On May 3, 2026, Portugal’s President António José Seguro promulgated a revised Nationality Law, marking a significant change in the country’s citizenship framework. This law amends Law No. 37/81, which is the core Nationality Law of Portugal, and will take effect the day after its publication in the Diário da República.
The new law extends the legal residence requirement for naturalization from five years to ten years for most foreign nationals. However, citizens of European Union member states and CPLP countries, which include Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste, will have a shorter requirement of seven years.
Under the revised Article 6, applicants for Portuguese nationality by naturalization must legally reside in Portugal for at least seven years if they are EU citizens or nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries, and ten years for nationals of all other countries. Additionally, applicants must demonstrate knowledge of the Portuguese language, culture, history, and national symbols, understand the rights and duties associated with Portuguese nationality, and formally declare their commitment to the principles of Portugal’s democratic rule of law.
Another significant change is in the residence-counting rule. The previous rule allowed residence time to count from the date a residence permit was requested, but this has been revoked. Now, the residence period will begin from the issuance of a valid residence title, which may extend the practical timeline to citizenship due to delays in processing by Portugal’s migration agency, AIMA.
The new rules will affect various foreign residents seeking Portuguese citizenship through naturalization, including Golden Visa investors, D7 and D8 visa holders, workers, and students transitioning to residence. However, the Golden Visa program itself remains unchanged, and permanent residence after five years is still separate from naturalization.
Importantly, the law includes a transitional clause stating that pending administrative procedures will continue under the previous version of the Nationality Law, which may protect pending nationality applications. However, it does not clearly safeguard all foreign residents with ongoing residence processes.
While President Seguro signed the law, he expressed reservations, emphasizing the need for broader consensus on such important legislation and cautioning against repeated changes that could undermine legal certainty. The revised Nationality Law will officially take effect following its publication, and the government is required to update the Portuguese Nationality Regulation within 90 days.