top:4px;}\n.nm-toc:not([open]) ol{display:none !important;}\n.nm-toc ol{margin:0 !important;padding:16px 22px 8px 44px !important;columns:2;column-gap:36px;border-top:1px solid #E3E7EF;}\n.nm-toc li{break-inside:avoid;margin:0 0 10px !important;font-size:15px;line-height:1.45;color:#5a6b8c;}\n.nm-toc li::marker{color:#C9A10C;font-weight:700;}\n.nm-toc a{color:#1B2A4A;text-decoration:none;}\n.nm-toc a:hover{text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;}\n.entry-content h2[id]{scroll-margin-top:110px;}\n@media(max-width:820px){.nm-toc ol{columns:1;}}\n<\/style>\n<details class=\"nm-toc\">\n<summary>In this guide<small>8 sections<\/small><\/summary>\n<ol><li><a href=\"#how-long-does-the-portugal-golden-visa-take-in-2026\">How long does the Portugal Golden Visa take in 2026?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-happened-to-an-investor-who-filed-in-march-2025\">What happened to an investor who filed in March 2025?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-happened-to-a-family-of-five-who-filed-in-november-2025\">What happened to a family of five who filed in November 2025?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-do-these-two-cases-mean-for-your-own-plans\">What do these two cases mean for your own plans?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#how-big-is-aima-s-golden-visa-backlog\">How big is AIMA&#039;s Golden Visa backlog?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-does-the-law-say-about-the-deadline-and-what-are-invest\">What does the law say about the deadline, and what are investors doing about it?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#does-the-wait-cost-you-time-on-the-road-to-citizenship\">Does the wait cost you time on the road to citizenship?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#can-you-speed-up-a-portugal-golden-visa\">Can you speed up a Portugal Golden Visa?<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"how-long-does-the-portugal-golden-visa-take-in-2026\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How long does the Portugal Golden Visa take in 2026?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Plan for well over a year to your first residence card.<\/strong> The two recent files we analysed for this post took <strong>about seventeen months<\/strong> from filing to a card in hand (filed March 2025), and <strong>about eighteen months<\/strong> from filing to a booked biometrics date, with the card still to come (filed November 2025).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We picked these two because they show every stage, from filing to a card in hand, with dates we can stand behind. <strong>We don&#8217;t publish an average.<\/strong> Every file moves at AIMA&#8217;s pace, and a dated case tells you more than a number blended from old files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-mf\" role=\"list\" aria-label=\"How your Golden Visa file moves\">\n<style>\n.nm-mf{background:#1B2A4A;border-radius:20px;padding:30px 28px 26px;margin:30px 0 36px;font-family:inherit;display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(5,1fr);gap:14px;position:relative;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-k{grid-column:1\/-1;font-size:13px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.1em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#F5C518;margin:0 0 6px!important;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-s{background:rgba(255,255,255,.06);border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.14);border-radius:16px;padding:20px 16px 18px;position:relative;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-s:not(:nth-last-child(2)):after{content:\"\u2192\";position:absolute;right:-13px;top:50%;transform:translateY(-50%);width:24px;height:24px;border-radius:50%;background:#F5C518;color:#1B2A4A;font-weight:700;font-size:14px;line-height:24px;text-align:center;z-index:2;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-n{display:flex;width:36px;height:36px;border-radius:50%;background:#F5C518;color:#1B2A4A;font-weight:700;font-size:17px;align-items:center;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:14px;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-t{font-size:17.5px;line-height:1.35;font-weight:700;color:#fff;margin:0!important;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-c{grid-column:1\/-1;font-size:14px;color:rgba(255,255,255,.7);margin:8px 0 0!important;}\n@media(max-width:900px){.nm-mf{grid-template-columns:1fr!important;gap:16px;padding:24px 20px;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-s{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:14px;padding:16px;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-n{margin:0;flex:0 0 36px;}\n.nm-mf .nm-mf-s:not(:nth-last-child(2)):after{content:\"\u2193\";right:auto;left:50%;top:auto;bottom:-20px;transform:translateX(-50%);}}\n<\/style>\n<p class=\"nm-mf-k\">How your Golden Visa file moves<\/p>\n<div class=\"nm-mf-s\" role=\"listitem\"><span class=\"nm-mf-n\">1<\/span><p class=\"nm-mf-t\">You invest, then file online on AIMA&#8217;s portal<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-mf-s\" role=\"listitem\"><span class=\"nm-mf-n\">2<\/span><p class=\"nm-mf-t\">You pay the fee, then your family can file<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-mf-s\" role=\"listitem\"><span class=\"nm-mf-n\">3<\/span><p class=\"nm-mf-t\">You wait for AIMA to book biometrics<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-mf-s\" role=\"listitem\"><span class=\"nm-mf-n\">4<\/span><p class=\"nm-mf-t\">You attend biometrics in person<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-mf-s\" role=\"listitem\"><span class=\"nm-mf-n\">5<\/span><p class=\"nm-mf-t\">AIMA decides, prints and sends your card<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"nm-mf-c\">Steps 1 and 2 take weeks. Steps 3 to 5 are AIMA&#8217;s, and in our files they took well over a year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The averages you&#8217;ll see elsewhere measure something else:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>50.4 months<\/strong> was the average wait for files completed in the second quarter of 2026, in IMI Daily&#8217;s survey reported in October 2026. The quickest of those took 36.3 months.