If you are an EU citizen living in Portugal and already hold a CRUE (Certificate of Registration), you may be eligible to apply for the Permanent Residence Card for EU citizens. This application can only be submitted through AIMA (Agência para a Imigração e Mobilidade).
It’s important to clarify that the CRUE is issued by your local City Hall, but the Permanent Residence Card for EU citizens is processed only by AIMA. These are two separate procedures handled by different authorities.
Who Can Apply for the Permanent Residence Card
The Permanent Residence Card for EU citizens is available to:
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Nationals of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and the Principality of Andorra;
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Individuals who have legally resided in Portugal for five consecutive years.
Required Documents
To apply, you will need:
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Proof of legal residence in Portugal for at least five consecutive years;
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A valid passport or ID card;
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Your current CRUE (EU Registration Certificate);
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Additional supporting documents.
Where and How to Apply
As of July 2025, AIMA’s official guidance is that applications must be submitted via their online platform: contactenos.aima.gov.pt
However, this platform is currently non-functional. There are no alternative methods available — not by phone, not by email, and not in person. This failure of public service delivery is, unfortunately, a common occurrence with AIMA.
Count on us to personally accompany you to the City Hall counter for your CRUE request or to support you with AIMA services.
Click here and contact us
The AIMA Problem: No Answers, No Access
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The contact center (217 115 000) often provides no solutions or clear information.
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The only email address (geral@aima.gov.pt) is often full or simply ignores emails.
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There is no way to book in-person appointments, and the website platform has been failing for months.
This amounts to a serious violation of EU citizens’ rights, particularly the right to free movement and residence, as established under Directive 2004/38/EC.
Legal Action as the Only Option (July, 2025).
Due to AIMA’s inaction, many EU citizens in Portugal are now turning to lawyers to file judicial petitions as the only viable option to move forward with their applications for the Permanent Residence Card for EU citizens.
Misleading Guidance from City Halls
Some citizens who try to request a “renewal” of their CRUE at the City Hall are told to go to AIMA instead. In practice, this means the City Halls are refusing to issue new CRUEs.
Adriano Martins Pinheiro
Immigration Lawyer in Portugal, defending EU citizens’ rights.