President António José Seguro approved significant changes to Portugal’s citizenship law that affect applicants who applied after 19 May 2026.
Portuguese citizenship is available through naturalization (now 10 years of residency, or 7 for EU/CPLP citizens under the new 2026 law), marriage, and descent. Portugal’s Sephardic Jewish route closed for new applicants in May 2026.
To understand these changes, you need to know the difference between citizenship (your right to a Portuguese passport) and residency (your right to work, study, and live in Portugal).
The 2026 changes to the Portuguese Nationality Law make it harder to get an EU passport, but your right to residency is safe. Find out what actually changed and what didn’t change for those who want to obtain Portuguese citizenship.
Portugal Citizenship: Key Takeaways
Portugal Nationality Law (2026): Latest Updates
On 1 April 2026, the Portuguese Parliament approved the revised Nationality Law. Less than a month later, on 3 May 2026, President António José Seguro promulgated it (Decree No. 48/XVII). The new law is going to come into force the day after it is published in Portugal’s official gazette – Diário da República.
This reform is designed to completely revamp Portugal’s naturalization process for all legal residents, not just Golden Visa holders. It is here to make the citizenship process more challenging, while residency programs such as the Portuguese Golden Visa Program stay the same.
Main changes to Portugal’s citizenship timeline
For new applicants, the 5-year citizenship timeline in Portugal is gone. For non-EU nationals, it’s now 10 years, and for those from EU member states and CPLP countries, it is 7 years. This is a system-wide reform to the Portuguese naturalization law.
Here is a quick look at the latest updates to Portugal’s citizenship law (2026):
- For most foreign nationals, the qualifying residence period went from 5 to 10 years.
- For citizens from EU member states and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (i.e., São Tomé and Príncipe, Cabo Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Brazil, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Timor-Leste, and Angola), the timeline went from 5 to 7 years.
- The new requirements include: a Portuguese citizenship civic knowledge test, an A2 level Portuguese language certificate, and a formal declaration of adherence to democratic principles.
- The Sephardic Jewish descent route to Portuguese citizenship was abolished for new applicants on 4 May 2026.
- Children born in Portugal to foreign parents can qualify for Portuguese citizenship if at least one parent had 5 years of legal residence at the time of birth.
- Great-grandchildren of Portuguese citizens can be eligible to apply for citizenship if they’ve been legally in Portugal in the last 5 years, and can provide evidence of a genuine connection to the Portuguese community.
Does the new law affect permanent residence?
The answer is no. Permanent residency in Portugal is still 5 years – the same as it was before. Portuguese residency locks in your right to work and live here indefinitely.
The Golden Visa, D8 (Digital Nomad Visa), D7 (Passive Income Visa), or any other residence permit is still valid, and you can renew it as before. Travel to the Schengen area is also the same. You can still apply for permanent residence after 5 years of legally maintaining residence.
What changed was the naturalization residence requirement to apply for Portuguese citizenship, from 5 to 10 years for most foreigners, and 7 years for EU citizens and CPLP nationals.
When does the residency clock for citizenship start?
Under the new Portuguese citizenship law, the residency clock starts from the date your first residence card was physically issued.
Before the reform, the time you spent waiting for your residence permit often counted toward the residency requirement you would use for the eventual citizenship. That’s no longer the case. The duration is now 10 years (or 7 years for EU/CPLP nationals).
What that means is, if the AIMA (Agência para a Integração Migrações e Asilo) took 2 years to process you, that waiting time doesn’t count – you are now in the 10-year track (or 7 years depending on your home country).
This reform directly affects most future and current Portugal Golden Visa applicants:
- For applicants who paid the submission fees before the new law is gazetted: The citizenship clock continues to run from the date you paid the submission fee. The AIMA processing delays do not diminish the clock. This is very important because administrative backlogs for the Portugal Golden Visa program often add 12-24 months or more between the fee payment and the time it takes to issue a residence card.
- For applicants who pay the submission fees after the new law is gazetted: The citizenship clock begins on the date you physically receive your first residence card. This is the biggest change for new Golden Visa investors.
Where the law stands, and what to do now?