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Most of those were 2021 to 2023 files<\/strong> that AIMA, Portugal&#8217;s immigration agency, has only just finished. So the average rises as the old backlog clears, and tells you little about a file you open this month.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>14 to 18 months to a first card<\/strong> is what practitioners in the same report were telling new clients to plan for.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-happened-to-an-investor-who-filed-in-march-2025\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happened to an investor who filed in March 2025?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>He had biometrics in January 2026, about ten months after filing, and his card at the end of August 2026, about seventeen months after filing.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He&#8217;s from the US and invested through the fund route. Here&#8217;s his file, month by month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-flow\" role=\"list\" aria-label=\"Case 1: an investor who filed in March 2025\">\n<div class=\"nm-fs\" role=\"listitem\"><div class=\"nm-fn\">1<\/div><div><p class=\"nm-ft\">March 2025: you file<\/p><p class=\"nm-fd\">He submits on AIMA&#8217;s ARI portal, on the fund route.<\/p><span class=\"nm-chip\">Month 0<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-fs\" role=\"listitem\"><div class=\"nm-fn\">2<\/div><div><p class=\"nm-ft\">November 2025: the biometrics notice<\/p><p class=\"nm-fd\">The notice arrives with about two months to go.<\/p><span class=\"nm-chip\">About 8 months after filing<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-fs\" role=\"listitem\"><div class=\"nm-fn\">3<\/div><div><p class=\"nm-ft\">January 2026: biometrics<\/p><p class=\"nm-fd\">He attends in person.<\/p><span class=\"nm-chip\">About 10 months after filing<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-fs\" role=\"listitem\"><div class=\"nm-fn\">4<\/div><div><p class=\"nm-ft\">April to August 2026: approved, not printed<\/p><p class=\"nm-fd\">His card sits unprinted for four months until our partner lawyer escalates it.<\/p><span class=\"nm-chip g\">4 months lost to printing<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-fs\" role=\"listitem\"><div class=\"nm-fn\">5<\/div><div><p class=\"nm-ft\">End of August 2026: card in hand<\/p><p class=\"nm-fd\">Valid for two years from the day it&#8217;s issued.<\/p><span class=\"nm-chip g\">About 17 months after filing<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Biometrics wasn&#8217;t the end.<\/strong> By April 2026 his card was approved, and then it sat unprinted for four months until our partner lawyer escalated it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The card runs for <strong>two years from the day it&#8217;s issued<\/strong>, so the delay didn&#8217;t shorten it. It was four more months of waiting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>His spouse was booked much later.<\/strong> She filed in April 2025, one month after him. In May 2026 AIMA gave her a biometrics date of <strong>March 2027<\/strong>: about twenty-three months after she filed, and fourteen months after his appointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-happened-to-a-family-of-five-who-filed-in-november-2025\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happened to a family of five who filed in November 2025?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>All five are booked for biometrics in May 2027<\/strong>, about eighteen months after the investor filed and about fifteen months after his spouse, two children and a parent did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They&#8217;re from the US too, also on the fund route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-flow\" role=\"list\" aria-label=\"Case 2: a family of five who filed from November 2025\">\n<div class=\"nm-fs\" role=\"listitem\"><div class=\"nm-fn\">1<\/div><div><p class=\"nm-ft\">November 2025: the investor files<\/p><p class=\"nm-fd\">He submits on the ARI portal and pays the government fee.<\/p><span class=\"nm-chip\">Month 0<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-fs\" role=\"listitem\"><div class=\"nm-fn\">2<\/div><div><p class=\"nm-ft\">February 2026: the family files<\/p><p class=\"nm-fd\">Spouse, two children and a parent file once the spouse&#8217;s new passport and a fresh apostilled criminal record arrive.<\/p><span class=\"nm-chip\">About 3 months later<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-fs\" role=\"listitem\"><div class=\"nm-fn\">3<\/div><div><p class=\"nm-ft\">July to August 2026: a booking leaves him out<\/p><p class=\"nm-fd\">AIMA books the four family members but not the investor. Our partner lawyer gets it corrected.<\/p><span class=\"nm-chip g\">Check every name<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-fs\" role=\"listitem\"><div class=\"nm-fn\">4<\/div><div><p class=\"nm-ft\">May 2027: biometrics for all five<\/p><p class=\"nm-fd\">The card is still to come after that.<\/p><span class=\"nm-chip g\">About 18 months after he filed<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two things in that file matter for your own plans:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Your family may file later than you.<\/strong> This family filed three months after the investor, because the spouse needed a new passport and a fresh apostilled criminal record first. AIMA happened to book all five for the same month, but the first case shows you can&#8217;t count on that.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Read every notice against every name.<\/strong> The first set of appointments left the investor out, and our partner lawyer had to get it corrected between July and August 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-do-these-two-cases-mean-for-your-own-plans\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What do these two cases mean for your own plans?