How Portugal’s new Nationality Law could affect foreign residents

Portugal has approved a major reform of its Nationality Law, creating a tougher and less predictable path to Portuguese citizenship for many foreign residents, families and descendants.

Below is a clear breakdown of the main ways the new Nationality Law could affect people already in Portugal or planning to move.

Longer waiting times for Portuguese citizenship applications

One of the most significant changes is the extension of the minimum legal residence period before you can apply for Portuguese nationality through naturalisation.

Under the new rules:

• Citizens of Portuguese‑speaking countries and EU nationals now generally need 7 years of legal residence in Portugal to apply for citizenship (up from 5 years).
• Citizens of all other countries now need 10 years of legal residence before becoming eligible.
• Great‑grandchildren of Portuguese citizens face an additional requirement of 5 years of legal residence for their specific route.

Legal residence status becomes more crucial than ever

The reform also changes how residence time is counted, which can significantly affect eligibility for Portuguese nationality.

Previously, the clock could start from the moment you requested residence. Under the new rules, the residence period only counts from the date legal residence is actually granted by Portuguese authorities.

Legal residence means holding a valid permit, visa or authorisation recognised under Portugal’s immigration or asylum regime.

All periods of legal residence in Portugal can still be added together, even if not continuous, but only within a maximum window of 6, 9 or 12 years, depending on your status. This replaces the former general 15‑year limit.

For many, maintaining continuous, regularised status becomes a key part of long‑term nationality planning.

New language and culture test could be a barrier

The new Nationality Law introduces a broader mandatory test for several routes to Portuguese citizenship, moving well beyond a basic language check. The test is designed to assess whether applicants have integrated into Portuguese society. It includes:

• Portuguese language
• Portuguese culture, history and national symbols
• Fundamental rights and duties
• Political organisation of the Portuguese State
• Adherence to the principles of a democratic state governed by the rule of law

The new test may be particularly demanding for:

• Long‑term residents who have lived in international bubbles with limited Portuguese language use.
• Nationals of Portuguese‑speaking countries who previously benefited from a presumption of language knowledge. Under the new regime:
  • They are not exempt from proving knowledge of Portuguese culture, history, symbols, rights and duties, and the political system.

For many foreign residents, formal language learning and civic knowledge will now be essential steps on the road to nationality rather than optional extras.

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Stricter criminal record checks may block more applications

Criminal records and security concerns play a much larger role in the revised framework. The same broad criteria now appear across most nationality routes.

Applicants may be excluded from acquiring or keeping Portuguese nationality if they:

• Have been sentenced to an effective prison term of more than three years for certain offences, including:
  • Terrorism
  • Violent or especially violent crime
  • Highly organised crime
  • Crimes against state security
  • Aiding illegal immigration (when punishable under Portuguese law)
• Are considered a danger or threat to national security or defence, especially through involvement in terrorism, violent or especially violent crime or highly organised crime.
• Are subject to restrictive measures adopted by the United Nations or the European Union.

Children born in Portugal face tighter rules

Families with children born in Portugal will see notable changes in how nationality can be passed on.

Under the revised regime, a child born in Portugal to foreign parents can obtain Portuguese nationality if the parents have been legally resident together in Portugal for at least five years at the time of birth.

This alters the position of:

• Families who recently arrived and had children expecting a shorter residence requirement.
• Parents who were in an irregular situation when their child was born in Portugal.

Naturalisation rules for minors already in Portugal

For minors seeking nationality:

• The parent must have five years of legal residence in Portugal. Shorter periods or irregular status no longer help.
• The child must be enrolled in and attending compulsory education in Portugal.

For international families raising children in Portugal, school attendance and the parent’s legal status now play an even more visible role in the nationality process.

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Descendants of Portuguese Citizens Lose Some Automatic Routes

Portugal’s reform reshapes nationality for descendants of Portuguese citizens, especially beyond the grandchild generation.

