Golden Visa holders and long-term residents in Portugal ended 2025 with some uncertainty regarding the proposed changes to the country’s immigration and citizenship laws. While some changes were accepted by parliament, others have been sent for constitutional review and presidential approval.
However, with the presidential run-off election now behind us, it is clear that Portugal heads into 2026 with more political stability than in recent years.
The election of centre-left António José Seguro as the new president signals that Portugal will likely continue its generally pro-immigration approach, even as populist movements gain ground elsewhere in Europe.
But there are still important policy changes on the horizon for investors, expats, and anyone thinking about moving here.
In this article, we’ll take a look at how immigration and nationality laws are ever-changing, and how they could affect Golden Visa investors and other foreign nationals in the future.
The Significance of the Election
The Portuguese presidency is mostly a ceremonial role, but he does have important powers, such as vetoing legislation, dissolving parliament, and sending laws for constitutional review.
Especially when it comes to immigration and citizenship, the new president plays apart in shaping or delaying major reforms.
Seguro, a socialist, won the presidential runoff against far-right André Ventura, showing that most Portuguese voters preferred a moderate leader
This is especially important in the context of the latest developments.
Rather than wait for Portugal’s previous president to approve the recent Nationality Law changes, Seguro’s Socialist Party (PS) invoked a rare constitutional mechanism and sent it directly to the country’s Constitutional Court for preventive review.
As a result, it struck down four key provisions as unconstitutional.
Since Ventura’s campaign focused on anti-immigration themes, the outcome could have been very different if the decision had been left to Ventura as the new president.
Where the Legal Landscape Stands Today
For Portugal Golden Visa investors, with Seguro as the new president, it means a political environment that continues to value predictability and legal certainty. Voters in the run-off election seem to have a preference for stability, openness, and economic integration.
That is naturally a good thing for the country as a whole, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that changes to residency and nationality laws will not occur. (for better or worse) overnight.
On the contrary, immigration and nationality laws have undergone legal and constitutional review.
In late 2025, the Constitutional Court ruled that several parts of the reform, including provisions on when and how citizenship requirements would apply, were unconstitutional.
As a result, some changes remain in place, but important questions about transition rules and retroactive application are still unanswered.
Even though changing the required time of residency from 5 years to 10 years for most citizens and from 5 years to 7 years for CPLP/EU citizens was ruled constitutional and valid, it still leaves investors uncertain about the future timeline for citizenship. This will only likely be clarified in the coming months.
Since the nationality reform is still under review and requires presidential approval, Seguro’s centre-left government is expected to focus on legal clarity and due process rather than making quick or ideological changes.
Some tightening of the system may still happen, but it is likely to be gradual and well considered.
What does this mean for Golden Visa investors?
Many investors have been concerned about the future of Portugal’s Golden Visa residency-by-investment program. Over the years, the program has attracted significant foreign investment and supported economic growth in Portugal.
So, what does Portugal’s presidential vote mean for Golden Visa investors? Well, even with changes to current laws, it doesn’t change residency rights and the path to long-term stability.
Those have always been a fundamental drawcard for the Golden Visa.
However, there is still uncertainty about the path to citizenship for Golden Visa holders – even after the court ruled it constitutional. The new law approved by parliament would extend the required residency period before applying for citizenship.
If this change is upheld, it will mean a longer wait for investors who want Portuguese citizenship. Of course, Seguro can choose to veto the amendment, which would trigger a different course of action for policymakers.
Before Portugal’s parliament resumes, here are a few points that are worth keeping in mind:
1. Political stability: With a president who values institutional balance, major changes to immigration policy, especially those that could affect investment, are unlikely to move forward quickly without wider, well-rounded discussion.
2. The Golden Visa program remains valid: Investors continue to enjoy residency benefits and can still count their years in Portugal toward long-term residency or citizenship. If there are any changes to these requirements, they will go through the usual legislative process and constitutional checks, rather than happening overnight.
3. Constitutional checks matter: Recent court decisions have shown that even well-meaning reforms can be stopped if they do not follow legal standards. This highlights the need to keep monitoring legal developments, as actual timelines for nationality will depend on legal outcomes rather than political statements.
4. Economic factors remain supportive: Portugal’s economy is growing faster than much of the EU, which helps keep the country attractive to international investors. This strong performance supports the case for keeping investor-friendly policies, even as technical reforms move forward.
The key point is that no sudden changes are expected, but things won’t return to how they were before.
The new president brings a sense of continuity and moderation, and recent legal challenges to citizenship reforms show that any major changes will need to pass constitutional review.
Even if some residents or investors view it negatively, the rule of law was upheld. Portugal still offers stability, supported by a legal system that values due process.