News from afpop

Good afternoon to you all and I begin this week with some sad news about our Management Council president, Paul Streeter, who for health reasons has felt he has to stand down from that role. Paul has been the president now for 7 years and will remain on the council until the AGM in March, but the duties of MC president have now been taken on by Nigel Jenkins, after the council meeting earlier this week.   

Those of you who have met Paul know that he is an active and energetic council member and he has brought a great deal to the role of MC president. I have enjoyed working with him and have valued his friendship and support and of course the monthly bacon sandwich in Loulé, which tradition we shall be continuing. 

Another change in the offing is that the person to take over as CEO of afpop has now been confirmed and Daisy Sampson will take on that role in the New Year. Daisy is currently the editor of the Portugal News and brings many years of experience in Portugal, contacting and dealing with the authorities and researching changes to the laws and legislation in the country and has known and worked with afpop in that time. With her marketing and social media expertise, Daisy will bring some fresh ideas and new skills to the Association, whilst continuing to focus on delivering high quality assistance to you all and helping to develop other Member Benefits in 2026 and beyond. I am confident that afpop’s future will be in good hands.

A reminder that we include the AIMA information at the bottom of these Member Briefings, for those Members who join every week and who might have questions about the situation at AIMA and who will not have seen the earlier Briefings.

That said, here is this week’s information for you:

IMI tax - reminder
The final instalment of IMI (Municipal Property Tax) is due by the 2^nd of December.

You can obtain the payment details via the Finanças Portal, following these steps:

Log in > Inicie sessão > A minha área > Pagamentos > Pagamentos a decorrer

More information about IMI is available in our Information Bulletin T02.

IUC tax
IUC payments that are due in November can also be paid by the 2^nd of December.

More information about IUC is available in our Information Bulletin M03.

General strike 11th of December - reminder
The General Confederation of Portuguese Workers CGTP - Confederação Geral dos Trabalhadores Portugueses and also the UGT - União Geral de Trabalhadores has announced a general strike for the 11^th of December and some federations also announced that they will issue a strike notice for the 12^th of December against the proposed labour package. The strike is expected to disrupt public services, including transport, education and healthcare, as workers across sectors are being urged to participate.

Civil Protection issues autumn-winter warning
As the hydrological year begins, the Municipal Emergency and Civil Protection Centre has issued a public warning, urging residents to prepare for the forecasted increase in autumn rainfall. The public is advised to remain vigilant and to adopt preventive and self-protection measures.

Adverse weather conditions at this time of year can heighten the risk of flooding, landslides, and infrastructural damage. To minimise potential impacts, residents are advised to take several precautionary steps, depending on their individual circumstances.

Among the recommended actions are:

• Cleaning gutters, drains, ditches, and all drainage systems in yards, balconies, and garages

• Clearing water lines, particularly in the vicinity of bridges and aqueducts

• Repairing damaged or unfinished roofs and structures that may become vulnerable during storms

• Removing agricultural or forestry debris from the banks of water lines to ensure water flow is not obstructed

• Inspecting dikes and slopes and noting any signs of erosion or instability

• Identifying critical areas — such as buildings, roads, and bridges — that may be susceptible to flooding or landslides

Banco Alimentar
You might have seen Banco Alimentar at our Better Living in Portugal Expo in October. Banco Alimentar collect and distribute products, meals and food baskets to those in need. This weekend, 29th and 30th of November, there will be another food collecting campaign from Banco Alimentar. https://www.bancoalimentar.pt.

Thousands of volunteers will be present in supermarkets across the country to collect food donations, in what is essential help for more than 400 thousand people. In addition to the face-to-face campaign on the 29^th and 30^th, the collections will continue until the 7th of December through the possible purchase of food vouchers available in supermarkets or contributions made on the website https://www.alimentestaideia.pt.

National holidays December
Restoration of Independence Day in Portugal, also known as Dia da Restauração da Independência, is celebrated on Monday the 1st of December. This national holiday commemorates the day when Portugal regained its independence from Spanish rule after 60 years of occupation in 1640. The day is marked by various events and activities, including parades, concerts, and historical reenactments, to celebrate Portugal's rich history and cultural heritage.

Monday the 8th of December is also a national holiday; this is the day of the Immaculate Conception (Dia da Imaculada Conceição) since 1854. The day is a blend of religious devotion and cultural celebration, reflecting Portugal's deep Catholic roots.

The afpop office will be closed on both of those days.

Portimão town holiday
The afpop office will also be closed on Thursday the 11^th of December due to the Portimão Town Holiday (Dia da Cidade).

AIMA Renewals Portal (non-EU): December 2025
The Renewals Portal is now also available for Residency Permit renewals expiring in December 2025. See further details on the renewal process in our previous briefings.

AIMA Residence Permit applications for holders of Highly Skilled Visas
AIMA has launched an online contact form for scheduling Residence Permit applications for holders of Highly Skilled Visas at the following link: https://contactenos.aima.gov.pt/contact-form 

Choose: “Topic Type” Residence permit and then the “Subtopic Type” Residence permit with consular visa (Highly Skilled). If the English version gives you issues, please try the Portuguese version 

Choose: “Tipo de Assunto” Autorização de Residência and then the “Subtipo de Assunto” concessão de Autorização de Residência para detentores de Vistos Altamente Qualificados

Right of Residency - reminder
AIMA has clarified that the right of Residency of foreign citizens remains valid for up to 6 months after the expiry date of the Residency permit (Article 63 (14) of Regulatory Decree No. 84/2007). Foreign citizens from countries outside the European Union who have not yet applied for renewal of their Residency permit will only be in an irregular situation in the following situations:
 

• 6 months from 15^th of October 2025 for cards that expired by 30^th of June 2025 and the right of Residency maintains valid until 15^th of April 2026.

• 6 months from the expiry date of cards that expire after 30^th of June 2025..

Foreign citizens who have already applied to renew their Residency must take their expired card with them, as well as proof that the renewal application has been started.

For Members who have not yet been able to start the Residency renewal online, for whatever reason, perhaps not being able to add a Social Security (NISS) number, problems with the AIMA renewal portal and the AIMA contact form, we advise you to save screenshots, e-mails and any error messages from failed attempts to start an online renewal process or to book an appointment. These can be useful if you need to prove your efforts at some point in the future.

Residency renewal for EU citizens and family members - reminder
AIMA has added an option on their contact form for Residency renewal applications for EU citizens and their family members’ Residency cards and Certificates (CRUE). This option is for cards and certificates that have already expired or are due to expire in the very near future. 

You can find the contact form here: https://contactenos.aima.gov.pt/contact-form 

Choose: “Topic Type” Community Residence Card and then the “Subtopic Type” that suits your specific request. If the English version gives you issues, please try the Portuguese version.

Choose: “Tipo de Assunto” Cartão de Residência UE and then the “Subtipo de Assunto” that suits your specific request.

IMPORTANT NOTE about permanent Residency CARDS: People who have the 10-year-old (or older) Residency cards (cardboard/plasticised), that has expired or is due for renewal, are now also able to start their renewal on the contact form using the above choices.

Satellite offices
Please remember that there will be no Satellite Offices in the month of December.

We will return in January 2026 and will publish the dates very soon.