More than 500 holders of the residence permit for investment (ARI) are preparing to file a lawsuit against the Portuguese State due to changes in the Nationality Law. These investors claim that the government has failed to comply with the contracts they signed, particularly regarding the timeframe for obtaining Portuguese nationality.
Previously, Golden Visa holders could apply for citizenship after five years of residency. However, the new legislation, approved by President António José Seguro, extends this period to seven years for investors from Portuguese-speaking countries or the European Union, and to ten years for those from other countries.
According to the newspaper Expresso, the affected investors have established a WhatsApp group to coordinate their efforts and plan to register as an association. They will be represented by several law firms, although no legal action has yet been initiated as they await final regulations regarding applications that are already in process.
The majority of the individuals involved in this lawsuit are Americans who were drawn to Portugal by investment opportunities that promised a pathway to citizenship. One of the group's mentors stated that they are not