Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo

What Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo does

AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo) is a Portuguese public institute (Instituto Público) created by Decree-Law 41/2023 on June 2, 2023, replacing the predecessor Alto Comissariado para as Migrações (ACM, I.P.). It is the sole government agency mandated to administer immigration procedures, asylum applications, temporary protection, and integration programs for foreigners in Portugal. The agency serves non-EU nationals seeking residence permits, EU citizens and family members exercising free-movement rights, UK nationals requiring post-Brexit documentation, asylum seekers, and foreign minors born in Portugal. Services are delivered through a multi-channel model combining physical Lojas AIMA service locations across all continental Portuguese regions plus the autonomous regions of Madeira and Azores, online portals (services.aima.gov.pt and portal-renovacoes.aima.gov.pt), a contact center operating weekdays from 08:00 to 20:00, and an online contact form.

AIMA's core technology stack is a digital service infrastructure supporting online residence-permit renewals, appointment scheduling, document submission, and electronic signature acceptance (including qualified electronic signatures and SCAP-based professional attribute certifications). The platform integrates with EU-level systems including SIS and EURODAC. Specialized units include the Centro Nacional para o Asilo e Refugiados for asylum adjudication, the Academia AIMA for internal training, and a network of CLAIM (Centros Locais de Apoio e Integração de Migrantes) local support centers operated jointly with municipalities.

AIMA's funding model is a hybrid of Portuguese state budget allocations, co-financing from multiple EU programs (PRR, PT 2030, FAMI 2030, NextGenerationEU), and administrative fees published in official tariff tables for visa processing and residence-permit services. Headcount is in the 501-1,000 range and actively expanding under published Mapa de Pessoal plans. The agency operates under the XXIV Portuguese Government and is subject to public-administration regulations including GDPR/RGPD compliance, with a designated Data Protection Officer. Revenue is not commercially disclosed as the entity is not a market-facing commercial organization.

Name

Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo

Legal name

Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo, I.P.

Website

https://aima.gov.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

AIMA is Portugal's sole government public institute responsible for immigration, asylum, and integration services, serving non-EU nationals, EU citizens, UK nationals, and asylum seekers through physical Lojas AIMA, online portals, and a contact center, funded by state budget and EU programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Immigration and Asylum Services

NAICS

National Security and International Affairs (928)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAAAN

Immigration, Citizenship & Border Administration (Civil)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Central/Federal Government Administration

SECONDARYBPADAHAL

Border Management & Humanitarian Border Assistance

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Refugee, Migration & Displacement Services

SECONDARYBPADAHAE

Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Refugee, Migration & Displacement Services

SECONDARYEDAAAAAK

Integrated Education & Training (IET) / Contextualized ABE (Workforce-Linked)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Adult Basic Education (ABE) & Literacy

Keywords

• Immigration services
• Asylum processing
• Residence permits
• Integration programs
• Border management

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisboa

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Budget Allocation: AIMA operates as a public institution (I.P. - Instituto Público) funded primarily through state budget allocations from the Portuguese government.
2. EU Funded Programs: Co-funded by European Union programs including PRR (Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência), PT 2030, FAMI 2030 (Fundo para o Asilo, Migrações e Integração), and NextGenerationEU.
3. Administrative Fees: Collects official fees (taxas e encargos) for administrative procedures including visa processing, residence permit issuance and renewal, and other immigration-related services as defined in official tariff tables.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

AIMA is the sole Portuguese government agency responsible for immigration, integration, and asylum services. It processes residence permit applications and renewals, asylum applications, family reunification, temporary protection, and Brexit-related documentation for UK nationals, and provides integration support including Portuguese language learning through a multi-channel model combining physical Lojas AIMA stores, online portals, and a contact center.

