Portuguese Citizenship Law Change: What’s Next & What They May Mean

What Has Been Approved?

The law introduces several key changes to the process of naturalization:

Residency requirement to be eligible for citizenship:

• 10 years for most applicants
• 7 years for citizens of CPLP (Portuguese-speaking countries) and EU nationals

Counting from the residence card issuance:

The qualifying period will now start from the date of issuance of the first residence card, rather than from the date of the initial application.

New requirements:

• A2-level Portuguese language proficiency (unchanged)
• A new civic knowledge test (covering Portuguese culture, rights, duties, and history)
• Formal declaration of adherence to democratic principles
• Clean criminal record (threshold reduced from three years to two years)
• Proof of sufficient means of subsistence
• No sanctions from the UN or EU

Termination of the Sephardic Jewish ancestry route

New provision: Loss of nationality possible in cases of conviction for serious crimes (to be detailed in later regulation)

Is It Already in Effect?

Not yet.

Although Parliament has approved the law, the legislative process is not complete.

Next steps:

1. The law will be sent to the President of the Republic, who has up to 20 days to either:
• Promulgate (approve) it,
• Veto it and return it to Parliament with comments, or
• Request a constitutional review from the Constitutional Court.
2. If the President refers the law to the Constitutional Court, which may be likely, the Court has 25 days to issue a decision.

What Does It Mean for Golden Visa Holders?

The Golden Visa (ARI) is a residency program. The Government has not proposed any changes to the residency rights under this program.

This reform affects the path to citizenship, not the right to residency.

• The Golden Visa program remains unchanged.
• Holders continue to enjoy residency rights as before, and the ability to renew, travel, and reunite with family remains unaffected.

However, access to citizenship through the Golden Visa route will now follow the new timeline, depending on when the individual applies for citizenship and the date their first residence card was issued.

What Happens if You Already Applied for Citizenship?

If your citizenship application was submitted before the new law came into force, and is complete, it should continue under the current (5-year) rules.

This position aligns with public government statements and past precedent.

Applications filed after the law comes in force, or those considered incomplete (“tick-the-box” filings), may fall under the new law once it enters into force.

In other words:

• Files already submitted and complete are expected to remain under the 5-year regime.
• New applications, or those submitted after the new law takes effect, will follow the 10-year rule.

However, the lack of a formal grandfather clause has raised constitutional concerns, which may ultimately be reviewed by the Constitutional Court.

If You Have Not Yet Applied for Citizenship

If the law enters into force as approved:

• You will need to complete 10 years of legal residence (counting from the first residence card issuance date).
• You will need to meet the new language, civic, and conduct requirements.
• Proof of “real ties” and integration may likely become a stronger consideration in the process.

This will extend the timeline for citizenship for current and future Golden Visa holders who have not yet reached five years of residence.

Can You Still Get Permanent Residency After 5 Years?

Yes. This remains possible and is now more relevant than ever.

• After five years of legal residence, Golden Visa holders can apply for Permanent Residency (PR) in Portugal.
• The PR card is valid for five years, renewable, and does not require full-time residence in Portugal.
• A2-level Portuguese language proficiency is required, but there are no new investment or physical stay obligations.

This means that after five years, investors can:

• Obtain PR and maintain their residency rights;
• Liquidate their qualifying investment if desired;
• Continue progressing toward citizenship under the new 10-year rule if they wish.

What Should You Expect Next?

The key next milestones are:

• Presidential review (within 20 days)

• Potential Constitutional Court review (within 25 days)

Until then:

• The current law continues to apply to applications already submitted.
• The absence of a transitional or grandfather clause has raised constitutional concerns, and many legal experts expect the President may refer the law to the Constitutional Court before promulgation.

Legal scholars across Portugal have expressed concern about the potential retroactive effects of the law and the lack of protection for applicants already in the process.

We expect further developments in the coming weeks.

Our Take

This reform represents a significant change in Portugal’s naturalization framework, aligning it more closely with European averages, but it also creates uncertainty for thousands of law-abiding residents and investors who made decisions based on the previous law.

At Get Golden Visa, we remain committed to:

• Providing clear, factual updates as the process evolves,
• Guiding our clients through their Permanent Residency and Citizenship strategies,
• Working closely with leading law firms in Portugal to ensure all applications remain compliant and well-timed.

This article reflects the situation as of October 29, 2025, based on:

• Official statements from the Portuguese Parliament,
• Legal summaries and expert analyses, and
• The text of the approved draft law.

We will update this page as soon as the President’s decision and the regulation details are published.

For personalized advice on how these changes may affect your case, we recommend consulting your immigration lawyer or our advisory team.