LISBON, Portugal — The number of formal complaints lodged against Portugal’s Integration, Migration, and Asylum Agency (AIMA) has more than doubled in recent months, reflecting mounting dissatisfaction among foreign residents and a growing strain on public services meant to support them.
Between January and August 2025, AIMA received a total of 1,528 complaints via the national Complaint Portal (Portal da Queixa). The data, analyzed by independent watchdogs and advocacy organizations, reveals a troubling trend: a 105% surge in complaints filed in the second quarter compared to the first. The spike has turned a spotlight on the agency’s performance and prompted renewed calls for reform.
Monthly complaint numbers have fluctuated sharply this year, peaking in April with 225 cases and in May with a record 275. July and August together saw 44.9% more complaints than the same period last year. Citizens from Brazil, China, and India filed the most grievances, underscoring the agency’s failure to meet the needs of its most vulnerable users.
“It’s extremely frustrating trying every possible way to get some kind of clarification from AIMA when you want to renew your certificate of residence,” said Nuno Paias, a legal resident in Lisbon who filed a complaint after a two-month delay in getting a response. “The platform isn’t working, there’s no clarification. I call customer support, and they don’t answer. I send emails, and they go unanswered.”
AIMA’s digital infrastructure, originally designed to streamline services, has instead become a key point of contention. Users frequently report being unable to schedule appointments, facing system crashes, and struggling to navigate unclear instructions. Scheduling and contact difficulties now account for 23% of all complaints.
Other major issues include inefficient service (43%), such as inadequate support or denial of service, and bureaucratic delays in handling documents and applications (14%). Technical and operational failures (12%) and payment processing issues (5%) round out the top reasons for complaint.
A System Under Pressure
Formed in late 2023 as part of a major overhaul of Portugal’s migration services, AIMA was tasked with replacing the defunct SEF (Foreigners and Borders Service). The transition was intended to modernize and humanize services, but critics say the agency is already buckling under the weight of its responsibilities.
“AIMA inherited a backlog of over 300,000 pending cases from SEF,” says immigration lawyer Teresa Almeida. “But instead of clearing that backlog, they’ve added to it with their disorganized management and underinvestment in support systems.”
Indeed, AIMA’s public-facing metrics paint a bleak picture. According to data from Portal da Queixa, the agency has a satisfaction rating of just 18.1 out of 100. Its response rate to complaints is only 12.8%, while the resolution rate sits at 13.3%.
“When the lack of response—or inability to resolve issues quickly—by any public entity or agency is evident, consumer discontent becomes visible and is reflected in complaints,” said Pedro Lourenço, founder of Portal da Queixa. “Agencies like AIMA must create mechanisms that allow for greater agility in resolving cases between the entity and the migrant community, in order to improve the service’s negative reputation.”
The Human Cost of Delay
For many migrants, the delays and administrative blockades are more than just frustrating—they can be life-altering. Delays in renewing residency permits can lead to loss of employment, missed educational opportunities, and lack of access to healthcare.
Manisha Kaur, an Indian national pursuing a master’s degree in Porto, says her student visa renewal took nearly five months. “My university tried to help, but without documentation from AIMA, I couldn’t register for exams or apply for an internship,” she explained. “It made me feel like I wasn’t welcome here.”
Employers are also reporting difficulties navigating AIMA’s systems when hiring foreign workers. According to the Portuguese Confederation of Business (CIP), delays in processing work permits are contributing to labor shortages in key industries like agriculture, hospitality, and elder care.
Reform or Regression?
While the Portuguese government acknowledges the problems at AIMA, proposed reforms have been slow to materialize. In a brief statement issued in August, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Equality said it is “working to identify technological improvements and increase staffing levels” at AIMA, but gave no concrete timeline.
Civil society groups are now calling for an independent audit of AIMA’s operations and a return to a more localized, human approach to immigration services.
“What we need is not just digitization, but dignified treatment,” says Sofia Mendes, director of Migrant Voice Portugal. “Many people come here seeking safety, stability, or opportunity, and instead they face a digital wall.”
Looking Ahead
As Portugal continues to attract a growing number of foreign residents, especially from Brazil, South Asia, and African countries with Portuguese-speaking populations, the stakes are high.
According to the National Statistics Institute (INE), Portugal’s foreign-born population reached over 800,000 in 2024—nearly 8% of the total population. With rising demand for immigration-related services, the current state of AIMA is unsustainable.
“We’re seeing not just a systems failure but a moral failure,” said Rui Barbosa, an immigration policy expert. “People are trying to build lives here, and they’re being blocked at every turn by red tape and silence.”
Until substantial changes are implemented, AIMA will remain a flashpoint in Portugal’s immigration landscape—an agency meant to help people navigate new beginnings, now caught in the middle of a growing crisis.
