Portugal’s immigration landscape continues to evolve and 2024 shows that in numbers. The latest Relatório de Migrações e Asilo, a report released by AIMA (Agência Portuguesa para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo) on 16 October 2025, delivers a detailed picture of a country that has become a major destination for international residents and investors alike.
Foreign Resident Population in Portugal: Current AIMA Numbers
By the end of 2024, 1,543,697 foreign nationals were officially living in Portugal – nearly four times the figure recorded in 2017.
The agency’s administrative clean-up, which corrected earlier backlogs, revealed just how significantly the foreign-resident community had expanded.
Of this total, 1,096,170 hold valid residence permits, alongside 61,242 beneficiaries of temporary protection and 92,341 CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries) regularisations.
The work carried out by the Mission Structure for Clearing Pending Cases at AIMA has led to an upward revision of Portugal’s foreign-resident figures for previous years.
The updated data raises the 2023 total from 1,044,606 to 1,304,833, an increase of 260,227 compared with the number originally published in the Relatório de Migrações e Asilo for that year.
AIMA, which came under heavy scrutiny last year for its processing delays, reports that the backlog has been reduced dramatically. A dedicated mission structure, supported by 25 service centres and over 600,000 attendances, has cleared hundreds of thousands of pending cases, giving the immigration system a long-awaited reset.
With more than 1.5 million foreign residents, Portugal’s appeal shows little sign of slowing.
The country continues to attract professionals, entrepreneurs, and families drawn by its stability, climate, and lifestyle – and, for investors, by the enduring potential of regulated investment routes such as equity and venture capital funds.
While some bottlenecks persist, the ongoing digital transformation within AIMA and the government’s focus on modernising public services mark a decisive shift towards greater efficiency and transparency.
The Surge in Foreign Resident Population and Golden Visa Applications
AIMA’s 2024 figures marks how rapidly Portugal’s foreign population has expanded, which grew by 33.6% compared to 2022, bringing the total to over 1 million foreign residents from 2023.
The report indicates that 1,044,606 expats now hold residency permits in Portugal, a spike largely attributed to growing interest in the country due to its many benefits.
Over the course of the year, 218,332 residence titles were granted, the majority linked to professional activity and CPLP mobility.
Despite being lower than the 2023 surge, this represents a strong and steady flow of new residents.
The report details how the composition of the foreign community reflects Portugal’s international reach. Brazilian nationals account for 31.4% of all foreign residents with 484,596 residents, while India has now become the second-largest nationality group, with 98,616 visa holders. The demographic profile is strikingly young – over 85% are of working age, and more than 640,000 fall within the 18–34 bracket.
The Golden Visa remains an important component of this broader immigration picture, with investment funds and contributions to science and cultural projects now driving the scheme since the closure of the property route in late 2023.
In 2024, 2,081 Golden Visas were issued, largely to investors from the United States (406), China (298), Russia (248), the United Kingdom (147), and India (140), with a further 2,909 dependants joining under family reunification.
This continues the trend seen in 2023, where the United States had also taken the lead with 567 visas followed by China (306), the United Kingdom (234), Brazil (219), and India (199), revealing the same, general interest from these countries.
These figures highlight the growing demand from countries such as the US and the UK, which in previous years had not made the Top 5 in applications, particularly from high-net-worth individuals seeking residency in Portugal through investment.
This diversification of origin countries highlights a growing interest from mature economies seeking both European footholds and diversified portfolio exposure through regulated Portuguese funds.
Though real estate investment no longer qualifies for the Golden Visa, fund-based pathways and donations to certified projects continue to attract high-net-worth applicants seeking a secure European residence framework.
Long Queues and Backlogs: Challenges Facing AIMA
It's true that the past two years have tested AIMA’s operational limits. Rapid population growth, coupled with heavy administrative inheritance from the former SEF agency, produced long queues and uneven processing times. Many applicants experienced extended waits for biometric collection and document verification.
However, in 2024, AIMA and structured a dedicated task force, and have undertaken one of the largest operational efforts in the history of Portuguese public administration, spanning service delivery, case analysis, document verification, security checks, and administrative decision-making. As a result, AIMA’s service capacity has increased sevenfold.
As show in the report, the 2024 data signals genuine progress. AIMA’s contact centre answered over 512,000 calls and booked 213,323 appointments, with 178,837 successfully attended. Around 16% were either cancelled or missed, often by applicants who had already left the country before completing regularisation.
AIMA’s Task Force and Digitalisation Efforts
To confront years of accumulated demand, AIMA established a task force that effectively multiplied its in-person capacity sevenfold. Supported by 20 municipalities, 12 civic partners, and nearly 1,500 staff working daily across the country, the structure has processed over 480,000 criminal-record checks, delivered 490,000 case decisions, and printed more than 230,000 residence cards within a year.
At the same time, Portugal’s public administration has accelerated its broader digital agenda.
AIMA’s new online systems for scheduling, renewals, and document tracking are gradually streamlining the applicant experience. While not immune to glitches, they mark an essential step towards transparency and predictability – qualities long demanded by both residents and investors.
The modernisation effort also includes automatic online renewals for certain residence categories and simplified pathways for EU citizens, creating a framework more consistent with European digital standards.
Portugal’s Continued Appeal to Expats and Investors
Despite the operational turbulence, Portugal remains among Europe’s most attractive destinations for relocation and investment. The combination of lifestyle, safety, and legal stability continues to appeal to expatriates and entrepreneurs alike.
The Golden Visa programme, in particular, has retained its relevance through adaptation rather than expansion. Its new investment models – from innovation-driven funds to cultural patronage – position it as a bridge between private capital and national development priorities.
For investors, the signal is one of confidence: an immigration system under reform but fundamentally sound; a country that combines European credibility with an open, outward-facing outlook.
For Portugal itself, the challenge now lies not in attracting newcomers, but in accommodating them sustainably – ensuring that integration, housing, and regional balance keep pace with the nation’s growing global footprint.
Portugal Homes, part of the Harland & Poston Group, remains committed to offering clarity on the evolving Golden Visa framework and Portugal’s wider investment landscape.
Our team continues to monitor legislative updates, track market shifts, and provide reliable insights for investors navigating this dynamic environment.
Stay connected with us for accurate, timely updates that bring substance – not speculation – to Portugal’s ongoing immigration story.
