Portuguese Nationality Law: What Are the Latest Changes in 2026?

The Latest Changes to the Portuguese Nationality Law: 2026 Updates

Portugal has changed its Nationality Laws many times over the years, and the Portuguese government continues to push forward new reforms.

In 2025, parliament approved several amendments, many of which are now moving into effect in 2026. While some proposals reached the President’s desk for final approval, others were sent back for revisions.

In April 2026, parliament voted on the updated amendments again and approved them with a two-thirds majority.

One of the biggest changes to the Portuguese Nationality Law directly affects how long you, as a foreigner, can live in Portugal before you can apply for citizenship and obtain a Portuguese passport.

New residency requirement in Portugal

In May 2026, Portugal’s president approved plans to increase the citizenship residency requirement from 5 years to 10 years. If you come from a CPLP or an EU country, your wait time is now 7 years.

These new rules make the citizenship process longer and stricter, which took away one of Portugal’s major benefits as: One of the fastest citizenship processes for an EU passport.

The authorities also confirmed that your residency clock only starts when immigration officials issue your first Portuguese residence permit, not when you submit your application.

Additional citizenship requirements in Portugal

So, what do these changes mean for expats applying in 2026? The new amendments to the Portuguese Nationality Law add a couple of extra steps to the citizenship process.

If you are not from a Portuguese-speaking country, you must prove A2-level Portuguese language skills and pass an exam on Portuguese culture, history, and basic rights.

The government also introduced stricter rules on criminal records. If you receive an effective prison sentence of 3 years or more for serious crimes, such as terrorism, organized crime, violent crimes, or crimes against the state, the Portuguese authorities can reject your citizenship application. The Public Prosecutor’s Office will review criminal cases during the process.

The reforms also make it harder for children born in Portugal to receive citizenship automatically. If you come from a CPLP country (i.e., Brazil, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, etc), you must legally live in Portugal for at least 3 years before your child is born. If you come from another country, you must complete four years of legal residency instead.

Your child must also enroll in and regularly attend compulsory school to qualify under the new rules.

Who is affected by the new changes to Portugal's Nationality Law?

1. Non-EU residents who do not qualify for citizenship yet

• You will be affected the most by the new rules.
• You used to expect citizenship eligibility after 5 years of legal residence.
• You will now need to live in Portugal for 10 years before applying.
• You may need to rethink your long-term plans in Portugal.
• You are especially affected if you are: A retiree on a D7 Visa, an investor using the Golden Visa program, an entrepreneur on the D2 Visa, or a remote worker living in Portugal on the D8 (Digital Nomad Visa).

2. EU or CPLP citizens who have yet to apply for citizenship

• You are also affected by the changes, but less severely.
• You previously needed 5 years of residency to apply for citizenship.
• You will now need 7 years of legal residence instead.
• You still have a shorter path than non-EU citizens.
• You will no longer have access to the previous faster-track timeline.

3. Expats who’ve already submitted their citizenship application

• You may still qualify under the old rules.
• You will not automatically be forced to follow the new, longer residency requirements.
• The Constitutional Court ruled that pending applications cannot simply be switched to the new system.
• You should receive transitional protections while your case is being processed.
• You will only face the new rules if you apply after the updated law officially takes effect.

4. Children born in Portugal

• Parents should pay attention to the new citizenship rules for children.
• Your child will only automatically receive Portuguese citizenship at birth if residency conditions are met beforehand.
• If you are from a CPLP country, you must have lived legally in Portugal for at least 3 years before your child is born.
• If you are from another country, you must have lived legally in Portugal for at least 4 years before the birth of your child.

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 approved reform extends the required period of citizenship from 5 to 10 years (or 7 years for 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?

The new rules do not apply to pending cases, as the Constitutional Court clearly stated. The Court ruled that it would be unconstitutional to force people with pending citizenship applications to follow the new, longer residency requirements.

If you applied under the old 5-year rule, this decision protects you. According to the Court, the government cannot suddenly change the rules for existing applicants without proper notice or legal safeguards. For now, the old Nationality Law is still in force for pending cases.

Even after the new law is officially published, the impact on pending applications will depend on the final version approved by Parliament. What is already clear is that authorities cannot automatically impose the new requirements on people who have already submitted their applications.

However, the Court rejected the idea of a blanket transitional period. This means that if you had not yet applied, but would have become eligible under the 5-year rule by the time the amendments take effect, you likely will not be able to rely on the old timeline.

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 10 years, you are still eligible to apply for permanent residency after 5 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 changes to Portugal citizenship requirements, a child born in Portugal would only receive citizenship at birth if at least one parent has resided in the country for 5 years before the child’s birth. 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.

Goldcrest: How We Can Help You 

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Unlike traditional real estate agents in Portugal who represent the seller, we are dedicated exclusively to protecting the buyer’s interests. 

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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