Portuguese Nationality Law: Changes and Timelines for 2026

What has the Portuguese Government announced?

The Portuguese Parliament approved key amendments to the Portugal Nationality Law on 28 October 2025. These changes propose to increase the minimum period of legal residency required for most foreigners to apply for Portuguese citizenship from five to ten years. However, these changes have hit a major roadblock.

On Monday, 15 December 2025, Portugal’s Constitutional Court ruled that four of the newly approved rules are unconstitutional. This comes after the Socialist Party (PS) challenged the October 2025 amendments on 13 November 2025, arguing that they mistreated applicants and restricted rights in ways that the constitution doesn’t allow. They restricted principles of equality, proportionality, and the protection of legitimate expectations.

For now, this ruling puts those specific updates on hold. While the law is currently undergoing revision, the Government believes that stricter criteria can help manage the demand for immigration and reduce the number of mass applications.

New Portuguese Nationality Law 2025: What we know so far

The Portugal Nationality Law change represents a shift from “open access” to “integration-based” citizenship. Portugal will no longer offer one of the easiest paths to citizenship in the European Union. Instead, the country will require long-term commitment.

Here is a list of the upcoming changes to the Portuguese Nationality Law:

• Extended residency requirements: The most significant Portugal citizenship law change is the proposal to double the residency period. Most foreign nationals must now wait ten years to apply, while EU and CPLP nationals are required to wait seven years.
• Residency requirement to be eligible for Portuguese citizenship: Currently, the requirement remains at five years while the new law is suspended. However, once enacted, the 10-year rule will become the new standard for naturalization.
• Counting from the residence card issuance: One of the most debated Portugal Nationality Law news items is the reversal of the 2024 “AIMA rule.” In early 2024, a law was passed allowing the residency clock to start from the date of the application (to account for massive Government backlogs). The 2025 proposal tries to revert this to the date of card issuance. However, Portugal’s Constitutional Court has signaled that “legitimate expectations” of current residents must be protected.
• New requirements: In addition to the A2-level language test, applicants must pass a new mandatory civic and cultural test to demonstrate an effective connection to the Portuguese community. Also, the special pathway for descendants of Sephardic Jews is officially coming to an end.

Here is a table outlining the differences between the existing Nationality Law and the upcoming changes.

Latest Developments: 15 December 2025

On Monday, 15 December 2025, the Nationality Law Portugal (Law No. 37/81) faced a significant setback when Portugal’s Constitutional Court struck down four key provisions.

These include:

1. Automatic criminal bars: Automatically denying citizenship for any sentence over 2 years was ruled “disproportionate.”
2. Vague rejection clauses: The Court struck down the ability to deny citizenship based on “rejection of the national community,” calling it too vague and subjective.
3. Retroactivity: The Court strictly forbade applying the new rules to applications already in the pipeline.
4. Imprecise fraud rules: The Court rejected the ability to block nationality based on “manifest fraud” because the law failed to define the specific behaviors that would trigger this.

Is the new nationality law already in effect?

No. The Portugal citizenship changes are not currently active. Because the Constitutional Court rejected specific provisions, the entire legislative package has been sent back to Parliament. As of late December 2025, the existing five-year residency rule remains the law of the land.

The next steps

The Portugal Nationality Law amendments will return to the floor for debate once Parliament resumes in early January 2026. Lawmakers must revise the sections declared unconstitutional. This legislative pause provides a narrow window for those nearing their five-year mark to finalize their status under the old rules.

How does it affect Golden Visa holders?

For Portugal Golden Visa holders, the new Nationality Law can create moderate changes. While obtaining a passport takes longer, the path to residency and the ability to live in the EU stays the same at the five-year mark.

To qualify for citizenship, the proposed reform extends the required period of residency from five to ten years (or seven years for EU nationals and citizens of CPLP countries). The “residency clock” for future applicants starts after you receive the actual residence card.

While there is no way to get Portugal citizenship by investment, the Golden Visa allows investors to secure residency by investment.

