Portugal's immigration agency AIMA is terrible

I’m so sorry you’re going through this. Yeah, as an immigrant here myself, I can relate to your problems. My permit didn’t take as long as yours, but it was still hard work getting it both times—first issuance and renewal. I found myself feeling unwanted and unproductive. Given how many other immigrants are in the same situation, I can only conclude that this country is taking advantage of us—collecting our high taxes while feeling no obligation to grant our rights, simply because our documentation is delayed (undocumented immigrants, for instance, are refused in some hospitals). And it’s not even our fault, since every immigrant I know spends most of their time calling AIMA just to try to get an appointment.

Portugal should be held accountable in an international court for what it’s doing to immigrants. I remember I only received my first residency card—after a 3-month delay—when I filed a complaint online with the EU and forwarded it to the Prime Minister’s office through their website. If you wish to do the same, you can find the links below:

1 - EU: https://european-union.europa.eu/contact-eu/make-complaint_en

2 - Administração Interna: https://www.sg.mai.gov.pt/QuemSomos/InformacaoInstitucional/Paginas/Submissao-de-Mensagem-para-Fundos-Comunitarios.aspx

3 - Prime Minister:

https://www.portugal.gov.pt/pt/gc21/primeiro-ministro/contactos

Btw, as links are not allowed in the post body - here’s website’s url:
joaothelazy.pt

Taking away the right to travel abroad of thousands of rule-following, tax-paying immigrants because you cannot process renewals of residence permits for months/years should be considered a human rights violation!

The previous Socialist govt runned an “open borders” scheme. Portugal since 2021 has been receiving the equivalent to 3% of its Population by year. Of course everything collapsed.