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It could be a mafia if there was undue benefit in obtaining the service. Which is not the case.

AIMA has several problems: restructuring, too many pending cases inherited (many for family reunification processes) from SEF and an interim government because there will be elections next March.

It seems to me that a lawyer won't solve anything. You have to make an appointment by phone. It's difficult, but I think it's the only solution. Try early in the morning. Try tip #3 here, maybe it works....

/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1061111

Hi,

The lack of appointments for Family Reunification (FR) is a serious problem.

Whilst JohnnyPT's advice *was* worth trying last year, I have to update the situation and say: appointments for FR are no longer available on the telephone line (they haven't been fora while now in reality...).

So calling is, ultimately, pointless. They'll say:

FR is now only done online.

At the moment, FR applications are *only* being accepted, online, for people with children ages between 5 and 10 years old OR for people who are citizens of another EU country and have a CRUE certificate.

Once these are processed, FR appointments  will *likely* be opened for people with children 0-4, then people with children ages 11-17, then eventually for couples with no children.  It  will likely take years to get through the backlog...

Portugal has many fine qualities,  governmental efficiency is not one of them.

Other than to lodge a formal complaint, to which AIMA must respond, a lawyer will not be able to help with securing an appointment.

Waiting is the only option.

Good luck.