Portugal Nationality Law Changes: New Requirements for 10 Year Citizenship

Foreigners living in Portugal will have to wait for 10 years to apply for naturalization. The previous 5-year law has been officially abolished.

Recently, on 18 May, the new law was made a part of the government’s Gazette. This means the EU country announced important changes to its nationality rules, affecting people applying through residence, birth, marriage, partnership, adoption, descent, and special cases.

The changes mainly focus on longer residence requirements, stronger integration checks, language and civic knowledge, security conditions, and clearer rules for children born in Portugal.

Main Changes to Portuguese Nationality Rules

Portuguese nationality may be granted or acquired through several routes, including birth, descent, marriage, partnership, adoption, and naturalization. The new rules set clearer conditions for each route and place more emphasis on legal residence, integration into Portuguese society, and respect for public security.

Requirement	Main Rule
Required residence time	10 years of legal residence in Portugal for nationals of countries outside the EU and outside Portuguese-speaking countries
Legal residence proof	Applicant must have a regularized legal stay in Portugal through valid residence titles, visas, or authorizations
Age requirement	Applicant must be an adult under Portuguese law
Portuguese language	Applicant must prove sufficient knowledge of Portuguese through a test or certificate (A2)
Portugal knowledge test	Applicant must show knowledge of Portuguese culture, history, national symbols, basic rights and duties, and the political organization of Portugal
Income/livelihood	Applicant must formally declare respect for democratic principles and the rule of law
Income/livelihood	Applicant must show the ability to support themselves financially
Criminal record	Applicant must not have serious criminal convictions, especially for terrorism, violent crime, organized crime, crimes against State security, or helping illegal immigration
Security check	Applicant must not be considered a threat to national security or defense
Sanctions check	Applicant must not be under restrictive measures approved by the United Nations or European Union
Applicant must not be under restrictive measures approved by the United Nations or the European Union	Applicant may need to provide facial image, fingerprints, and height for identity checks
Criminal record certificates	Certificates may be required from Portugal, country of birth, country of nationality, and countries where the applicant lived after criminal responsibility age

Pending Applications

Applications already pending when the new law comes into force will continue under the previous version of the nationality law. The new law applies from its effective date onward.

Major Citizenship and Naturalization Pathways

The following are the major pathways to Portuguese naturalization and citizenship:

1. Naturalization Through Legal Residence

Foreign residents applying for Portuguese nationality must meet updated residence requirements.

Applicant Category	Required Legal Residence
Citizens of Portuguese-speaking countries	7 years
Citizens of European Union countries	7 years
Citizens of other countries	10 years
Stateless persons	4 years

Applicants must also be adults under Portuguese law and show that they can support themselves.

2. Children Born in Portugal to Foreign Parents

Children born in Portugal to foreign parents may qualify for Portuguese nationality if one parent has legally lived in Portugal for at least five years at the time of the child’s birth.

For minors applying for nationality, the child must also be enrolled in and regularly attending compulsory education, where applicable. If the minor has reached the age of criminal responsibility, additional conduct and security requirements may apply.

3. Nationality Through Marriage

A foreigner married to a Portuguese citizen for more than three years may apply for Portuguese nationality by declaration during the marriage.

A foreigner living in a recognized partnership with a Portuguese citizen for more than three years may also apply, but the partnership must be recognized by a competent court.

Nationality through marriage or partnership may still be blocked where serious security, criminal, or public safety concerns exist.

4. Reduced Opposition in Long Relationships

There is generally no opposition to nationality acquisition when the marriage or partnership has lasted more than six years, or when the couple has children together who are Portuguese nationals. However, serious criminal or security-related concerns can still prevent approval.

5. Nationality Through Adoption

A person adopted by a Portuguese national may acquire Portuguese nationality through a declaration.

6. Nationality Through Portuguese Descent

People with Portuguese ancestry may qualify in certain cases, especially where they can show effective ties to the Portuguese community. Some descendants may benefit from waived residence requirements, but they must still meet other integration and conduct conditions.

Information for Other Requirements

The following are some other requirments information required for the citizenship or naturalization process in Portugal:

a) Language, Culture, and Civic Knowledge

Applicants must prove sufficient knowledge of the Portuguese language, culture, history, and national symbols. They must also understand the basic rights and duties connected to Portuguese nationality and the political organization of the Portuguese State.

Citizens of Portuguese-speaking countries are generally presumed to meet the Portuguese language requirement, unless it is clear that they do not have enough language ability.

b) Declaration of Commitment

Applicants must formally declare that they accept the fundamental principles of democratic rule of law. This requirement is part of the wider focus on integration and respect for Portuguese constitutional values.

c) Criminal Record and Security Requirements

Nationality may be refused where the applicant has serious criminal convictions or is considered a danger to national security or defense.

The law highlights concerns related to terrorism, violent crime, highly organized crime, crimes against State security, and illegal immigration. Applicants must also not be subject to restrictive measures approved by the United Nations or the European Union.

Criminal record certificates may be required from Portugal, the country of birth, the country of nationality, and any countries where the applicant lived after reaching the age of criminal responsibility.

d) Biometric Data Collection

Applicants may be required to provide biometric data to confirm identity and verify the application. This can include a facial image, fingerprints, and height.

If the application is rejected, the biometric data must be deleted after five years, unless there is an appeal or related legal process.

e) Legal Residence Calculation

Periods of legal residence in Portugal may be counted even if they are not continuous, as long as they fall within the allowed time window. The maximum period considered depends on the applicant category, including stateless persons, citizens of Portuguese-speaking countries, EU citizens, and citizens of other countries.

Conclusion

The updated Portuguese nationality rules make the process stricter and more structured. The biggest changes are the longer residence periods, stronger proof of integration, added language and civic knowledge requirements, financial self-sufficiency, and tighter checks related to criminal records and national security.

These changes are especially important for foreign residents, children born in Portugal to foreign parents, spouses or partners of Portuguese citizens, and people applying through descent or special naturalization routes.