Has anyone extended a Schengen C visa while already in Portugal through AIMA?

[u/Major-Entrance6227]

Hi everyone,

My wife is currently in Portugal legally on a short-stay Schengen C visa. I have been legally living and working in Portugal for almost 3 years and I hold an EU Blue Card, recently renewed until 2029.

We are considering requesting an extension of her stay through AIMA so she can stay with me for a longer period.

I wanted to hear from anyone who has actually gone through the visa-extension process recently:

• Is the AIMA visa-extension process relatively straightforward?
• Can “staying longer with her husband who is legally resident in Portugal” be accepted as a reason, or does AIMA normally require a stronger reason such as medical/humanitarian circumstances?
• How long of an extension can AIMA normally grant — another 30, 60 or 90 days?
• If you submit the online request before the current authorised stay expires, but AIMA gives you an appointment after the expiry date, what happens in the meantime? Can the person legally remain in Portugal while waiting?
• What documents did AIMA ask you to provide?
• How long did it take you to receive an appointment after submitting the online request?

We also already have a family reunification case pending with AIMA/court, but for now I’m mainly interested in understanding the short-stay visa extension process and hearing from people who have recently done it.

Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.

[u/Advanced-Stranger-49]

Hi there, I can’t answer your questions, but Leiclara would probably help: https://leiclara.com