What the manifestation of interest was
The manifestation of interest (manifestação de interesse) was an online application made by people who were already in Portugal and wanted a residence permit to work, without having entered on the appropriate residence visa. It rested on two provisions of Law 23/2007 (the Foreigners Act): paragraph 2 of article 88, for employed work, and paragraph 2 of article 89, for self-employed work.
Has the manifestation of interest ended? Yes, in June 2024
Yes. Decree-Law 37-A/2024 of 3 June repealed the provisions on which the manifestation of interest rested, including paragraph 2 of article 88 and paragraph 2 of article 89 of Law 23/2007. It came into force on the day after publication, that is, on 4 June 2024.
Since that date it has not been possible to submit new manifestations of interest. Entering Portugal as a tourist and then applying for residence because you are working is no longer a route provided for in the law.
The decree-law can be read in the Diário da República, the official gazette.
Transitional regime: those who had already applied or paid contributions
The repeal did not wipe out the cases that already existed. Two situations are safeguarded:
- Applications already started: Decree-Law 37-A/2024 itself states that it does not apply to residence permit procedures started before it came into force, which continue to be governed by the previous law.
- Those already paying contributions: Law 40/2024 of 7 November extended the transitional regime to anyone who can prove that, before 4 June 2024, they were already enrolled with Social Security and paying contributions for a professional activity, even without having submitted a manifestation of interest.
If you think you are covered, check with AIMA the status of your case and the deadlines that apply to you. If you have already been called or are awaiting a decision, see how our AIMA accompaniment works.
Which routes to residence in Portugal exist today
The rule is once again the one the law always treated as the main one: apply for the right visa at the Portuguese consulate, before travelling, and then for the residence permit in Portugal. The most common routes:
- Residence visa for work.
- D2 visa, for entrepreneurs and independent professionals.
- D7 visa, for those living on a pension or their own income.
- D8 visa, for remote work.
- CPLP route: citizens of CPLP countries who hold a residence visa can apply for the CPLP residence permit in Portugal. See the guide to CPLP visas and residence.
- Family reunification, for relatives of someone already legally resident, including a partner in a de facto union.
The conditions of each route were changed by Law 61/2025 of 22 October and must be confirmed at the time of application.
Already in Portugal without a residence card? What to do
- If you had an application or contributions from before 4 June 2024, look at the transitional regime first.
- If you have a relative legally resident in Portugal, family reunification may be possible.
- In many cases, the realistic route is to apply for the appropriate visa at the consulate in your country of origin or residence.
Staying in an irregular situation has consequences and can make future applications harder. Before deciding, ask for an assessment of your case. Talk to us: we will tell you frankly whether there is a route and which one.