Portugal Citizenship Law 2026: Five Years Versus Ten Years

Portuguese nationality is governed by the Lei da Nacionalidade (Lei n.º 37/81, as consolidated), which is distinct from the immigration law under which the Golden Visa residence permit is granted. Holding an ARI residence permit for the required period is one of the recognised bases for naturalisation, but the citizenship application itself is made to, and decided by, the Portuguese nationality authorities under their own criteria.

Five years to permanent residence, longer to nationality

Golden Visa holders may become eligible for permanent residence after five years, subject to the applicable requirements. Under Portugal's Nationality Law effective from 19 May 2026, Portuguese citizenship generally requires ten years of legal residence for most new non-EU and non-CPLP applicants, or seven years for EU and CPLP nationals. Different rules may apply to nationality applications already pending when the new law entered into force.

Portuguese nationality and immigration rules are subject to change. Individual eligibility should be reviewed by a qualified Portuguese immigration lawyer. This page is awaiting independent legal review.

The qualifying residence period

Naturalisation by residence requires the applicant to have held legal residence in Portugal for the period set out in the Lei da Nacionalidade. For Golden Visa holders this period runs from the grant of the residence permit, not from the date the investment was made or the application submitted. Because the qualifying period is defined in the nationality law itself and has been the subject of legislative change, the current period should always be confirmed against the consolidated text of the law rather than assumed from past reporting.

The A2 language requirement

Applicants for naturalisation are generally required to demonstrate a sufficient level of knowledge of the Portuguese language, commonly evidenced at A2 level under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, through a recognised test or exempting qualification. The accepted means of proof and recognised test providers should be checked against current official guidance.

Criminal record conditions

The Lei da Nacionalidade requires that the applicant has not been convicted of an offence carrying a penalty above a threshold set in the law, and a criminal record check is a standard part of the file. This is assessed both on the basis of Portuguese records and, where relevant, records from other countries where the applicant has resided.

Permanent residency as an alternative

An applicant who has held a residence permit for the relevant period but does not wish to apply for citizenship, or does not yet meet all the naturalisation conditions, may instead apply for permanent residency under Lei 23/2007 as amended. Permanent residency and citizenship are separate statuses with different rights and different application processes; permanent residency does not itself grant a Portuguese passport or full political rights.

Family members

• ·Family members who were granted residence permits as dependants of the main Golden Visa applicant follow their own qualifying residence period for nationality purposes.
• ·Minor children may qualify for nationality under separate provisions of the Lei da Nacionalidade, including rules relating to birth in Portuguese territory in certain circumstances.
• ·Spouses or partners of Portuguese nationals may have access to a distinct naturalisation route based on marriage or a recognised civil partnership, which is separate from the residence-based route described here.

Nationality law has been amended before and may be amended again. The qualifying period, language requirement and other conditions described here should be verified against the current consolidated text of the Lei da Nacionalidade, or with an independent Portuguese lawyer, before any application is prepared.