Parliament first passed the law in October 2025. In December 2025, the Constitutional Court partially struck it down (Acórdão 1133/2025), stating there were several issues, among which were the violations of the principle of equality.
On 1 April 2026, the law was then revised and approved with 152 (voting for) and 64 (voting against). PSD, CDS-PP, Chega, and Iniciativa Liberal voted in favor, while BE, PS, PCP, Livre, and PAN voted against. President António José Seguro promulgated the law on 3 May 2026.
So, is there a deadline to apply under the old 5-year rule? To a certain extent. The practical deadline was 18 May 2026 to submit an application and have it pending before the new law took effect on 19 May 2026.
That means, if your citizenship application is already pending with the IRN (Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado), and if you filed it before the law entered into force, the old-5-year timeline applies to you.
But, if your Golden Visa application is still in process, you can receive Portuguese citizenship after 10 years (or 7 years for citizens of EU and CPLP countries) of legal residence, and by meeting all the eligibility requirements.
Benefits of Portugal Citizenship
Gaining Portuguese citizenship means enjoying a lower cost of living than in most countries, along with easy access to quality public services. For many residents, this adds up to a better quality of life and less financial stress.
Here is a closer look at the benefits of becoming a Portuguese citizen:
Increased global mobility: As a citizen of Portugal, a European Union country, you gain the freedom to travel to any EU or European Economic Area (EEA) country without needing additional visas. Portuguese citizens also have visa-free travel or visa-on-arrival access to over 187 destinations worldwide.
Right to live and work in the EU: Portuguese citizenship also grants you the right to live and work in any EU country, providing access to numerous opportunities within a stable economy.
Access to quality healthcare and education: Becoming a Portuguese citizen means you can take advantage of Portugal’s strong healthcare system and quality education. As a citizen (and even a resident), you’ll have access to free schooling and public healthcare, making life in Portugal more affordable and secure.
High quality of life and affordable living: Portugal offers a high quality of life characterized by its Mediterranean climate, being the 7th safest country according to the Global Peace Index, rich cultural heritage. It also has a relatively lower cost of living than other European Union countries, making it an appealing choice for many, including US and UK citizens.
Employment opportunities: A Portuguese passport allows you to work anywhere in the EU without additional permits.
How to Get Portuguese Citizenship
There are many available pathways to obtain Portuguese citizenship. The majority of foreigners apply for naturalization after legally residing in Portugal for at least 10 years (7 years for EU/CPLP nationals), have a clean criminal record, and demonstrate knowledge of the Portuguese language and culture.
Other pathways to becoming a Portuguese citizen are through a Portuguese parent or grandparent, or being born in Portugal under certain circumstances.
1. Portugal citizenship through marriage
You can apply for Portuguese citizenship if you are married to or in a civil partnership (de facto union) with a Portuguese citizen for at least 3 years. There is no minimum residency requirement for this route. Your application remains valid even if you later divorce or separate.
To apply for Portuguese citizenship, you need documents that would prove your relationship to your partner. That mainly means a marriage certificate (Certidão de Casamento) and ties to the Portuguese community. It is a straightforward way for you to become a Portuguese citizen, even for those who don’t have a qualifying investment or an extended residency.
2. Portugal citizenship by descent
You can acquire Portuguese citizenship by descent if at least one of your parents is Portuguese, or if you have at least one Portuguese grandparent.
To obtain Portuguese citizenship by descent, you must present your parents’ or grandparents’ birth certificates (Certidões de Nascimento) showing their birth in Portugal.
If you were born in Portugal to at least one Portuguese parent, you are often considered a Portuguese citizen by birth through the principle of right of blood (jus sanguinis).
If you were born in Portugal to foreign parents, you may obtain Portuguese citizenship if, at the time of your birth, at least one of your parents was a legal resident of Portugal for a minimum period of 5 years. This provision is a type of citizenship by origin (or conditional jus soli).
Under the new Nationality Law, if you take the Portuguese great-grandparent route, you need at least 5 years of legal residence, to pass an A2 level Portuguese language test (in most cases), and prove your ties to the Portuguese community.
If you are outside Portugal, the connection is limited to Portuguese grandchildren, and that specific route requires a minimum A2 level of Portuguese language.