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>AIMA controls the long part, and it has got longer.<\/strong> Our March 2025 filer waited about ten months for biometrics. Our November 2025 filer is waiting about eighteen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Six lessons from these files:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Your part is short by comparison.<\/strong> Package to submission took about six weeks in the first file and about two weeks in the second, where the NIFs (Portuguese tax numbers) and the lawyer consultation were already done.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Plan for your family not travelling together.<\/strong> You can only file your family once your fee has been validated, and AIMA can book them later than you, as it did for the spouse in the first case.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Biometrics isn&#8217;t the finish line.<\/strong> After the appointment AIMA still has to decide your file, then produce and send the card. In the first case that took seven months, four of them with an approved card waiting to be printed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Your document expiry sets your timetable.<\/strong> Criminal record certificates last <strong>about 90 days<\/strong> and you need current ones again at biometrics. Start every family member&#8217;s criminal checks, passports and powers of attorney on the same day as yours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You can&#8217;t add anything after you submit.<\/strong> Check the apostilles on passport copies and other public documents before you file, because AIMA has got stricter. You also have to complete the investment before you apply. If the money is coming out of a US retirement account, read our note on <a href=\"\/portugal-golden-visa-ira-401k\/\">funding the Golden Visa from a 401(k) or IRA<\/a> before you set a filing date.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Whether you need a Portuguese bank account depends on your fund.<\/strong> Some funds take your money without one. Even then, you may want one to pay the government fees, and <strong>that account can be the slowest step of all<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"573\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/gv-processing-time-wait-1024x573.jpg\" alt=\"Empty wooden chairs along a tiled wall in a sunlit Portuguese public building waiting area\" class=\"wp-image-14754\" srcset=\"https:\/\/novomove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/gv-processing-time-wait-1024x573.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/novomove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/gv-processing-time-wait-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/novomove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/gv-processing-time-wait-768x430.jpg 768w, https:\/\/novomove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/gv-processing-time-wait-1536x859.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/novomove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/gv-processing-time-wait-18x10.jpg 18w, https:\/\/novomove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/gv-processing-time-wait.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Illustrative image.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"how-big-is-aima-s-golden-visa-backlog\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How big is AIMA&#8217;s Golden Visa backlog?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>About 40,000 Golden Visa applications were still waiting in early October 2026<\/strong>, on the government&#8217;s own figures. The Minister of the Presidency told Parliament&#8217;s Constitutional Affairs committee that AIMA had processed 6,000 of the 46,000 pending applications and scheduled biometrics for around 30,000, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imidaily.com\/europe\/portugal-says-it-has-processed-13-of-its-golden-visa-backlog\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">as IMI Daily reported on 8 October 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-cost\">\n<div class=\"nm-ch\">AIMA&#8217;s Golden Visa queue, <span>early October 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-cg\">\n<div class=\"nm-ci\"><div class=\"v\">46,000<\/div><div class=\"l\">applications pending<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-ci\"><div class=\"v\">6,000<\/div><div class=\"l\">processed, about 13%<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-ci\"><div class=\"v\">\u2248 30,000<\/div><div class=\"l\">biometrics appointments scheduled<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-ci\"><div class=\"v\">90 days<\/div><div class=\"l\">what the law gives AIMA to decide<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s <strong>13% processed<\/strong>. The count is of applications, and AIMA&#8217;s earlier counts of this queue included family members alongside investors, so don&#8217;t read it as 46,000 investors. <strong>If you file now, you join thousands of investor files already waiting.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The promise came a year earlier.