When to renew a residence permit
The general rule is in article 75 of Law 23/2007 (the Foreigners Act): a temporary residence permit is valid for two years from the date the card is issued and is renewable for successive periods of three years. Some special regimes have different validity periods, so the date that counts is always the one printed on your card.
Article 78 of the same law requires the renewal to be requested no later than 30 days before the permit expires. According to the gov.pt portal, the application can be submitted from 90 days before that date. In practice: keep the three months before the expiry date in mind and do not leave the application to the final weeks.
The card must also be renewed whenever the identification details recorded on it change.
Where to renew: the AIMA renewals portal or an in-person appointment
Renewal is requested from AIMA. The usual channel is the renewals portal, where the permit holder (or their legal representative) logs in, confirms the details, uploads the documents and pays the fee.
- Online: according to gov.pt, the portal is for people whose residence permit is valid or expired less than six months ago.
- In person: attendance is by appointment only. It is the route for situations the portal does not cover.
The rules on access to the portal have changed several times. Before you proceed, check on the AIMA website what is in force for the expiry date of your card. If you have an appointment booked and would like to be accompanied, see our in-person AIMA accompaniment and the guide to AIMA appointments and timelines.
Conditions and documents for renewal
The law only allows a residence permit to be renewed for those who (article 78 of Law 23/2007):
- have means of subsistence;
- have accommodation;
- have met their tax and social security obligations;
- have not been sentenced to a prison term or terms exceeding one year.
This is where the documents typically requested come from: a valid passport, the current residence card, proof of income or activity, proof of address and a clean record with the tax authority and Social Security. Each type of permit (work, study, retirement or own income, investment, family reunification) adds its own documents, because you must show that the reason for your residence still holds.
Mind your absences: a temporary permit can be cancelled if the holder, without good reason, is outside the country for six consecutive months or eight non-consecutive months during the validity of the card.
The exact list and the applicable fee are in the official AIMA information and vary with the type of permit. We do not reproduce them here because they change. Talk to us if you would like us to review your file before you submit it.
What happens if your residence card expires
An expired card does not, by itself, mean the immediate loss of the right of residence. AIMA clarified, in a notice of October 2025, that the right of residence is maintained for up to 6 months after the expiry date of the card, on the basis of Regulatory Decree 84/2007. Once that period has passed with no renewal application, the person is in an irregular situation.
If you have already applied for renewal, keep the proof: the law says that the receipt of the renewal application has the same effects as the residence card for 60 days, renewable. AIMA recommends carrying the expired card together with that receipt.
According to gov.pt, anyone whose permit expired more than six months ago can no longer use the portal and must submit the application at an AIMA desk. This is a situation to deal with quickly and carefully, because it can affect your legal stay, your work and your travel. In practice, an expired card also complicates everyday life: banks, landlords, employers and airlines ask for a valid card.
From renewal to permanent residence
Anyone who has held a temporary residence permit for at least five years can apply for a permanent residence permit, provided they meet the other requirements of article 80 of Law 23/2007: means of subsistence, accommodation, basic knowledge of Portuguese and no relevant convictions.
A permanent permit has no expiry. What is renewed is the card: every five years, or when the identification details change.
Legal residence is also the basis for Portuguese nationality, whose time requirements and counting rules were changed in 2026. Keeping your renewals up to date, without gaps, protects that path. CPLP citizens have their own rules: see the guide to CPLP visas and residence.