Product overview

AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo) is a Portuguese public law entity responsible for immigration, asylum, and integration services. The agency operates a multi-channel service model comprising physical locations (Lojas AIMA), an online services portal (Portal de Serviços), a dedicated renewals portal (Portal das Renovações), a contact center, and an online contact form. Key specialized services include the Centro Nacional para o Asilo e Refugiados (CNAR) for asylum processing, the Estratégico para a Aprendizagem de Português for language integration, and the Integrar para a Construção vocational training program. All services are directed toward foreigners seeking residence, asylum, or protection in Portugal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Portal de Serviços AIMA Central online portal providing access to various administrative services including renewal requests, appointment scheduling, and document submissions for immigration and residence matters for foreign nationals in Portugal.
• Portal das Renovações Dedicated online portal for renewal of expired Residence Permits, enabling citizens to request renewal of residence authorization documents that expired after June 30, 2025.
• Lojas AIMA Network of physical service locations (AIMA Stores) providing in-person assistance for immigration procedures, residence permits, and integration services, with locations across Norte, Centro, Lisboa, Alentejo, Algarve, and autonomous regions of Madeira and Azores.
• Centro de Contacto AIMA Contact center operating Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 20:00, providing phone support at (+351) 217 115 000 for citizen inquiries about immigration services.
• Centro Nacional para o Asilo e Refugiados AIMA (CNAR) National center dedicated to asylum and refugee processing, handling applications for asylum, subsidiary protection, and temporary protection in Portugal.
• Formulário de Contacto Online contact form for scheduling appointments and submitting requests, particularly for specialized procedures such as residence authorization for foreign minors born in Portugal under Article 124 of the Foreigners Law.
• Programa Integrar para a Construção Vocational training program for the construction sector targeting migrants and foreigners in Portugal, providing professional qualification opportunities through structured training cycles.
• Plano Estratégico para a Aprendizagem de Português como Língua Estrangeira Strategic plan for Portuguese language learning as a foreign language, supporting migrant integration through structured language acquisition programs presented publicly on March 25, 2024.
• Protocolo de Cooperação para a Migração Laboral Regulada Cooperation protocol for regulated labor migration, providing answers to frequently asked questions about labor migration procedures for foreign workers seeking employment in Portugal.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 July 2021Agreement on Mobility between Member States of the CPLP, signed in Luanda on July 17, 2021, facilitating movement and residence rights among Portuguese-speaking nations.
• Municipalities and Local Government EntitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIMA collaborates with municipalities through Local Centers for Migrant Support and Integration (CLAIM - Centros Locais de Apoio e Integração de Migrantes), operating under data processing agreements where both parties act as joint data controllers.
• Universities and Educational InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships for Portuguese language learning programs and integration support, with joint data processing agreements in place for client registration in AIMA stores and local centers.
• XXIV Portuguese GovernmentcoreOthersParent government authority providing institutional mandate and oversight through Decree-Law 41/2023 and related legislation.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF): Germany's federal agency for migration and refugees, responsible for asylum processing, integration programs, and residence permits. A natural broader EU peer with comparable mandate scope across residence, asylum, and integration.
• Migrationsverket (Swedish Migration Agency): Sweden's agency handling asylum, residence permits, and citizenship, with significant EU funding exposure and integration program delivery. Highly comparable in mandate breadth and EU funding profile.
• Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND): The Netherlands' Immigration and Naturalisation Service, responsible for residence permits, asylum, and naturalisation. A peer EU agency with mature digital service infrastructure, comparable in mandate and channel strategy to AIMA.
• US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): U.S. federal agency for immigration benefits administration including residence permits (green cards), naturalization, and asylum. A global benchmark peer for immigration-agency digital service delivery and operational scale.
• Office Français de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration (OFII): France's national agency for immigration and integration, handling reception of foreigners, integration support, and asylum-related services. Closely comparable mandate to AIMA across residence, integration, and asylum functions within the EU.
• UK Home Office (Immigration and Asylum): The UK government department responsible for immigration, asylum, and border policy. Comparable to AIMA in administering residence documentation — particularly relevant given AIMA's post-Brexit UK national regularization workload.

Regional players

• Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS): Ireland's division responsible for asylum, immigration, and citizenship, operating under the Department of Justice. A comparable national-scale immigration agency within the EU/EEA, with similar digital-service transformation priorities.
• Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones (Spain): Spanish ministry responsible for migration policy and the Secretaría de Estado de Migraciones, delivering integration programs and managing residence permits — a regional peer with strong cultural and administrative parallels to AIMA.

Others

• EASO / EUAA (European Union Agency for Asylum): EU-level agency supporting member states on asylum — AIMA's Centro Nacional para o Asilo e Refugiados (CNAR) interfaces directly with EUAA operations and contributes to EU-wide asylum data systems, making EUAA a strategic ecosystem partner rather than a competitor.

Direct peers

• Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (SEF): Portugal's former border and foreigner's service agency whose immigration-attribution functions were largely absorbed into AIMA in 2023. Direct functional peer — same mandate, same country, same customer base — making SEF the closest historical analog for AIMA's operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AIMA_Agencia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AIMA_Agencia
• Facebookfacebook.com/aimagovpt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aima
• Instagraminstagram.com/aima_ip

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo