You can apply for Portugal citizenship by descent if you have at least one parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent who holds/held Portuguese citizenship.
The great-grandchild route is also possible, but requires five years of legal residence in Portugal. It’s a bit more complex than just tracing an ancestral lineage.
To avoid rejections or delays, it’s important to know how Portuguese citizenship by descent is attributed, which documents you need, and what you need to do before lodging an application.
In this article, we’ll explore eligibility, how to prove effective ties to Portugal, and the application process, so that you’ll have a better understanding of how it works.
Portugal Citizenship by Descent: Key Takeaways
What is Portuguese citizenship by descent?
Portuguese citizenship by descent, also known as citizenship by ancestry or by origin, and in legal terms as jus sanguinis, is granted when you become a Portuguese national because at least one of your parents or grandparents is or was a Portuguese citizen.
However, Portugal’s nationality law changed significantly in May 2026, when it closed the Sephardic Jewish descent route and added a new route for great-grandchildren.
In terms of Portuguese citizenship by descent, the amended Nationality Law added a naturalization route for great-grandchildren under specific conditions.
However, the process is not automatic. You must prove your family connection and apply to have your Portuguese citizenship recognized.
Depending on the route, it is also possible to apply from outside Portugal. The great-grandchild route requires five years of residency and a Portuguese language certificate to be successful.
The citizenship by descent route for Sephardic Jews has been closed to new applicants, so that option is no longer available.
Portugal Citizenship by Descent Requirements for 2026
To become Portuguese through your maternal or paternal lineage, there are typically three routes that you can take. The Portugal citizenship by descent requirements differ by generation and depend on your connection to the person.
How to get Portuguese citizenship through parents
The most common way to get citizenship by descent is through your Portuguese-born parents. If you were born outside of Portugal, you are eligible for citizenship by descent.
However, your birth must have been registered with the Portuguese civil registry. There is no language requirement, no criminal record certificate required, and no age limit to formalizing your citizenship later in life.
If you are born in Portugal to a Portuguese citizen, you acquire citizenship at birth automatically.
How to get Portuguese citizenship through grandparents
If you have at least one grandparent who is Portuguese by origin, you can apply for citizenship by descent, provided the grandparent did not lose their Portuguese nationality. To qualify, you must:
- Declare your intention to be Portuguese
- Demonstrate an effective connection to Portugal
- Register your birth in the Portuguese civil registry
- Hold an A2-level Portuguese language certificate
- Prove, by test or certificate, that you know Portuguese culture, history, and national symbols
- Know the basic rights and duties of a Portuguese citizen and how the Portuguese state is organized
- Make a solemn declaration that you support the principles of a democratic state
There is no age restriction for grandchildren applying. However, you can’t apply if you have a criminal conviction of three or more years’ effective imprisonment for certain serious crimes, such as terrorism or violent crime, if you’re considered a threat to national security, or if you’re subject to UN or EU sanctions.
Great-grandchild of a Portuguese citizen
In May 2026, Portugal introduced a citizenship route for great-grandchildren (bisnetos) of Portuguese nationals. There are several requirements that you must meet, and they are more stringent than the other routes.
For example, in addition to being an adult, you must have legally lived in Portugal for at least five years and prove that you have sufficient knowledge of the Portuguese language and culture.
You also need to provide a criminal certificate showing that you haven’t been imprisoned for more than three years for serious crimes.
Since the changes to Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026 of 18 May, this avenue is less suited to someone who hasn’t lived in Portugal. The better route would be to create a generational chain and then apply through a parent or grandparent.
Who does not qualify for citizenship by descent?
The Portugal citizenship by descent rules set out a few circumstances where someone doesn’t qualify, other than having a criminal record with three or more years in jail.
You don’t qualify for citizenship by descent if:
- A grandparent lost their Portuguese nationality or wasn’t Portuguese by origin
- Your Portuguese parent was only legally recognized as your parent after you turned 18, such as late paternity acknowledgment or a court ruling
- You’re considered a threat to national security or defense
- You can’t prove every link in the family chain with civil registry documents
You also can’t use the citizenship by descent for Sephardic Jews routes, as that process was closed to new applicants in May 2026.
Proving Effective Ties to Portugal
If you are applying through a great-grandparent or grandparent, you need to show that you have a genuine connection to Portugal, other than simply through your relatives.
The official way to do this is to prove that you are proficient in Portuguese at an A2 level and that you know Portuguese culture, history, and national symbols.
