Portugal Extends Citizenship Residency Requirements & Golden Visa Updates

Portuguese Nationality Law Amendments

Portugal has recently approved a significant change to its nationality laws, extending the required period of residency for most foreign applicants wishing to become Portuguese citizens.

The change means that most foreign nationals will need to reside in Portugal for at least 10 years instead of the previous 5 years. Additionally, applicants will also have to pass a civic, cultural and historical knowledge test, speak Portuguese at A2 Level or higher and take a formal declaration of adherence to Portuguese democratic principles.

For EU and CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries) citizens, the requirement will not be 7 years.

The change represents the first major change to Portuguese nationality law for several decades and will affect most, if not all, foreign nationals on citizenship by naturalisation routes, such as the Golden visa, D7 and D8 visas, and other workers and students.

An additional change to the nationality law also includes an amendment to how residency is calculated. Residency will now be calculated from the date that residency status is officially granted, and not when the application is submitted, as previously.

The change was signed off by Portuguese president António José Seguro on 3 May 2026. The new laws will only come into effect when they are officially published in the Diário da República.

Portuguese Golden Visa: 2026 Updates

Portugal’s Golden Visa remains one of the most attractive and lucrative citizenship by investment options in Europe.

However, it will now be affected by the changes in nationality law, with visa holders now needing to wait for either 7 or 10 years before they will be able to claim Portuguese citizenship.

However, Golden Visa holders will still be able to claim Portuguese permanent residency status after 5 years, as the current pathway to residency and, by extension, the right to work and live in the EU remains unchanged.

Real estate is still no longer a qualifying route to the Golden Visa, with the only available options being investment funds, scientific research, cultural investment, or job creation. Golden Visa holders are still also only required to physically spend time in Portugal for 7 days a year.

Visa Processing Updates

As well as updates to Portuguese nationality law, AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo) are speeding up visa processing and renewals in ongoing efforts to digitise immigration processes and remove unnecessary administrative roadblocks.

Although applicants are still required to attend in-person meetings in order to provide their biometric information, most can now benefit from a new online portal that streamlines visa application processes and makes it easier to secure appointments and submit supporting documents.

Greater predictability and stability in the process is said to be making the visa application process easier for applicants and their families, who can benefit from greater certainty in scheduling future plans around the more stable system.

How Can IAS Help With Your Portuguese Visa Application?

IAS have a team of immigration advisers and caseworkers experienced in the field of Portuguese immigration law.

Regardless of where you’re coming from or what your chosen immigration pathway is, we can help you with almost all Portuguese immigration and visa cases, using our years of experience and compassionate customer service to help get you to where you need to go.

These include work visas, student visas, Golden visas, temporary resident permits or EU Blue Cards.

We also offer fast-track and urgent application packages if you need to submit your application to a deadline.

Don’t hesitate to reach out for help on your situation today. Call us on +44 (0)333 414 9244 or reach out to us online.