en 
In an interview with journalists, lawyer Elaine Linhares explained that this protest aims to end the “limitation on the professional practice of law” at AIMA.
Every day, there are limited passwords in each store for lawyers, who are unable to deal with simple administrative procedures, said the Brazilian lawyer, who has worked in Portugal for six years.
At the Lisbon office, where the protest that brought together a dozen lawyers took place, there are only ten tickets available per day for lawyers and this means that many have to travel at dawn to be seen, as the spaces are filled long before the doors open at 9:00.
“What are we going to tell our clients if we don’t have access to the store, which is open and we have this limitation?”, asked the lawyer.
“No response”
The group of lawyers asked to be heard by the AIMA management, but so far has not received a response.
“Yesterday we had a colleague who came from the Algarve, she came at dawn, at 4am, and she even said that she wasn’t sure she would be lucky enough to be among the top ten”, explained Elaine Linhares, considering that the lack of access constitutes a “limitation to the work of lawyers who work with immigrants”.
Other means of contact do not provide any response: “The email is deleted, the call center does not answer, letters are not answered. So the only [possible] means of communication is our presence here, in person.”
In recent months, legal actions to demand compliance with administrative requests have increased due to the lack of response, but even if the use of the courts increases, administrative acts are still necessary, such as consulting a process.
“We don’t have access to anything,” the lawyer complained.
“This inertia causes limitations for immigrants” who “have no documents, no guarantees for anything, because, without documents, the person is invisible, an undocumented person who cannot leave Portugal, cannot have access to healthcare, cannot do anything”, accused Elaine Linhares.
Without documents, a citizen is “non-existent, but continues to pay taxes and work”, he added, highlighting that the State receives the money for the documents, but then does not respond.
Another of the leaders of this movement, Patrícia Viana, accuses AIMA of not responding to the lawyers' complaints, which have been going on for a long time.
According to administrative law, “we have the right to priority access to consultation of processes, because we are here defending the constitutional rights of our clients, but we simply arrive here, we do not have the right to consultation”, stated the lawyer.
Furthermore, “we don’t even have a complaints book”, as is the rule in public administration.
“I tried to make a complaint, but they gave me a blank sheet of paper,” explained Patrícia Viana.
Lusa news agency tried to obtain a comment on this protest and the complaints from the AIMA management but has not yet received a response.
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Lawyers bemoaning that they're not getting enough special treatment (special tickets) compared to ordinary people.
Somehow I don't think the fadistas will be lining up to sing this song. I wouldn't line up to listen.
By Shawn from Lisbon on 04 Apr 2025, 11:59
Its really reducing value how Portugal government has reduced processing of documents to lawyers, its a failed system where immigrants can't renew their documents with ease and they have to use lawyers that extorts them. This country is extorting immigrants
By Igho from Alentejo on 04 Apr 2025, 13:31
Shawn from Lisbon's comment shows he's uninformed to teh system.
The lawyers are trying to do a good job for their clients. AIMA won't return a phone call, an email, a posted letter, anything. They replaced the SEF because if was doing the same.
Let's be real here. This is just another example of how unbelievably disorganized the Portuguese government is. Portugal has just under 800,000 government employees for 10 million people. One employee for every 12.5 people.
The US, in comparison, has 2.4 million employees, 1 government employee per 142 people , and still runs massively more efficiently.
An example. A good friend went to work at the Camara in Albufeira approving building plans. He was approving 3-4 per day his first week, and the boss came to him and told him to slow down, he was making the others look bad, that he needed to approve 3-4 per week. Intentionally slowing down government work. Instead of telling the slower people to pick up their work to match the harder working employee, they slowed the fastest.
Anyone who's gone to a Finances office, really any government office in Portugal, knows how slow the work is.
Additionally, visas are required under law to be approved or denied within 90 days. AIMA is constantly breaking the law, as they simply won't follow the law.
Good for these lawyers calling attention to AIMA. It's seemingly worse than the SEF!
Mark Dahncke
By Mark Dahncke from Algarve on 04 Apr 2025, 14:04
Shawn, those of us that have been let down by AIMA are hoping that the lawyers can atleast assist with a process that can be rediculous
By Simon from Lisbon on 04 Apr 2025, 14:53
AIMA, have had a very difficult period since conception. We personally have been patient, spoke to AIMA staff re our residency politely, called forward to the Funchal office [old Sef office now converted] The same staff outstanding, efficient and very helpful. The very same to the team who produced our residency ID card which we received very quickly. Thank you very much. We can't thank you enough. Frank.
By Frank from Madeira on 05 Apr 2025, 11:09
I live in pakistan i have Portugal nif I need bank account non residence your assistance please
By Khalid Zaman Kayani from Lisbon on 06 Apr 2025, 01:56
It is a shame how I am treated by AIMA (Faro) … in line at 6 am waiting for a ticket… at 12 am my turn to hear the I am too early and have to come back in 2 months… then the 2 nd time ) 2 months later) the same story .. now 2 months after the date my document expired still waiting… a shame for a member country of the European Community… I am a member of the EC too.. what image for Portugal ? DO SOMETHING asap
By Pierre from Algarve on 07 Apr 2025, 09:59
I have only to say Portugal is a fail state
By Thomas Alexander from Lisbon on 07 Apr 2025, 22:26
I would suggest that the lawyers save their efforts by going to the top. The AIMA staff are clueless and under pressure but the minister in charge of this department should be told it is his/her responsibility to sort out this department. If they cannot do so they should be replaced. It would also not be amiss to lobby the president as this department is not working and is a blight on the government. The buck stops at the top.
By Ronald from Lisbon on 08 Apr 2025, 11:48
I suggest that portugal government to learn from Dubai government services and digitisation process to work faster.
By Riya from Madeira on 09 Apr 2025, 13:46
Reading this sitting in queue at AIMA, residency expired in August. Had an appointment at 11am and was given a list of documentation to bring that I did not bring, notarised proof of responsibility for our children and other arbitrary papers I had to produce. I was told to come back with the papers otherwise I would go to the end of the queue and wait 'many more months'. I'm now back, the ladies first words were ' nao falar Ingles' and that IF there is a space because someone does not come to their appointment then she may help me. After running around town notarising and printing and signing things I was not told to bring. Absolute crying joke.
By Paul from Algarve on 11 Apr 2025, 14:28