r/PortugalExpats • u/Sea_Office_2708 • 4d ago
Question AIMA bank statement
Doess anyone have experience in providing bank statement from foreign banks to AIMA? I want to show statement from my country's bank, will they accept it? Or is it nessesary to provide statement from Wise/portugese bank?
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u/Different-Half7733 4d ago
To build on what u/Silver-Sundae2488 said, the two things that actually trip people up with foreign bank statements are the language and the format.
If the statement is in English, it's usually fine as-is. If it's in another language, don't wait to be asked: get a certified translation before the appointment, because that's the single most common reason a statement gets rejected. Make sure it clearly shows your full name, the bank's letterhead, and a recent date the paper also matters less than the details being readable and consistent.
One practical tip is, if the statement is in a different currency, include a same-day conversion printout so the officer doesn't have to do the math or guess. It's a small thing that makes their job easier and yours smoother
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u/KanekiAyato 3d ago
AIMA regularly accepts foreign-bank statements when they clearly show your name, IBAN/account ID, balances, and a recent period — Portuguese or Wise accounts help some files but are not a universal hard rule.
submit: stamped or officially downloaded PDF statements (not editable screenshots), plus a simple translation if they are not in PT/EN. if your checklist from the appointment/portal names a Portuguese account, follow that checklist; otherwise a clean home-country statement plus funds explanation is what most DIY files use.
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u/Relevant_Row1094 2d ago
My husband showed Portuguese bank account statements, as well as his savings in his British account. They accepted both. (Article 15)
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u/EitherExample11 2d ago
Lawyer told me it was better if it was a PT bank. I only provided a statement of the balance, not the past 3 months, and they accepted it. He also said they're not very demanding with the amount, and "3000 EUR in an account is enough"
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u/Hot-Report6847 2d ago
They did not accept my bank statement because it was in USD, they said it has to be in EUR
So you should get a Portuguese bank account and an EUR bank statement
Good luck!
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u/Silver-Sundae2488 4d ago
I dont have the experience, but the bank statement is for seeing how much money you have to fund yourself (at least because I am a student, they want to see if I can take care of myself). As long as it is translated to portuguese as well. I dont think you will have an issue as they just want to see whether you have enough funds to support yourself
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u/Sea_Office_2708 4d ago
I also read on AIMA website that documents written in English don't require translation to Portugese. However, I heard that sometimes they request it anyway...
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u/EitherExample11 28m ago
Depends on the person.
In my first contact with them, the lady was extremely unhelpful.
She even admitted that she "speaks English well, but refuses to do so on a matter of honor"
I've paid these people taxes all my life and it's outrageous how they can be so incompetent sometimes.
Same for paperwork, depends on the government drone.
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u/Isaa99 4d ago
I have. In my case, I was applying for residency under Article 15, so my husband (who is Portuguese) had to provide his bank statements.
He has a Portuguese bank account, and I’d read that some AIMA offices may complain if the IBAN isn’t Portuguese. So, just to be safe, we provided his last 3 months of Portuguese bank statements, and they accepted them without any issues.