<\/strong> On 29 October 2025, in the budget debate, the same minister, Ant\u00f3nio Leit\u00e3o Amaro, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rtp.pt\/noticias\/pais\/governo-diz-que-aima-vai-resolver-pendencias-dos-vistos-gold-no-proximo-ano_n1694711\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said the remaining Golden Visa files would be resolved in 2026<\/a>. He added that investor files had deliberately been left for the end of the queue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In February 2026 an official source at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers told Jornal Econ\u00f3mico that AIMA <strong>kept its goal of clearing all pending requests during 2026<\/strong>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essential-business.pt\/2026\/02\/13\/investors-sick-of-waiting-for-golden-visas-are-leaving\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">as Essential Business reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-acc\" role=\"figure\" aria-label=\"What AIMA and the government promised, and what happened\">\n<style>\n.nm-acc{margin:28px 0;font-family:inherit;}\n.nm-acc .nm-acc-grid{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(3,1fr);gap:16px;}\n.nm-acc .nm-acc-card{background:#F4F6FA;border:1px solid #E3E7EF;border-radius:16px;padding:20px 20px 18px;}\n.nm-acc .nm-acc-card.nm-acc-both{background:#1B2A4A;border-color:#1B2A4A;color:#fff;}\n.nm-acc .nm-acc-tag{display:inline-block;font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.06em;text-transform:uppercase;padding:5px 11px;border-radius:999px;background:#E3E7EF;color:#1B2A4A;margin:0 0 12px;}\n.nm-acc .nm-acc-both .nm-acc-tag{background:#F5C518;color:#1B2A4A;}\n.nm-acc h4{font-size:19px;line-height:1.3;margin:0 0 6px;color:#1B2A4A;font-family:inherit;}\n.nm-acc .nm-acc-both h4{color:#fff;}\n.nm-acc .nm-acc-holds{font-size:15px;line-height:1.5;margin:0 0 12px;color:#5a6b8c;}\n.nm-acc .nm-acc-both .nm-acc-holds{color:rgba(255,255,255,.8);}\n.nm-acc ul{list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0;}\n.nm-acc li{font-size:15px;line-height:1.5;margin:0 0 7px;padding-left:26px;position:relative;color:#1B2A4A;}\n.nm-acc .nm-acc-both li{color:#fff;}\n.nm-acc li:before{position:absolute;left:0;top:0;font-weight:700;}\n.nm-acc li.y:before{content:\"\u2713\";color:#00B67A;}\n.nm-acc li.n:before{content:\"\u2715\";color:#C0392B;}\n.nm-acc .nm-acc-both li.y:before{color:#F5C518;}\n.nm-acc .nm-acc-flow{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;gap:8px;margin:18px 0 0;padding:16px 18px;border:1px dashed #C9D0DC;border-radius:14px;font-size:14.5px;line-height:1.4;color:#1B2A4A;}\n.nm-acc .nm-acc-step{background:#fff;border:1px solid #E3E7EF;border-radius:10px;padding:7px 11px;}\n.nm-acc .nm-acc-arrow{color:#F5C518;font-weight:700;}\n.nm-acc .nm-acc-cap{font-size:13.5px;color:#5a6b8c;margin:10px 0 0;}\n@media(max-width:820px){.nm-acc .nm-acc-grid{grid-template-columns:1fr!important;}}\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"nm-acc-grid\">\n<div class=\"nm-acc-card\">\n<span class=\"nm-acc-tag\">The law<\/span>\n<h4>A decision in 90 days<\/h4>\n<p class=\"nm-acc-holds\">Portugal&#8217;s immigration law.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"y\">You get a legal deadline to point to<\/li>\n<li class=\"n\">Our March 2025 file took about 17 months to a card<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-acc-card\">\n<span class=\"nm-acc-tag\">Early 2025<\/span>\n<h4>Appointments in 30 to 90 days<\/h4>\n<p class=\"nm-acc-holds\">AIMA, when it overhauled the procedure.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"y\">You were told to expect a quick appointment<\/li>\n<li class=\"n\">Both our filers waited about 8 to 9 months for a notice<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-acc-card nm-acc-both\">\n<span class=\"nm-acc-tag\">October 2025<\/span>\n<h4>The backlog cleared in 2026<\/h4>\n<p class=\"nm-acc-holds\">The Minister of the Presidency, in Parliament.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"y\">Reaffirmed in February 2026<\/li>\n<li class=\"n\">About 13% processed by early October 2026<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"nm-acc-cap\">Sources are listed at the end of this post.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So the scorecard reads: promised in October 2025, reaffirmed in February 2026, <strong>13% processed by early October 2026<\/strong>. Whether the rest is done by December is for AIMA to show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-does-the-law-say-about-the-deadline-and-what-are-invest\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does the law say about the deadline, and what are investors doing about it?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The law gives AIMA 90 days to decide your residence permit application.<\/strong> Portugal&#8217;s immigration law says &#8220;the application for a residence permit must be decided within 90 days&#8221;,<sup class=\"nm-fnref\"><a href=\"#source-4\">[4]<\/a><\/sup> and AIMA&#8217;s own Golden Visa FAQ tells you to wait out &#8220;the legal decision period of 90 days&#8221; after your appointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our March 2025 file took seventeen months. <strong>That gap is what the court cases and the complaint below are about.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"if-aima-misses-the-deadline-am-i-approved\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">If AIMA misses the deadline, am I approved?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. <strong>A missed deadline doesn&#8217;t approve your first application.<\/strong> The Tribunal Central Administrativo Sul held in October 2024 that silent approval after a missed deadline applies only to renewals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What some investors have done instead:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Urgent court actions.<\/strong> Lawyers have been filing urgent actions (an intima\u00e7\u00e3o to protect rights, freedoms and guarantees) asking the administrative courts to order AIMA to decide files that have sat for years, <a href=\"https:\/\/executivedigest.sapo.pt\/?p=751305\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">as Executive Digest reported in April 2026<\/a>. The same report counted <strong>133,000 cases already pending<\/strong> in those courts, so the court route has a queue of its own. Whether it&#8217;s right for your file is a question for your lawyer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A complaint to the Ombudsman.