Portugal Tightens Naturalisation Rules, Doubles Residency Requirement

Portugal citizenship rules in 2025 reform

Portugal has just raised the bar for becoming a Portuguese citizen. A move that rewrites the terms of naturalisation, the country’s new draft law doubles the required years of residency to qualify for citizenship, including changes to automatic birthright. This is one of the most sweeping overhauls to Portugal’s nationality law in decades, and it’s clear it comes with a political signal. Source

Portugal alert to Brit expats as new citizenship rules could mean 10 year wait

Some people could wait 10 years under these new citizenship rules.

Portugal residency: Wait time for citizenship extended from 5 to 10 years

New immigration rules add cultural tests, crime clauses and longer waiting periods

Portugal To Impose Stricter Rules for Naturalization of Immigrants

Portugal has announced sweeping changes to its immigration laws, significantly extending the waiting period for most foreigners to become citizens. Under the new rules, individuals from Portuguese-speaking countries such as Brazil and Angola will now have to wait seven years before applying for citizenship, while applicants from other countries face a ten-year requirement, which is double the current wait time. The changes were confirmed on Mond…

Portugal tightens naturalisation rules, doubles residency requirement

Portugal's centre-right minority government, under pressure from the far right to reduce immigration, said on Monday it would double to 10 years the amount of time most foreigners need to be legally resident in Portugal before applying for citizenship.