Previous changes to the Portugal Golden Visa

Previous changes to the Portugal Golden Visa reached a turning point in September 2023. Although the program is not ending, the investment options have changed to focus on economic growth rather than the housing market.

You can read more about this residency by investment program in our article: Is the Portugal Golden Visa Program Suspended?

What is no longer available?

The most notable of the previous changes to the Golden Visa is the total removal of the real estate route.

For example:

• Portugal Golden Visa properties: Both residential and commercial real estate are excluded.
• Low-density options: The Portugal 280k investment option (rehabilitation) is no longer an active path.
• Islands: Investing in Madeira Golden Visa property or real estate in the Azores is also discontinued.

What are the current top options?

As the real estate doors closed, two pathways have become the new standard:

1. Investment funds: The Portugal Golden Visa Investment Fund option is now the most popular choice, requiring a €500,000 investment in non-real estate funds.
2. Cultural production: The Cultural Production Visa Portugal (starting at €250,000) is increasingly popular for those looking for a lower entry point while supporting Portuguese heritage.

Obtaining a Golden Visa through job creation or scientific research is also a popular option. The path to citizenship after maintaining legal residency is strict. To apply, you must have a clean criminal record and hold an A2-level Portuguese certificate. This certificate is received after you pass the Portugal Golden Visa language test.

What happens if you already applied for citizenship?

For those tracking the Portugal Nationality Law update, the debate over a ‘cut-off’ date has been central. Initially, the Government wanted to set a deadline in June 2025, after which the new ten-year waiting period would start.

However, on 15 December 2025, the Constitutional Court stepped in to protect people who had already started their application. They ruled that the Government cannot change the rules for those who are already in the pipeline. Because of this “legal certainty” rule, if you’ve already applied, you are safe. Your path stays at five years.

Can you still get permanent residency after five years?

Yes. It is important to distinguish between permanent residency (PR) and citizenship. Even if the citizenship requirement increases to ten years, you are still eligible to apply for permanent residency after five years of legal residence, provided you meet the A2 language requirement and maintain a clean criminal record. Residency options include the Golden Visa, D7 Visa, and Portugal D2 Visa, amongst others. To obtain citizenship, you need an upper beginner-level proficiency in the Portuguese language.

Important Strategy for Families

The rules for obtaining Portuguese citizenship for children born in Portugal are also tightening. Under the proposed Portugal citizenship requirements changes, a child born in Portugal would only receive citizenship at birth if at least one parent has resided in the country for five years before they were born. Currently, a child gets citizenship if a parent has lived in Portugal for one year.

Families should coordinate their residency applications to ensure everyone hits the “application date” clock simultaneously. Families can also move to Portugal if they have a family member already living in the country, under the Portugal D6 Visa for Family reunification.

What should you expect next?

January 2026 will be a critical month for the country’s Nationality Law. Due to constitutional concerns, the legislative process has been reset to the parliamentary stage. After the Parliament revises the struck-down provisions, the law will be resubmitted for the President’s signature.

In other words, the “open access” era is indeed ending, but it hasn’t ended yet. There is a legislative window open right now. If you have reached your fifth year of residency, immigration experts recommend filing your application for obtaining Portuguese nationality while the five-year rule is still in effect.

AIMA: Operational improvements

To address backlogs, the AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum) will launch a new digital system in January 2026. This is designed to clear the backlog and finally provide transparency on residency timelines, making it easier for applicants to prove their “legal stay” duration.

These changes will help speed up residency timelines in the country, whether applicants are applying for a D7 Visa (Portugal retirement visa), Golden Visa, or Digital Nomad Visa (Portugal D8 Visa).

The HQA Visa Portugal is also an option for highly-qualified individuals seeking to relocate to Portugal.

Goldcrest: How We Can Help You 

Goldcrest is a buyer’s agent that is based in Lisbon. We provide expert, impartial advice on real estate investments and how to buy property in Portugal. From scouting out the perfect property through to property acquisition, we have you covered throughout the process.

If you are looking to purchase property in Portugal, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our team of skilled experts is available to solve all your real estate doubts, helping you with the property search and offering insightful expertise and strategic advice.

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