<\/strong> On 24 June 2026, <strong>1,260 people, most of them Golden Visa holders<\/strong>, filed a formal complaint with Portugal&#8217;s Ombudsman (the Provedor de Justi\u00e7a) against the Portuguese State over the new nationality law, <a href=\"https:\/\/eco.sapo.pt\/2026\/06\/24\/lei-da-nacionalidade-mais-de-1-200-estrangeiros-formalizam-queixa-contra-estado\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ECO reported<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A call for a task force.<\/strong> In a <a href=\"https:\/\/eco.sapo.pt\/2026\/07\/20\/investidores-dos-vistos-gold-prontos-para-entrar-com-acao-contra-o-estado-em-setembro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">follow-up on 20 July 2026<\/a> the group asked the Ombudsman to refer the law to the Constitutional Court and to press for a task force on residence decisions. One of their lawyers said some applicants had waited <strong>three and four years<\/strong> without a residence card.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"does-the-wait-cost-you-time-on-the-road-to-citizenship\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does the wait cost you time on the road to citizenship?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Yes.<\/strong> Since 19 May 2026 you need <strong>ten years of legal residence<\/strong> for citizenship (seven if you&#8217;re a national of an EU or CPLP, Portuguese-speaking, country), counted from your first residence permit. <strong>Every month AIMA takes before issuing that permit is a month added to your passport road.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For our March 2025 filer, the ten years run from his first permit in 2026. His filing date in 2025 doesn&#8217;t count towards them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Your five-year investment hold also runs from the permit&#8217;s grant<\/strong>, so a slow AIMA stretches that too. Whether the new rule applies to you, or you keep the old five-year one, is in our post on <a href=\"\/portugal-citizenship-10-years-golden-visa\/\">Portugal&#8217;s 10-year citizenship rule for Golden Visa investors<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"can-you-speed-up-a-portugal-golden-visa\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can you speed up a Portugal Golden Visa?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Only at the edges.<\/strong> AIMA&#8217;s Golden Visa FAQ says it books appointments in strict date order and that you may not get to choose the office. Once your file is in, its place among the roughly 40,000 waiting applications isn&#8217;t something you, we or a lawyer can move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-dep\">\n<div class=\"nm-dc y\"><p class=\"w\">What you control<\/p><h4>A file that never waits on you<\/h4><p>You file complete, pay the fee the day it&#8217;s issued, file your family straight after, and keep every document valid for the appointment.<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"nm-dc\"><p class=\"w\">What AIMA controls<\/p><h4>Your place in the queue<\/h4><p>AIMA books appointments in date order and assigns the office. You can&#8217;t move your file up the queue, and nor can we or a lawyer.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What you can do is <strong>make sure your file never waits on you<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>If you haven&#8217;t filed yet:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>File complete<\/strong>, because you can&#8217;t add anything afterwards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pay the government fee the moment it&#8217;s issued.<\/strong> You can only file your family once your fee has been validated.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Start every family member&#8217;s documents on the same day as yours.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>If you&#8217;re waiting for the appointment:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Keep your documents live.<\/strong> Criminal checks expire after about 90 days and you need current ones on the day.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Expect less notice than the FAQ says.<\/strong> AIMA&#8217;s FAQ says you should get 60 to 90 days&#8217; notice where you need a visa to travel, and 90 to 180 days where your documents need consular certification. In the two files above, you&#8217;d have got about two months and about nine.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Don&#8217;t miss the date.<\/strong> AIMA&#8217;s FAQ says a missed appointment is rescheduled once.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-qs\">\n<p class=\"nm-k\">When your AIMA notice arrives, check<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span>\u2713<\/span>Is every name on your file on the notice, including yours?<\/li>\n<li><span>\u2713<\/span>Will every criminal record certificate still be valid on the day? They last about 90 days.<\/li>\n<li><span>\u2713<\/span>Can every person make that date and office? A missed appointment is rescheduled only once.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>If your file has gone quiet after biometrics<\/strong>, that&#8217;s where escalation matters. In our March 2025 file, an approved card sat unprinted from April to August 2026 and moved only when our partner lawyer raised it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AIMA assigns the date and the office. <strong>Our side keeps your file moving and escalates through our partner lawyer when it stalls<\/strong>, which is what <a href=\"\/aima-appointment-support\/\">AIMA appointment support<\/a> is for if your file is already in. Someone from our side at the appointment itself is an add-on we quote once AIMA assigns your office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>And be careful with anyone who promises you a fast track.<\/strong> AIMA hasn&#8217;t kept the dates it set itself, from the 30 to 90 days it promised in early 2025 to the backlog it said it would clear in 2026. <strong>Anyone outside AIMA who gives you a date is guessing.