3. Portugal citizenship for Sephardic Jews
The fast-track Sephardic citizenship program in Portugal has ended. The Jewish Community of Lisbon (Comunidade Israelita de Lisboa, CIL) officially stopped accepting new applications on 4 May 2026.
On 11 May 2026, the IRN explained that if you filed your application before the cut-off date, your application will be processed under the old rules. However, if you filed it after the new law came into force, then the new citizenship rules apply.
Sephardic Jews whose ancestors were expelled from the Iberian Peninsula during the Inquisition previously could claim Portuguese citizenship for Sephardic Jews. You used to be eligible to apply for citizenship if you could trace your ancestry to show Sephardic Jewish heritage with the following documents: Marriage, death, or birth certificates.
Note: This is not the first time we’ve seen similar changes on the Sephardic route. New Sephardic applications were first paused in December 2022 because of a political controversy. Then, it briefly opened under the 2024 amendments (Law No. 1/2024). That temporary window for Portuguese citizenship through the Sephardic pathway is now closed to new applicants.
4. Portugal citizenship by naturalization
You can acquire Portuguese citizenship through naturalization after residing in Portugal for at least 10 years if you are a non-EU citizen. If you are an EU or CPLP citizen, the requirement is 7 years of total residency.
The most common route for most immigrants is living in Portugal for 5 years on a temporary residency permit, converting it into a permanent residency permit, and after another 5 years, applying for citizenship.
For permanent residency and citizenship, you’ll need to demonstrate proficiency in the Portuguese language if you are from a non-Portuguese-speaking country.
The residency requirement is 3 years for those married to or in a de facto union with a Portuguese citizen, as long as you can provide birth certificates for both parties involved.
Popular residency options that lead to citizenship by naturalization include the Portugal D3 Visa for non-EU nationals with specialized qualifications, the Portugal D7 Visa for non-EU citizens with a steady income from pensions, rental income, or investments.
Portugal Citizenship By Investment
While Portugal doesn’t officially offer a citizenship by investment program, the Portugal Golden Visa provides non-EU nationals with an indirect pathway to Portuguese residency and citizenship. This program offers a range of investment options, including:
- Donation in the arts with a minimum investment of €250,000, or €200,000 for low-density projects
- Reconstruction of national cultural heritage with a minimum investment of €250,000, or €200,000 for low-density projects
- Donating to scientific research with a minimum investment of €500,000
One of the biggest advantages of the Golden Visa is the minimum stay requirement. You only need to spend seven days in Portugal in the first year, and 14 days in the subsequent years.
Portugal Golden Visa eligibility criteria
To qualify for the Portuguese Golden Visa, you must be a non-EU, non-Swiss, or non-EEA national, have a clean criminal record, and make a minimum investment in one of the approved options.
Portugal Citizenship Requirements (2026): How to Apply
The new Portuguese citizenship law has changed the naturalization period to 10 years of legal residence for most third-country nationals, while EU and CPLP applicants may qualify after 7 years.
To apply for Portuguese citizenship, follow these steps:
- Fill out the required application form for Portuguese citizenship.
- Provide all the necessary documents and pay the application fees. The required documents are below.
- Submit your completed application and supporting documents to the Portuguese consulate (if applying from abroad) or the Portuguese Civil Registry office (if applying from Portugal). You can also mail your application to the Conservatória dos Registos Centrais in Lisbon.
The IRN (Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado) handles the citizenship application and assesses whether you meet the eligibility criteria for Portuguese citizenship. If your application is rejected, the Civil Registry will notify you with an explanation and a final decision.
After you are granted Portuguese citizenship, you can apply for a Portuguese Citizen Card (Cartão de Cidadão), which works as the main identification document in Portugal and across the European Union.
