Delays, scheduling issues, and poor service drive frustration with Portugal’s migration agency
Portugal’s Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) is facing growing criticism as the number of complaints filed against it soared by 37% in the first four months of 2025.
According to data from Portugal’s complaints portal, Portal da Queixa, the platform received 593 complaints about the agency between January and April – a significant rise compared to 432 complaints in the last four months of 2024. And the problems appear far from over: as of May 12, another 100 complaints had already been submitted.
Among the main complaints are delays in document processing, including long waits for residence cards and visas. These delays accounted for 37.2% of all complaints. Close behind are complaints about scheduling difficulties and poor communication (such as unanswered emails and incorrect information), which made up 30.7% of submissions.
Other issues include incorrect or missing documentation (12.6%); poor customer service (6.2%); and technical or operational failures (5.6%).
One user, Gabriela, was cited by Portal da Queixa in its statement to the press: “I did my interview for the residence card on 03/10/2024 and haven’t heard anything since. They say it should take 90 days, and I’m still waiting.”
The Resident has also received emails from frustrated readers who have been unable to contact AIMA.
Unsurprisingly, AIMA’s public satisfaction score currently sits at a worrying 17.8 out of 100, highlighting widespread discontent. The agency also shows a low response rate (13.3%) and a solution rate of just 14.9%, according to its public profile on the complaint platform.