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;d actually live in Portugal, <strong>a D7, D8 or D2 visa may fit you better<\/strong> than a Golden Visa. The <a href=\"\/d7-vs-d8-vs-d2-visa-portugal\/\">D7 vs D8 vs D2 comparison<\/a> is one page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nm-cta\">\n<style>\n.nm-cta{background:#1B2A4A;border-radius:20px;overflow:hidden;color:#fff;box-shadow:0 24px 60px rgba(10,15,30,.18);margin:40px 0;font-family:inherit;}\n.nm-cta img{width:100%;aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover;display:block;margin:0;}\n.nm-cta .nm-cta-body{padding:38px;}\n.nm-cta .nm-cta-pill{display:inline-block;background:#F5C518;color:#1B2A4A;border-radius:999px;padding:6px 14px;font-size:13px;font-weight:700;}\n.nm-cta p{font-size:17px;line-height:1.65;color:rgba(255,255,255,.86);margin:18px 0 22px;}\n.nm-cta p a{color:#F5C518;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;}\n.nm-cta .nm-cta-btns{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:12px;}\n.nm-cta .nm-btn-p{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;background:#F5C518;color:#1B2A4A !important;padding:14px 24px;border-radius:12px;font-weight:700;font-size:16px;text-decoration:none;}\n.nm-cta .nm-btn-p:hover{background:#E3B30C;}\n.nm-cta .nm-btn-s{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;color:#fff !important;border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.4);padding:14px 24px;border-radius:12px;font-weight:700;font-size:16px;text-decoration:none;}\n.nm-cta .nm-btn-s:hover{background:#fff;color:#1B2A4A !important;}\n@media (max-width:640px){.nm-cta .nm-cta-body{padding:26px 22px;}}\n<\/style>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/cta-miradouro.png\" alt=\"A miradouro view over Lisbon rooftops at golden hour\">\n<div class=\"nm-cta-body\">\n<span class=\"nm-cta-pill\">Plan your Golden Visa dates<\/span>\n<p>Bring your dates to a free 15-minute call: when you want to invest, when you can travel, who&#8217;s coming with you and when their documents expire. If you&#8217;re ready to start, the Golden Visa package begins on our Golden Visa page. If you&#8217;d rather have the legal side checked first, book a <a href=\"\/portugal-immigration-consultation\/\">consultation with our partner immigration lawyer<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"nm-cta-btns\">\n<a class=\"nm-btn-p\" href=\"\/portugal-golden-visa\/\">See the Golden Visa package<\/a>\n<a class=\"nm-btn-s\" href=\"\/free-consultation\/\">Book a free 15-minute call<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"frequently-asked-questions\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"does-my-family-get-biometrics-on-the-same-day-as-me\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does my family get biometrics on the same day as me?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not necessarily. <strong>Plan for separate trips.<\/strong> In the first file above the spouse filed one month after the investor and was booked fourteen months after his appointment. In the second, all five were booked for May 2027, but only after a booking that had left the investor out was corrected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"do-i-have-to-live-in-portugal-while-i-wait\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do I have to live in Portugal while I wait?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. <strong>You file online on AIMA&#8217;s ARI portal, and biometrics is the in-person step.<\/strong> Once you hold the permit, you need to spend 7 days in Portugal in the first year and 14 days in each later two-year period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"does-biometrics-mean-i-m-approved\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does biometrics mean I&#8217;m approved?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. <strong>AIMA decides after the appointment.<\/strong> Its FAQ says to wait out the 90-day legal decision period, and you may be asked to fix gaps in your file or respond to a prior hearing. In our March 2025 file the card was approved within about three months of biometrics, then sat unprinted for four more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"what-if-my-criminal-record-expires-before-biometrics\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if my criminal record expires before biometrics?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Order a fresh one timed to your appointment.<\/strong> Criminal record certificates last about 90 days and AIMA needs a current one at biometrics, so with nine months&#8217; notice you&#8217;ll be ordering a second set. In our November 2025 file the family&#8217;s filing slipped by about three months because the spouse needed a fresh apostilled criminal check and a new passport first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"if-aima-misses-the-90-day-deadline-is-my-application-approve\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">If AIMA misses the 90-day deadline, is my application approved?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. <strong>Silent approval applies to renewals only<\/strong>, as the Tribunal Central Administrativo Sul held in October 2024. AIMA still has to decide your first application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"how-much-notice-will-i-get-for-my-biometrics-appointment\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How much notice will I get for my biometrics appointment?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Expect less than AIMA&#8217;s FAQ says.<\/strong> The FAQ says 60 to 90 days where you need a visa to travel, and 90 to 180 days where your documents need consular certification. In the two files above, you&#8217;d have got about two months and about nine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"can-i-choose-which-aima-office-i-go-to\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can I choose which AIMA office I go to?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>You may not get to choose.