AIMA won't refuse a residence permit for a vocational course just because it has ended. Some appointments are in Q2 2027
AIMA has explained what happens to people who applied for a residence permit on the basis of a vocational course but finished their studies while waiting for an appointment. If the applicant met all the legal requirements at the time of applying, the end of the course is not in itself a reason to refuse, the agency told DN Brasil. All other conditions still apply, and each case is assessed individually (DN Brasil).
This applies only to cases the agency is already processing and to applications where an appointment was requested before 11 September 2026.
What to bring to the appointment: documents showing when the course started and ended, and proof that at the time of applying you were enrolled on the course and attending classes. You also need to show that your studies ended before the appointment or decision through no fault of your own — for example, because it took a long time to get an appointment.
There are more than 20,000 such applications. Booking for this residence permit first opened on the AIMA portal in April, the agency has been sending out appointment invitations since July, and some appointments have been set for the second quarter of 2027.
Since 11 September 2026, amendments to the foreigners law have been in force: you can no longer apply for this residence permit from within Portugal. A course is still valid grounds for a permit, but you must first get a visa in your home country. The government says it closed this route because people were using it as a substitute for the abolished manifestação de interesse — a way to get a residence permit while already living and working in Portugal. Our guide explains how to get and renew a residence permit.