Eligibility requirements
The Portugal citizenship requirements for 2026 are very different from their pre-reformed version. The table below covers the main citizenship pathways and their eligibility criteria based on the amended Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026.
| Citizenship pathway | Residency required | Language requirement | Additional conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naturalization | 10 years of legal residence for non-EU nationals (or 7 years for EU and CPLP citizens) | A2 level Portuguese (CIPLE exam) | 18 years + (main applicant), no serious criminal convictions, ties to the Portuguese community |
| Marriage | None (you must be married for at least 3 years) | None | Genuine relationship, connection to the Portuguese community |
| Portuguese parent | None | None | Citizenship by origin (automatic right) |
| Portuguese grandparent | None | A2 level Portuguese | Effective ties to the Portuguese community, civil registry evidence of the Portuguese ancestor |
| Portuguese great-grandparent | 5 years of legal residence | A2 level Portuguese | Effective ties to the Portuguese community, civil registry evidence of the Portuguese ancestor |
| Birth in Portugal to foreign parents | None (citizenship depends on whether the parent met the legal residence conditions at the time of birth) | None | Effective ties to the Portuguese community, civil registry evidence of the Portuguese ancestor |
What documents do I need for Portuguese citizenship?
To apply for Portuguese citizenship, check out this checklist for required documents:
- Clean criminal record: Obtain a certificate confirming you don’t have significant criminal convictions. This should be issued by the Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum (AIMA).
- Clean health record: Provide a health certificate indicating that you are in good health and do not have any serious or communicable diseases.
- Proof of Portuguese residency: If applying through the naturalization route, submit evidence of your legal residency in Portugal. This includes documentation such as a residence permit, utility bills, rental agreements, or other official records demonstrating that you have lived in Portugal for the required period, as stated above.
- Fluency in Portuguese: Show proof of Portuguese proficiency, for example, by passing the CIPLE (Certificado Inicial de Português Língua Estrangeira) test or providing equivalent evidence. If you are from Portuguese-speaking countries, you are exempt from this requirement.
Pro tip: You’ll also need to present a completed Portugal citizenship application form, a valid passport (proof of identification), and proof of payment for the application processing fee.
How to obtain a Portuguese passport
Once you have Portuguese citizenship, you can apply for a Portuguese passport. Instead of a paper passport, you have the Portuguese Electronic Passport (PEP), which is often the main travel document.
Here’s the process:
- Visit a local office: Visit a local citizen’s shop (Loja do Cidadão) or the IRN in Portugal. If you apply from abroad, you can go to your local Portuguese consulate.
- Provide documentation: Submit all the necessary documents, i.e., a valid ID (Citizen’s Card or Identity Card), two recent color photographs, and a valid Portuguese passport if you have one.
- Pay the fee: Pay the required application fee.
Your passport application will be processed and, if approved, issued within a few days in Portugal or a few weeks abroad. Portuguese law requires Portuguese citizens and dual citizens to use a Portuguese passport (or a Citizen Card if possible) to enter and exit Portugal.
What is the Portuguese language test?
If you have been legally living in Portugal for five or more years and want to apply for permanent residency and/or citizenship, you must demonstrate that you are proficient in Portuguese and can read, write, and comprehend the language. There are several ways in which this can be done, with the most common being passing an A2-level Portugal Golden Visa Language Test and including the certificate in your citizenship application.
A popular route among expats is the Certificate of Portuguese as a Foreign Language (CIPLE), certified through the Centro de Avaliação e Certificação de Português Língua Estrangeira (CAPLE), a division of Lisbon University’s Faculty of Letters. Another institution through which you can take the Portuguese language test is the Instituto de Avaliação Educativa (IAVE).
The CIPLE attests to a basic general ability to interact in a limited number of predictable everyday situations of communication. It corresponds to level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment of the European Council, and there is a school version aimed at young people aged between 12 and 15 years old as well.
To be clear, you don’t need to pass the CIPLE test specifically, as, according to the Portuguese government website, the mandatory document that proves that you have sufficient knowledge of the Portuguese language can be:
- a certificate of qualification from a Portuguese public, private, or cooperative educational establishment
- a certificate of approval in a Portuguese language test
- a certificate of Portuguese as a foreign language, which is obtained by taking a test at a Portuguese assessment center recognized by the Ministry of Education through the Portuguese as a Foreign Language Assessment Centre (CAPLE)
Exemptions from submitting the test for citizenship
- Individuals applying through a marriage or partnership of at least 3 years to a Portuguese national aren’t explicitly required to prove their knowledge of Portuguese (as they only need to prove a connection to the Portuguese community), but getting the certificate certainly helps. An effective connection to the Portuguese community is automatically recognized if one of the documents included in the application is proof of “having been legally resident in Portugal for at least 3 years and proving that you are studying in Portugal or proving knowledge of the Portuguese language.”