Grandchildren of Portuguese citizens

Grandchildren continue to have access to Portuguese nationality, but under stricter conditions. They:

• Must pass the mandatory test covering language, culture, history, national symbols, rights and duties, political system and democratic values.
• Face the same serious‑crime and security grounds for exclusion as other applicants.

This raises the bar for grandchildren who may have had a looser connection with Portugal in day‑to‑day life.

Great‑grandchildren of Portuguese citizens

For great‑grandchildren, the path narrows further:

• They must have five years of legal residence in Portugal.
• They are also subject to the new mandatory test and the same criminal record and security rules.
• Importantly, direct citizenship is now limited to great‑grandchildren. Great‑great‑grandchildren and later generations no longer have direct access through this descent route.

For many members of the Portuguese diaspora, especially younger generations, this means reassessing expectations around automatic or semi‑automatic rights to nationality.

Spouses and partners face closer scrutiny of real ties to Portugal

Nationality through marriage or a recognised união de facto (stable civil partnership) remains available, but the reform substantially tightens the conditions

For spouses and partners of Portuguese citizens, the authorities can now oppose or even remove nationality if there are no effective ties to Portugal, assessed by reference to the naturalisation criteria.

In practical terms, that means looking at whether the applicant:

• Has knowledge of the Portuguese language
• Understands Portuguese culture, history and national symbols
• Knows fundamental rights and duties
• Understands the political organisation of the Portuguese State
• Adheres to the fundamental principles of a democratic state governed by the rule of law
• Has the ability to support themselves
• Has not been convicted of the specific crime of insulting national symbols

The same serious‑crime and security rules as in naturalisation also apply to these cases. 

There are some important safeguards:

• Authorities cannot oppose nationality on the “effective ties” ground if:
  • The marriage or stable union has lasted more than six years, or
  • The couple have children with Portuguese nationality.

For binational couples, this means that integration in Portugal – not just the legal existence of the relationship – will weigh more heavily than before.

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Adoption no longer guarantees automatic citizenship

Adopted children of Portuguese nationals are also affected by the reform, which makes this pathway more restrictive. Previously, adoption granted nationality by effect of law. Under the new framework:

• Nationality by adoption is now an acquisition by effect of will, meaning it depends on a formal declaration.
• This route moves into the same section of the law as other choice‑based acquisitions of nationality.

From age 16, adopted children are assessed under the same serious crime and security criteria as adult naturalisation candidates.

Several routes to Portuguese nationality disappear entirely

Some existing pathways to Portuguese nationality are abolished altogether, which has a direct impact on specific communities and family histories.

The reform ends the following routes:

• Children born in Portugal to parents in an irregular (illegal) immigration situation.
• Descendants of Sephardic Jews under the special regime introduced in 2015.
• Ascendants of Portuguese citizens by origin.
• Certain people who, while not stateless, previously held Portuguese nationality, including some born in former Portuguese colonies.
• People considered descendants of Portuguese citizens by origin under parts of the previous naturalisation framework.
• Members of recognised communities of Portuguese descent (also covered under the older naturalisation rules).

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More uncertainty – and a need to rethink long‑term plans

Alongside the concrete rules, the reform introduces a high degree of uncertainty around how the law will work in practice.

Key points still to be clarified include:

• The Government is required to revise the Portuguese Nationality Regulations within 90 days of the law’s publication.
• These regulations will need to iron out:
  • Technical inconsistencies
  • Interpretative gaps
  • The detailed operation of the new test and the opposition mechanisms

How registry offices, prosecutors and courts interpret concepts such as “effective ties”, “integration” and “adherence to democratic principles” will strongly influence real‑world outcomes.

What this means for foreign residents and families

Taken together, the changes mean that:

• Nationality planning becomes a long‑term project rather than a short administrative step at the five‑year mark.
• Permanent residence after five years of legal stay is likely to become a key intermediate milestone for many, while they work towards longer citizenship timelines.
• Language and cultural integration are no longer optional for most routes; they sit at the heart of eligibility.
• Criminal‑record issues and security assessments carry greater weight and are assessed more systematically.

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