Another way to strengthen your application is through cultural and community participation, such as getting involved in Portuguese cultural associations and frequently visiting Portugal. While it doesn’t replace the language requirement, it does support your case.
You can prove your Portuguese language skills through one of the following:
- Certificate of proficiency obtained from a Portuguese private school or public school.
- Certificate of proficiency issued by the Portuguese Consulate during residency abroad, provided you took the Certificado Inicial de Português Língua Estrangeira (CIPLE) exam through the Centro de Avaliação de Português Língua Estrangeira (CAPLE) in Portugal or at another designated exam center worldwide.
- Certification of proficiency in Standard European Portuguese as a second language from any authorized Portuguese evaluation center.
- A diploma from a recognized Portuguese public or private educational institution.
- School diploma from an educational institution in a Portuguese-speaking country.
If you are unable to provide formal documentation, alternative evidence demonstrating your proficiency in Portuguese may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
Required Documents for Portugal’s Citizenship by Descent
The documents required vary depending on which generational route you are applying through.
Documents for a child of a Portuguese parent
- Official declaration that you want to acquire Portuguese citizenship
- Your full narrative birth certificate
- A certified copy of your passport
- Copy of the Portuguese parent’s identity document or passport
Documents for a grandchild of a Portuguese citizen
- Official declaration
- Your full narrative birth certificate
- The birth certificate of your parent (as the child of a Portuguese citizen)
- The birth certificate of your Portuguese grandparent
- Certified copy of the grandparents’ marriage certificate, if applicable
- A certified copy of your passport
- Copy of the Portuguese grandparent’s identity document or passport
- A2-level Portuguese language certificate
- Proof of your knowledge of Portuguese culture, history, and national symbols
- A clean criminal record for all countries you have lived in after the age of 16
- Proof of your ties to Portugal
Documents for a great-grandchild of a Portuguese citizen
- Official declaration
- Full narrative birth certificate
- Birth certificates of your parent and grandparent establishing the generational chain
- The Portuguese birth certificate of your great-grandparent
- Proof of your knowledge of the Portuguese language and culture
- Evidence of five years of legal residence in Portugal (valid residence permit documentation)
- Proof of effective connection to the Portuguese community
- A clean criminal record for all countries you have lived in after the age of 16
Certification, translation, and apostille rules
All documents must be properly certified as authentic, officially translated into Portuguese, and legalized. This can be either with the Apostille of the Hague Convention or by the Portuguese Consulate and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the country where the document was issued.
How to Apply for Portuguese Citizenship by Descent
Where to submit your application
Once you have all the necessary documentation and have paid the applicable fee, applications can be submitted in the following ways:
- In person at the Central Registry Office (Conservatória dos Registos Centrais) in Lisbon
- At the Nationality Desk of the Central Archive of Porto
- At civil registry offices across Portugal
- At a Portuguese Consulate in your country of residence
- By mail to the Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado (IRN) or the Central Registry Office in Lisbon
- Online, but this option is available only through a lawyer or solicitor
Key offices and entities involved
- Conservatória dos Registos Centrais, the central registry office where citizenship applications are processed.
- Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado (IRN), the government agency responsible for registering and notarizing civil records.
- Portuguese Embassies and Consulates, where documents are acquired and applications are submitted from outside Portugal.
- Portuguese Civil Registry Offices, district offices where births, deaths, and marriages are registered; the source of much of your family documentation.
Cost of Portuguese Citizenship by Descent
The fees for Portuguese citizenship by descent applications are confirmed through the latest Diário da República publication and listed as €175 through the parent route, €250 through the grandchild route, and minors are exempt.
While those are the government fees, there are additional fees if translations or legalizations are required, and any legal fees are separate from that. Also, keep in mind that there are separate fees for the Portuguese language test.
Common Mistakes That Delay or Block a Descent Application
The process might seem straightforward, but there still things that can go wrong. For example, if you apply through the wrong route, you can be denied. Here are a few more common mistakes that people make:
- You have unregistered births in the family chain. Your Portuguese ancestor’s birth must be on the Portuguese civil registry.
- Documents not apostilled or legalized, or not officially translated into Portuguese.
- Check for name mismatches between certificates, such as spelling changes, accents, or married names.
- Not including proof of language, culture, or effective connection for the grandchild and great-grandchild routes.
- Criminal record certificates missing for a country where you lived after age 16.