- If you were born in a Portuguese-speaking country and have nationality from that country, you do not need to present documents to prove your knowledge of Portuguese. These include countries such as Brazil, Angola, and Mozambique.
How much does it cost to apply for Portuguese citizenship?
When you apply for Portuguese citizenship, you can pay the following expenses:
| Expense | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Temporary residence permit issuance | €114.30 (in-person fee) or €85.80 (digital fee) |
| Permanent residence permit issuance | €351.10 (in-person fee) or €263.40 (digital fee) |
| Permanent residence permit renewal or amendment | €61.90 (in-person fee) or €46.30 (digital fee) |
| Portuguese citizenship application fee | €250 |
| CIPLE Portuguese language exam (A2) registration fee | €85 |
| Portuguese Citizen Card (standard issuance in Portugal) | €15 (for cards valid for 5 years) or €18 (for cards valid for 10 years) |
| Portuguese Electronic Passport (standard passport issued in Portugal) | €65 |
Source: Portuguese Public Services Portal, CIPLE, AIMA
Keep in mind that other fees apply to Portugal Golden Visa investors. For example, the initial Golden Visa residence permit and the initial family reunification residence permit each cost €8,418.90, while each renewal costs €4,210.30. That being said, the processing fee for a Golden Visa application or renewal, including family reunification applications, is €842.80 when you submit them in-person.
Additional fees can include:
- Criminal record certificate: Between €25 to €50 (varies based on the issuing authority and whether you need to translate it)
- Translation and notarization: About €30 to €100 per document
- Legal fees or immigration consultant: From €500 to €1,500 (varies based on your case and the services provided)
Portugal Citizenship Processing Time
The processing time for Portuguese citizenship applications can vary widely depending on the citizenship route. While the government doesn’t officially specify how long it takes, some citizenship applicants receive their citizenship in 12–24 months, while others have waited 4–5 years or more for it to be processed.
Data suggests that citizenship by descent through parents usually takes about 6–18 months, as they are considered high-priority cases, but citizenship through grandparents can take anywhere from 1.5 to 3+ years. However, the longest wait is for citizenship by naturalization, which can realistically take anywhere from 2 to 4 years.
The table below covers the estimated processing times for Portuguese citizenship applications for different routes.
| Citizenship pathway | Processing time |
|---|---|
| Citizenship by descent (parent) | 6–18 months |
| Citizenship by descent (grandparent route) | 24–48+ months |
| Citizenship by marriage | 18–36+ months |
| Citizenship by naturalization (residence) | 24–48+ months |
Note: The processing times for Portuguese citizenship are a general estimate only and can change at any time due to the AIMA backlog, administrative workload, and case complexity.
Dual Citizenship in Portugal
Portugal allows dual citizenship. If you obtain a Portuguese passport, you do not have to renounce your original nationality to become a Portuguese citizen.
In fact, Portugal permits all its citizens to have multiple citizenships without restrictions, which means you can hold two, three, or more nationalities at the same time. Both the USA and Portugal allow citizens to have dual nationality.
To get dual citizenship in Portugal, you can choose from several pathways (i.e., naturalization, marriage to a Portuguese citizen, and descent). As a dual citizen in Portugal, you can work, live, and vote in your other country of citizenship and in Portugal.
Working With an Immigration Lawyer for Your Portugal Citizenship
Working with a Portuguese immigration lawyer can make the process of getting citizenship much smoother. These professionals know the ins and outs of the rules and can guide you through each step.
A good immigration lawyer will check if you qualify for Portuguese citizenship, recommend the best path for your situation, and help you avoid common pitfalls. They make sure your application is complete and meets all the legal requirements, including proof of residency.
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.
100% APPROVAL RATE
- 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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TRANSPARENCY AND PRIVACY
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