Residence Conditions, Minimum Stay and Renewals

Read the dates on the residence authorisation

Article 90.º-A(2) provides for ARI renewals in two-year periods, subject to the applicable requirements. The validity shown on the actual residence card and the dates in the decision are the starting point for managing a particular holder’s position.

Keep the date of investment, date of application, date of grant and card expiry separately. They answer different questions. A late appointment or delayed card delivery should not be resolved by silently substituting one of these dates for another.

Minimum presence in Portugal

Article 65.º-C of Regulatory Decree No. 84/2007 states seven days, consecutive or otherwise, in the first year and fourteen days, consecutive or otherwise, in subsequent two-year periods. AIMA’s ARI FAQ reflects this formulation.

Match the required presence to the periods relevant to the particular authorisation and renewal. Avoid replacing the legal wording with an assumption that any seven days in any calendar year will suffice. Where card dates or exceptional extensions create uncertainty, obtain clarification on the period and evidence to be used.

Keep evidence of actual presence

Keep an organised travel record with arrival and departure dates, boarding passes and relevant passport evidence. Where travel within Schengen produces no passport stamp, retain other reliable contemporaneous material that can help establish presence in Portugal.

An itinerary shows a plan, not necessarily a completed visit. Evidence should be internally consistent and relate to the individual holder. Family members should keep their own records, and their title-specific requirements should be checked separately.

Maintaining the investment

Article 65.º-B states that the minimum five-year investment maintenance period is counted from the date the residence authorisation is granted. Renewal also involves evidence of the investment under the applicable route. Merely reaching the investment’s fifth anniversary does not settle the holder’s immigration position.

Fund maturity, a distribution, a company reorganisation or a proposed disposal can therefore require analysis before it happens. Determine which evidence will establish continuing compliance and whether a different residence status has actually been granted before assuming the investment can be released.

The renewal procedure

AIMA states that ARI renewals have moved to the renewals portal from 16 February 2026. Initial ARI applications and renewals should therefore not be treated as the same online process. Check that the title and expiry period concerned are accepted by the current portal instructions.

Review personal details, identity document validity, investment evidence and any tax, social-security or other supporting information requested. Follow the official payment instructions and retain the submission receipt. Attend any further appointment if AIMA requires personal checks or updated biometric data.

Prepare the next renewal throughout the period

A renewal file is easier to assemble when its evidence is kept as events occur. Use a separate calendar for every residence holder and an investment record shared with the professional responsible for that part of the application. The following is a practical preparation checklist, not an additional legal requirement.

• After receiving the card, record the grant and expiry dates and retain the decision and a secure copy of the title.
• After each visit, record the actual arrival and departure dates and file the evidence of presence in Portugal.
• When investment information arrives, save the statement or declaration and note any proposed change, distribution or maturity event.
• When family or personal circumstances change, identify which records need updating and who is responsible for communicating the change.
• Before the renewal stage, compare the current official checklist with the file and allow time for documents that require fresh issuance or authentication.
• After submission, retain the receipt, payment evidence and notifications, and continue checking the designated official communication channel.

Expiry, travel and a future status

Distinguish the right to remain in Portugal, the validity of a physical card and its acceptance for international travel. A domestic extension or renewal receipt should not be assumed to have the same effect at another country’s border. Check the exact documents before booking travel close to expiry.

Permanent residence and nationality require separate decisions and may involve different time calculations. Continue managing the current ARI obligations while any other application is pending. Review the renewal file early enough to resolve missing documents, changes in the family or uncertainty about the investment.