Portugal changing its nationality law from 5 to 10 years

Possibly by keeping 10 years only for new residents

Aspect	Current Law	Proposed Change	Status
Minimum legal residence for nationality	5 years	10 years (7 for CPLP citizens)	Under discussion, not approved
Language requirement	A2 level Portuguese	A2 + integration/civic test	Proposed
Automatic citizenship for children born in Portugal	Yes (if parents lived 1 year legally)	May require 2+ years of parental residence	Proposed
Revocation for serious crimes	Rare	Expanded (terrorism, treason)	Proposed

Probability of the Change

• Short-term (next 3 months): Low.
  The proposal is still under committee review, and the government faces strong opposition. Parliament’s session calendar is already packed with budget discussions.
• Medium-term (early 2026): Moderate.
  If the governing coalition gains consensus — possibly by limiting the 10 years to new residents arriving after the law passes — it could be approved in early 2026.
• Long-term: High.
  Both major parties (PS and PSD) agree that the 5-year rule is too lenient compared with other EU countries. Therefore, some form of extension (perhaps to 7 years) is likely in the coming year.

Proposed & Upcoming Changes

The Portuguese government and parliament have discussed several significant reforms to the nationality law in 2025. Although not all are fully approved yet, they are expected to impact foreign residents and immigrants significantly.

1. Extension of Residency Requirement
   The government has proposed increasing the minimum residency period:
   • From 5 to 7 years for citizens of Portuguese-speaking countries.
   • From 5 to 10 years for citizens of other countries.
     The goal is to ensure a stronger and more “genuine link” between applicants and Portugal before citizenship is granted.
2. New Language and Integration Test
   A new integration test is being considered. Applicants would need to demonstrate not only Portuguese language skills but also a basic understanding of Portuguese culture, society, and civic duties. Moreover, authorities may require evidence of real and continuous ties with the country, such as residence, employment, or social connections.
3. Citizenship for Children Born in Portugal
   Automatic citizenship for children born in Portugal to foreign parents may be restricted. Under the proposed rules, parents must have legally resided in Portugal for a minimum period before applying for their child’s nationality. Citizenship would no longer be automatic at birth for everyone born on Portuguese soil.
4. Revocation of Citizenship for Serious Crimes
   Another proposed change allows the government to revoke the citizenship of naturalised individuals who are convicted of serious crimes, such as terrorism, treason, or offences carrying a prison sentence of more than 5 years.
5. Stricter Family Reunification Conditions
   Alongside changes to nationality, the Immigration and Foreigners Law is also being reviewed. The reforms would make family reunification more restrictive, requiring applicants to prove stable residence, sufficient income, and language knowledge before sponsoring family members.