Portugal’s New Citizenship Law: What It Means for Immigrants

Portugal’s new Nationality Law came into force on 19 May 2026, bringing important changes for immigrants and people applying for Portuguese citizenship. The reform made some routes to nationality harder, removed others, and created new possibilities for some applicants.

The changes were introduced through Organic Law No. 1/2026, of 18 May, published in Portugal’s Diário da República. A correction was also published on the same day.

The biggest change: longer residence for naturalization

For people applying for Portuguese citizenship through naturalization, the required period of legal residence is now:

• 7 years for citizens of Portuguese-speaking countries and EU Member States.
• 10 years for citizens of other countries.

The law also introduced additional requirements for naturalization.

Applicants must, among other things, demonstrate sufficient knowledge of Portuguese language and culture, Portuguese history and national symbols, as well as knowledge of fundamental rights and duties and the political organization of Portugal.

They must also make a declaration supporting the fundamental principles of the democratic rule of law and meet the law’s requirements concerning criminal convictions, security restrictions and the ability to support themselves.

Children born in Portugal

The rules also changed for children born in Portugal to foreign parents.

For the nationality route covered by the amended Article 1(1)(f), one parent must have been legally resident in Portugal for at least five years at the time of the child’s birth. Proof of that residence must be provided when the nationality declaration is made.

For certain minors born in Portugal to foreign parents, the new rules also require that:

• One parent has at least five years of legal residence in Portugal.
• The child is enrolled in and regularly attends compulsory education, where applicable.
• Additional requirements apply if the child has reached the age of criminal responsibility.

Some nationality routes were removed

The reform also eliminated several previous routes to Portuguese nationality.

This includes the special regime for descendants of Portuguese Sephardic Jews, as well as certain routes based on ancestry from Portuguese citizens or membership in communities of Portuguese descent.

But great-grandchildren gained a new possibility

At the same time, the new law expanded nationality eligibility to great-grandchildren of Portuguese citizens by origin in the circumstances established by the new law.

It also created a route for stateless people who have legally lived in Portugal for at least four years, subject to the other requirements set out in the law.

Adoption is no longer automatic

Another important change concerns children adopted by Portuguese citizens.

Under the new rules, an adopted person acquires Portuguese nationality through a declaration, rather than nationality being acquired automatically as under the previous wording.

What happened to applications already submitted?

This is particularly important for people who were already in the nationality process.

The law states that administrative procedures that were already pending when the new law entered into force continue to be governed by the previous version of the Nationality Law.

For online applications, the Institute of Registries and Notaries (IRN) had also confirmed before the change that the relevant date would be the date the application was submitted through the online platform.

The rules were not fully settled on day one

Although the new law entered into force on 19 May, some practical details still required additional regulation.

The Government was given 90 days to adapt the Portuguese Nationality Regulations to the new law, and the Ministry of Justice said that some provisions required further procedural and interpretative clarification.

What immigrants and applicants should do

If you are affected by the new law:

1. Check your application date.
If your nationality case was already pending when the law came into force, the previous rules continue to apply to that case.

2. Identify your nationality route.
The rules are different for naturalization, children born in Portugal, descendants, adoption and other categories.

3. Check your residence period.
For new naturalization applications, determine whether the 7-year or 10-year requirement applies to you.

4. Check the latest regulations before applying.
Because some provisions required additional regulations, applicants should verify the current procedure and required documents with the IRN/Ministry of Justice before submitting a new application.

In short: Portugal’s citizenship system changed significantly on 19 May 2026. The biggest change for many immigrants is the new 7- or 10-year legal-residence requirement for naturalization, while some ancestry routes were removed and new routes were introduced for great-grandchildren of Portuguese citizens and certain stateless residents.

Official sources: Portuguese Ministry of Justice, Diário da República, and IRN (Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado).