How To Get A Portuguese Passport in 2026

Portugal’s passport is among the strongest in the world, providing visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to more than 187 countries according to the Global Citizen Solutions (GCS) Passport Index. 

To get a Portuguese passport, you first need to become a citizen. There are different pathways, such as by naturalization, birth, descent, or marriage.  

However, with the new amendments to the Portuguese Nationality Law, promulgated on 3 May 2026, the residence requirement for citizenship by naturalization increases to 10 years for most foreign nationals (or 7 years for EU/CPLP nationals), which will enter into force the day after it is published in the Diário da República. 

In this guide, we will look at what makes the Portuguese passport such a valuable asset for families, retirees, digital nomads, and investors considering making Portugal their home.  

Portuguese Passport: Key Takeaways 

The Portuguese passport ranks 28th in the GCS Global Passport Index, offering visa-on-arrival and visa-free access to over 187 countries.  

EU citizenship offers many benefits: EU travel freedom, access to Social Security benefits, and voting rights.  

To obtain a Portuguese passport, you first need to become a citizen through one of the main routes: naturalization, birth, marriage, or descent.  

In 2026, the standard passport fee is €65, €85 for express entry, and €95–€120 for urgent processing in mainland Portugal. 

You can get your passport in around five working days for standard processing in Portugal, two days for express service, or one day for urgent requests. Applying for a passport through a Portuguese Consulate in the United States can take up to around 30 days. 

The Portuguese passport is an EU travel document that grants visa-on-arrival and visa-free access to over 187 countries, based on our Global Passport Index, as well as the right to live or work across all 27 EU Member States. 

A Portuguese passport offers a variety of valuable advantages – both within Portugal itself and across the European Union. 

• Right to live, study, and work in the EU: Portuguese passport holders can legally live and work anywhere in the European Union.
• Free access to quality schooling: Holders of Portuguese identity documents enjoy free education in some of the world’s best institutions and government-sponsored healthcare programs offering coverage across Europe.
• Excellent quality of life: Portugal is a wonderful place to live, with a warm climate, a safe environment, and excellent Mediterranean cuisine.
• Employment opportunities: Those with a valid residency permit enjoy full-time employment without the need to apply for additional visas, as stipulated in Portugal’s visa entry requirements.
• Low living costs: Portugal is relatively affordable compared to its European Union neighbors. Portugal passport holders can benefit from the country’s considerably lower price tags, and stretch their currency value more efficiently.
• Schengen Area privileges: Citizens benefit from the Portugal passport’s visa-free travel across the Schengen Area.

Portugal’s passport is highly valuable for international travel. According to the Global Citizen Solutions (GCS) 2025 Global Passport Index, Portugal ranks 28th in overall ranking.  

So, how many countries can you visit with a Portuguese passport in total? Portuguese passport holders enjoy visa-on-arrival and visa-free access to over 187 countries. However, with a Portuguese passport, you will need a visa to enter about 13 destinations worldwide, including Nauru, the Republic of the Congo, and Afghanistan, among others.  

Our Global Passport Index uses unique metrics to calculate the Portuguese passport power. It takes into account the country’s quality of living, investment potential, and global travel. Portugal’s passport outranks many popular countries, such as the United Arab Emirates (31st), Slovenia (36th), and Croatia (40th).  

Portugal Passport Rankings

30th

Global Passport Index

18th

Enhanced Mobility Index

59th

Investment Index

11th

Quality of Living Index

Before you apply for a passport, you must first acquire Portuguese nationality. The most common routes to Portuguese citizenship are: 

Passport through marriage: Marriage is a standard route to obtaining Portuguese citizenship. You can apply for citizenship if you are in a civil partnership (de facto union) or married to a Portuguese citizen for a minimum of three years. There is no residency requirement for this pathway. You must provide valid identity documents to show your marital status, mainly a marriage certificate (Certidão de Casamento) and connection to the Portuguese community.  

Citizenship by descent: If you have a Portuguese parent or a Portuguese grandparent, you are eligible for a Portugal citizenship by descent. For those who were born in Portugal to foreign parents, it is possible to qualify. Your parents must have kept a legal residence in the country for a minimum of five years at the time of your birth. For this route, you need valid identity documents, mainly the original birth certificate (Certidões de Nascimento) or a certified copy. 

Citizenship by naturalization: To qualify for the process of naturalization, you need legal residence in Portugal for at least 10 years as a non-EU or CPLP citizen. The total residency requirement is shorter for EU and CPLP nationals, only 7 years. This new timeline is based on the promulgated amendments to the Portuguese Nationality Law, as of 3 May 2026, which will enter into force the next day after they are published in the Diário da República (Official Portuguese Government Gazette).

Citizenship by investment: Although Portugal doesn’t have an official citizenship-by-investment program, the Portugal Golden Visa serves as an indirect pathway to Portuguese residency and citizenship through investment. Golden Visa holders can qualify for Portuguese citizenship after 10 years of legal residence.

• Tip: The Sephardic Jewish route to a Portuguese passport was abolished for new applicants on 4 May 2026, according to the Jewish Community of Lisbon (CIL). 

Since you must first become a Portuguese citizen before you can apply for a passport, the Portuguese passport eligibility criteria depend on your citizenship route.  

For citizenship by naturalization, you will need: 

• Proof of legal residence in Portugal (10 years for most foreign nationals or 7 years for EU and CPLP nationals) 
• A2-level Portuguese language proficiency  
• A clean criminal record certificate  

After you claim citizenship, the main documents needed for a Portuguese passport include:

• Previous passport (if applicable) 
• Valid Portuguese Citizen Card (Cartão de Cidadão) or a Bilhete de Identidade (old identity card) 
• Completed passport application form 
• Passport application authorization for minors (if applicable) 

If you apply for a Portuguese passport in person at an IRN (Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado) office or a citizen’s shop in Portugal, you do not need to bring passport photos. They take your photo there as part of the entire process. However, if you apply through a Portuguese Consulate abroad, you often need to bring two passport-style photos (35×45 mm) with a white background and neutral facial expression.

Tip: To obtain Portuguese citizenship, most foreigners need to pass an A2 language test. This CIPLE exam (Certificado Inicial de Português Língua Estrangeira) is administered by CAPLE (Centro de Avaliação e Certificação de Português Língua Estrangeira). It comes with an €85 registration fee and requires a total grade of 55 percent to pass.  

Here is a step-by-step guide to the entire process of getting a Portuguese passport: 

1. Choose your citizenship route through descent, marriage, or naturalization. 
2. Apply for Portuguese citizenship through the Civil Registry Services (Conservatória do Registo Civil) or a citizen’s shop (Loja do Cidadão). 
3. Get your Portuguese Citizen Card (Cartão de Cidadão) 
4. Book your Passport appointment through the official IRN/SIGA booking system at a service desk or through the Portuguese Consulate. 
5. Complete a short application form, provide fingerprints and a digital photograph, and pay the fee. 
6. Wait for processing and collect your Portuguese passport. 

Apply from outside Portugal

If you are applying for a Portugal passport from outside the country, your application will be handled by the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs through embassies and consulates worldwide. You must provide the following documents to the local Portuguese authorities:

• Your previous passport
• A valid identity document
• Your contact details

Tip: It is important to know that AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo) doesn’t handle passport applications. The agency only deals with residency and immigration, but it can give you a Certificate of Length of Residence, which you’ll need for your Portuguese citizenship application.

Portugal passport renewal

Starting in 2026, new passports will be valid for 10 years. If your passport is set to expire within the next six months, you can apply for renewal for €65 under standard base fees in Portugal.

An additional fee applies to early renewals, such as when a passport is lost or stolen. For the Portugal passport renewal, you’ll need to provide the following documents:

• Citizen card
• When renewing, bring your most recent passport, even if it has expired. If the previous passport was lost or stolen, you will need to report that and sign a declaration of loss during the application.

If your passport has already expired, you will need to reapply for a new passport and complete the full application process again.

Tip: If you need more information about renewing your passport, such as which documents you need, where to get a specific service, or what the process is like, you can visit the Portal do Cidadão, the official Portuguese public services portal.

The Portuguese passport processing time is five working days for a standard service for €65, while express service takes two working days and costs €85 in Portugal. 

Many people who need to travel urgently opt for the urgent service, where, for a fee of €95–€100, you can get your Portuguese passport in one working day. That being said, for exceptional cases, there are same-day services available at the Lisbon Airport Passport office. 

However, in very rare emergencies, a Temporary Passport (Passaporte Temporário) may also be issued where the applicant can justify their immediate travel. 

Tip: You can schedule a time and date to request or pick up your Portuguese passport for free through the Siga scheduling portal, the SigaApp mobile app, or by calling (+351) 210 990 111. Phone scheduling is open from 9 am to 6 pm during business days. 

The price of a Portuguese passport depends on the delivery term and the location where you submit the request.  

The standard application fee for a Portuguese Electronic Passport (PEP) is €65 if you apply in Portugal and €75 if you apply abroad. This fee does not cover the renewal of an expired citizen card. 

Here is a breakdown of the Portugal passport fees in 2026:

Source: Portugal’s Ministry of Justice (Ministério da Justiça), 28 May 2026 

If you apply for a frequent traveler Portuguese passport (48 pages instead of the standard 24) under the same Portuguese Electronic Passport (PEP) system, keep in mind that the fees are higher. In Portugal, expect to pay €100 for standard service, €120 for express, €130 for urgent, and €135 for same-day service at the Lisbon Airport passport office. 

Payment is made at the time of application at the office where you submit your request. In most areas, you can pay in cash or with a Multibanco debit card, while some service points also accept credit cards. 

Payment via online banking is not a common practice for passport applications. If you choose to have the passport delivered to your address, an additional €10 delivery fee applies within Portugal. 

The Portuguese government allows dual citizenship, so you can keep your previous passport while obtaining a Portuguese passport. If you were born abroad, verify with your country of origin whether dual citizenship is allowed. If not, you may need to renounce your original passport to receive a Portuguese passport.

However, if your home country allows dual citizenship, you can retain your previous passport and acquire a regular one in Portugal.

Why choose Global Citizen Solutions for your Immigration Visa?

GLOBAL APPROACH BY LOCAL EXPERTS

• GCS has offices located across Portugal.
• Members of the US-Portugal and UK-Portugal Chambers of Commerce in Portugal, and the Investment Migration Council (IMC).
• Our expert team can help you throughout your journey to secure your Visa.

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• Our successful track record in applications provides reassurance to applicants.
• We have helped clients from more than 35 countries secure residency in Portugal.

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• With a single channel of communication, our approach ensures that you have complete clarity on your application.
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