AIMA interview - Health insurance advice

@JMGan Hello, congratulations on having an AIMA appointment! I have been here since the beginning of July and am still trying. I'm jealous!

You did not say if you are a US passport holder.

Regardless, your list of docs looks fine to me. I was also told to have my airline ticket/boarding passes from my flight from the US to PT to show at the AIMA meeting.

Health insurance: Yes, you need a private health insurance, regardless of whether successful applicants tell you they used their travel insurance. You can get a private health insurance in a day. I got MGEN, but that was because of my age. You should have no problem getting health insurance very quickly, and at a very reasonable price.

The other matter you refer to is the atestado. I have had a lot of conflicting info about this. This forum told me I only needed an atestado if I was an EU citizen. Many applicants with US passports say they have been asked for an atestado at the AIMA meeting. I personally am getting one just to err on the side of caution. You need to go to your local "junta"(church parrish) with 2 witnesses, who are both registered voters in the parrish (this is how it was explained to me: you can't just call 2 friends/acquaintances and bring them along). Those 2 witnesses attest that you live where you say you live. Now, the Financas doc you got (which proves your landlord registered your lease with Financas and paid the stamp duty) should be enough that you shouldn't need an atestado. This is just my take on this blurry situation. It only costs about 5 euros to do this and you will have it in a couple days. I  am going to get it, and I urge you to get it, as a precaution.

Re the NISS: Apparently, the law has changed very recently regarding the NISS. I am here on a D7 and I don't intend to work. I have been told only to present my US Social Security docs at the AIMA meeting, if requested. If you want to get a NISS, you only have to present your NIF and passport at a Portuguese social security office. Based on what acquaintances have told me, you have to give a reason WHY you want the NIF. I am going to say "for my AIMA appointment." If you want to do this, I don't know if you will have the NISS in time for your AIMA appointment, if indeed it is requested, but at least you will have the paper trail showing you have initiated the process.

I hope all this helps. Otherwise, it looks to me like you are just fine otherwise in terms of documents to present.