<\/strong> AIMA&#8217;s FAQ says it books appointments in date order and assigns the office. Plan your travel once the notice arrives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"what-happens-if-i-miss-my-biometrics-appointment\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happens if I miss my biometrics appointment?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>AIMA&#8217;s FAQ says a missed appointment is rescheduled once.<\/strong> So treat the date as fixed, and check that every person on your file can make it as soon as the notice arrives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"how-long-is-the-golden-visa-card-valid-once-it-s-issued\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How long is the Golden Visa card valid once it&#8217;s issued?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Two years from the day it&#8217;s issued.<\/strong> In our March 2025 file the four months the approved card waited to be printed didn&#8217;t shorten it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"can-i-add-documents-after-i-file\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can I add documents after I file?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. <strong>You can&#8217;t add anything after you submit.<\/strong> Check the apostilles on passport copies and other public documents before you file, and complete the investment before you apply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"when-does-my-citizenship-clock-start\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">When does my citizenship clock start?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>At your first residence permit.<\/strong> Since 19 May 2026 you need ten years of legal residence (seven for EU and CPLP nationals), counted from that permit, so the time AIMA takes to issue it doesn&#8217;t count towards them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"do-i-need-a-portuguese-bank-account-for-the-golden-visa\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do I need a Portuguese bank account for the Golden Visa?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>It depends on your fund.<\/strong> Some funds take your money from abroad without one. Even then, you may want one to pay the government fees, and that account can be the slowest step, so start it early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"sources-and-how-we-checked\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sources and how we checked<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The two cases are recent Golden Visa files of ours that we analysed in full for this post, with month-level dates only. <strong>We&#8217;ve left out names, funds, banks, AIMA offices and cities<\/strong>, and we give no average. Everything else comes from the public record below, read on 3 November 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li id=\"source-1\"><strong>The October 2026 figures<\/strong> (6,000 of 46,000 processed, around 30,000 appointments), the 50.4-month survey average, the 14 to 18 month estimates and AIMA&#8217;s early-2025 promise of 30 to 90 days: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imidaily.com\/europe\/portugal-says-it-has-processed-13-of-its-golden-visa-backlog\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IMI Daily, &#8220;Portugal says it has processed 13% of its golden visa backlog&#8221;, 8 October 2026<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"source-2\"><strong>The 29 October 2025 promise<\/strong> and the &#8220;end of the queue&#8221; remark: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rtp.pt\/noticias\/pais\/governo-diz-que-aima-vai-resolver-pendencias-dos-vistos-gold-no-proximo-ano_n1694711\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">RTP (Lusa), 29 October 2025<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"source-3\"><strong>The February 2026 reaffirmation:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essential-business.pt\/2026\/02\/13\/investors-sick-of-waiting-for-golden-visas-are-leaving\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Essential Business, 13 February 2026<\/a>, citing Jornal Econ\u00f3mico.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"source-4\"><strong>The 90-day deadline:<\/strong> Lei 23\/2007, article 82, as quoted by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dgsi.pt\/jtca.nsf\/170589492546a7fb802575c3004c6d7d\/f042e4008c04c85e80258bcb00515de9?OpenDocument=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tribunal Central Administrativo Sul in its ruling of 31 October 2024<\/a> (process 2997\/24.6BELSB), which also holds that silent approval applies to renewals only. See also the <a href=\"https:\/\/diariodarepublica.pt\/dr\/legislacao-consolidada\/lei\/2007-67564445\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">consolidated text of Lei 23\/2007<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"source-5\"><strong>AIMA&#8217;s 90-day instruction, date-order booking, office allocation, notice periods and one-time rescheduling:<\/strong> AIMA, FAQs on the ARI pendency recovery plan (2025), in <a href=\"https:\/\/aima.gov.pt\/media\/pages\/documents\/ab8be25ab9-1742222809\/faqs-plano-de-recuperacao-de-pendencias-ari.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Portuguese<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/aima.gov.pt\/media\/pages\/documents\/00be889bb5-1742413931\/ingles_faqs-ari-pendency-recovery-plan.