Immigration and Residence Permits
Support with residence permits and renewals, family reunification, CPLP mobility, regularisation of minors and family members, students, relatives of Portuguese and European Union citizens, long-term residence and other immigration procedures.
What is included
- Residence permit: first application
- Residence permit renewal
- Family reunification
- CPLP Mobility Agreement
- Regularisation of minors
- Regularisation of family members
- Student residence permit
- Family members of Portuguese citizens
- Family members of European Union citizens
- Long-term residence permit
- Changing and updating personal data
- Replacing or recovering the residence card
- Expression of interest and regularisation of status
- Support with other immigration procedures
Every situation is assessed individually. These services are provided within the remit of a Trainee Lawyer, under the supervision of Dr. João Nogueira Marques, Lawyer.
What helps prepare for your consultation
- A timeline of your arrival in Portugal, applications submitted and changes in your family, work or study circumstances.
- Copies of visas, residence cards and application receipts you already hold.
- Notices received, case references and expiry or appointment dates you want to clarify.
- Submission receipts, appointment references and records of previous contact with the competent authority.
- Identity documents and civil records for any family members covered, where the application involves more than one person.
- A note of what has changed since the last application: address, employer, studies or household composition.
What we review with you
We identify the procedure and its current stage, distinguishing an initial application from a renewal or a personal data update. We review existing documents and relevant family, employment or study circumstances. The scope of support follows from the information still needed and the steps appropriate to your case. Where a notice exists, we compare what was requested against what is already on file, so the reply addresses the specific request rather than a generic list. We record the dates and receipts for each submission, keeping a documented sequence of the case.
Official information
Common questions before a consultation
Which procedure needs to be assessed?
The answer depends on your current status, the purpose of your stay and the history of the case. We distinguish initial applications, renewals, personal data updates and family, work or study circumstances before defining the appropriate steps.
I received an AIMA notice. What should I do first?
Read the full request, keep its reference and check the date stated in the notice itself. The assessment should compare what was requested with what has already been submitted; a generic document list may not answer the specific case.
How long can it take?
Duration varies with the procedure, stage and action of the competent authority. We organise the steps within your control, record submissions and contacts, and explain ways to follow the case without guaranteeing a date or outcome.
What helps prepare a renewal?
Having the current permit, proof of the previous application and the documents showing that the circumstances behind your residence still hold. Changes of address, employer or family composition since the last application should be flagged.
My permit expired. Does that prevent dealing with it?
It does not prevent an assessment, and it makes one more urgent. What matters is reconstructing the sequence: the expiry date, applications made, receipts kept and contacts with the competent authority. The specific position is assessed from there.
How is an application involving family members organised?
Each person has their own documentary position, even when the application is submitted together. We build a timeline per person and identify the birth, marriage or partnership records supporting the family relationship relied on.
Is it worth adding documents on my own initiative?
It depends what was requested. Extra documentation can clarify, but it can also introduce inconsistencies with what is already on file. The consultation compares the request received against what has already been submitted before deciding what to add.
Can the consultation be held remotely?
Yes. Appointments run by video or phone call, in Portuguese, English or Spanish, with documents sent in advance. Anyone in Porto, or who prefers meeting in person, can book at the office.
Editorial responsibility: Carvalhos Advocacia. General information; confirm the current position for your case before acting.