If you didn’t manage to collect your residence card (Residência) by mail and it was sent back to AIMA via CTT, new collection rules now apply. It’s important to be aware of these changes to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Official statement from AIMA:
“Residence Cards, returned by post (CTT), will only be delivered to applicants assisted by the Mission Structure, 𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙫𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙡 and upon presentation of the card at the service centre indicated therein.”
📌 Source on Facebook: Official AIMA post
What does this mean in practice?
- You can only collect your card after receiving an email invitation from AIMA
- The invitation will state where you need to go
- You will not receive your card without this email
Who is affected?
As stated in the announcement, this most likely applies only to applicants whose cases were handled by Estrutura de Missão (Mission Structure), including:
- Applicants under Article 88.2 (employment, work contract)
- Applicants under Article 89.2 (self-employment)
How long does it take to receive the invitation?
There is no defined timeline for when emails are sent. It’s important to check your inbox regularly, including the spam/junk folder.