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">English<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"source-6\"><strong>Card validity of two years from issue:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/aima.gov.pt\/pt\/viver\/autorizacao-de-residencia-para-investimento-art-90-o-a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AIMA&#8217;s page on the residence permit for investment<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"source-7\"><strong>Urgent court actions and the 133,000 pending cases:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/executivedigest.sapo.pt\/?p=751305\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Executive Digest, 21 April 2026<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"source-8\"><strong>The Ombudsman complaint:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/eco.sapo.pt\/2026\/06\/24\/lei-da-nacionalidade-mais-de-1-200-estrangeiros-formalizam-queixa-contra-estado\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ECO, 24 June 2026<\/a>, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/eco.sapo.pt\/2026\/07\/20\/investidores-dos-vistos-gold-prontos-para-entrar-com-acao-contra-o-estado-em-setembro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">20 July 2026 follow-up<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"source-9\"><strong>Citizenship at ten years, counted from the first residence permit:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/diariodarepublica.pt\/dr\/detalhe\/lei-organica\/1-2026-1123539996\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lei Org\u00e2nica 1\/2026<\/a> (nationality law), in force 19 May 2026.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"source-10\"><strong>The five-year hold from the permit&#8217;s grant:<\/strong> Decreto Regulamentar 84\/2007, article 65-B, confirmed by our partner lawyer on 30 October 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<style>\n.entry-content sup.nm-fnref{font-size:.72em;line-height:0;vertical-align:super;margin-left:2px;}\n.entry-content sup.nm-fnref a{color:#1a5fb4;text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;}\n.entry-content sup.nm-fnref a:hover{text-decoration:underline;}\n.entry-content li[id^=\"source-\"]{scroll-margin-top:110px;}\n.entry-content li[id^=\"source-\"]:target{background:#FFFBF0;}\n<\/style>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"FAQPage\", \"mainEntity\": [{\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Does my family get biometrics on the same day as me?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Not necessarily. Plan for separate trips. In the first file above the spouse filed one month after the investor and was booked fourteen months after his appointment. In the second, all five were booked for May 2027, but only after a booking that had left the investor out was corrected.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Do I have to live in Portugal while I wait?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"No. You file online on AIMA's ARI portal, and biometrics is the in-person step. Once you hold the permit, you need to spend 7 days in Portugal in the first year and 14 days in each later two-year period.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Does biometrics mean I'm approved?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"No. AIMA decides after the appointment. Its FAQ says to wait out the 90-day legal decision period, and you may be asked to fix gaps in your file or respond to a prior hearing. In our March 2025 file the card was approved within about three months of biometrics, then sat unprinted for four more.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"What if my criminal record expires before biometrics?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Order a fresh one timed to your appointment. Criminal record certificates last about 90 days and AIMA needs a current one at biometrics, so with nine months' notice you'll be ordering a second set. In our November 2025 file the family's filing slipped by about three months because the spouse needed a fresh apostilled criminal check and a new passport first.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"If AIMA misses the 90-day deadline, is my application approved?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"No. Silent approval applies to renewals only, as the Tribunal Central Administrativo Sul held in October 2024. 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So treat the date as fixed, and check that every person on your file can make it as soon as the notice arrives.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"How long is the Golden Visa card valid once it's issued?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Two years from the day it's issued. In our March 2025 file the four months the approved card waited to be printed didn't shorten it.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Can I add documents after I file?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"No. You can't add anything after you submit. Check the apostilles on passport copies and other public documents before you file, and complete the investment before you apply.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"When does my citizenship clock start?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"At your first residence permit. Since 19 May 2026 you need ten years of legal residence (seven for EU and CPLP nationals), counted from that permit, so the time AIMA takes to issue it doesn't count towards them.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Do I need a Portuguese bank account for the Golden Visa?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"It depends on your fund. Some funds take your money from abroad without one. Even then, you may want one to pay the government fees, and that account can be the slowest step, so start it early.\"}}]}\n<\/script>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two families who filed in 2025: a card after 17 months, five people booked for biometrics in May 2027. The 90-day law, AIMA&#8217;s backlog and our rule.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14753,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14761","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14761","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14761"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14761\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14753"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14761"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14761"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novomove.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14761"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}