The acquisition of Portuguese nationality is governed by Law No. 37/81, of 3 October (the Nationality Law), which underwent a significant reform through Organic Law No. 1/2026, of 18 May, in force since 19 May 2026. This reform changed the residence periods required for naturalisation, strengthened integration requirements and removed some specific routes to nationality previously provided for. This article falls within the Immigration and Nationality practice area at Araújo & Associados and reflects the regime in force at the date of publication.
The naturalisation route based on residence requires the applicant to have legally resided in Portugal for a minimum period, after which the application may be submitted to the Institute of Registries and Notarial Affairs (IRN). Under the reform in force since May 2026, the general period of legal residence required for most applicants increased from five to ten years. For nationals of member states of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), the period was set at seven years. The reform also strengthened the integration requirements, notably regarding knowledge of the Portuguese language, culture, history and political system, the practical application of which depends, in part, on regulations to be approved by the Government within ninety days of the law’s publication.
The route of acquiring nationality by descent remains in force following the 2026 reform. Children and grandchildren of a Portuguese citizen retain the right to apply for Portuguese nationality, regardless of whether they have resided in Portugal. The reform expressly extended this route to great-grandchildren of an original Portuguese citizen, subject to proof of an effective connection to the national community, the specific assessment criteria for which also depend on regulations yet to be published.
The spouse or civil partner of a Portuguese citizen may apply for Portuguese nationality by declaration, provided the marital relationship or civil partnership has lasted at least three years, without prejudice to the other applicable legal requirements, including a clean criminal record and the absence of a conviction for an offence punishable by a prison sentence of three years or more.
Organic Law No. 1/2026 removed certain specific routes to nationality that had previously featured in the Nationality Law, including the special regime applicable to descendants of Sephardic Jews expelled from Portugal, and the regime granting nationality to children born in Portugal to parents in an irregular situation in the country. Anyone with proceedings under way based on these routes, or who wishes to assess their situation under the previous regime, should seek up-to-date legal advice, as this is a matter of the application of the law over time.
The regime maintains a specific route for stateless persons who have legally resided in Portugal for at least four years and satisfy the other legal requirements applicable to naturalisation.
For applicants who do not yet have legal residence in Portugal, the naturalisation route based on residence presupposes the prior obtaining of a residence permit through one of the available legal routes, such as the D7 visa, described in the article D7 Visa for Retirees, the Golden Visa, described in the article Golden Visa in Portugal, or the D8 visa under the residence route, described in the article D8 Visa for Digital Nomads. The period during which a residence permit obtained through these routes is held generally counts towards the period of legal residence required for naturalisation.
In operation since 1980, with offices in Porto and Lisbon, Araújo & Associados handles nationality proceedings for clients from more than 31 countries, providing legal advice in Portuguese, English, French, German and Spanish.
Under the reform in force since May 2026, the general period is ten years of legal residence for most applicants, and seven years for nationals of CPLP member states. This period applies to the naturalisation route based on residence, and is distinct from the requirements applicable to the descent route.
Whether the new law applies to proceedings already pending depends on rules governing the application of the law over time and on regulations yet to be published by the Government. Anyone with proceedings under way should seek up-to-date legal advice to assess their specific situation.
Yes. The route of granting nationality by descent to children and grandchildren of a Portuguese citizen remained in place following the 2026 reform, with no requirement of prior residence in Portugal.
The 2026 reform expressly extended this route to great-grandchildren of an original Portuguese citizen, subject to proof of an effective connection to the national community. The specific criteria for assessing this connection depend on regulations yet to be published by the Government.
This special regime is no longer part of the Nationality Law following the reform in force since May 2026. Anyone with an interest in this matter, particularly if they have proceedings under way at the date of the change, should seek up-to-date legal advice.
The Nationality Law requires demonstrating sufficient knowledge of the Portuguese language for the purposes of naturalisation based on residence, and the 2026 reform also strengthened the requirement for knowledge of Portuguese culture, history and the political system, the practical application of which depends on regulations yet to be published.
For further information about Portuguese nationality proceedings, or to schedule a legal consultation, you can contact us through our Porto or Lisbon offices, by telephone, e-mail or through the form available on the website. We provide legal advice in Portuguese, English, French, German and Spanish.
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