Portugal's parliament has approved the amendment to the Nationality Law, and the changes directly affect the millions of foreign nationals currently living in the country. The revision tightens the residence requirements that applicants must meet before they can request Portuguese citizenship through naturalisation.

The reform amends the Nationality Law (Law No. 37/81, as amended), and its text entered into force following publication in the official gazette, Diário da República. The approval ended months of political negotiation over how far Portugal should restrict access to nationality after years of record migration and application backlogs.

What changed

The core change concerns the length of legal residence required before a foreign national may apply for naturalisation. Under the previous rules, the general requirement was five years of lawful residence in Portugal. The approved amendment doubles that period to ten years for most applicants.

Spouses of Portuguese citizens previously needed three years of marriage plus effective connection to the national community. The new law raises that period. Family members who obtained residence through family reunification with a Portuguese citizen also face a longer waiting period under the revised framework.

Citizens of Portuguese-speaking countries, who previously benefited from a shorter five-year residence requirement, retain a preferential route compared with the general rule, but the amended law extends their timeline as well.

Who is affected

The changes apply to new citizenship applications submitted after the law took effect. Foreign residents who already held five or more years of legal residence at the date of entry into force, and who had already submitted naturalisation applications, are treated under transitional provisions anchored in the published text. Anyone planning to apply should check the exact transitional clauses and the effective date stated in the Diário da República before acting.

The groups most affected include:

• Non-EU nationals on residence permits, including workers, digital nomads, students and retirees, who now face a longer path to naturalisation.
• Spouses and registered partners of Portuguese citizens.
• Citizens of Portuguese-speaking states such as Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde and Mozambique.
• Family members reunited with Portuguese nationals.

Children born in Portugal to foreign parents are also touched by the revision. Under the previous framework, a child born on Portuguese territory could register as a citizen if one parent had legally resided in the country for at least one year. The approved amendment tightens that parental residence condition, which changes the calculus for families planning births or registrations in Portugal.

Why it matters

Portugal has been one of Europe's most accessible naturalisation regimes for years. The five-year rule, combined with one of the EU's most generous golden visa and D7/digital nomad pathways, made a Portuguese passport — ranked among the world's strongest for visa-free travel — a realistic medium-term goal for many migrants.

Doubling the general residence requirement to ten years moves Portugal closer to the stricter end of European practice and lengthens the timeline for anyone building a long-term immigration plan around eventual citizenship.

What has not changed

The amendment does not abolish naturalisation itself. Foreign nationals who meet the extended residence periods, demonstrate knowledge of the Portuguese language and have no relevant criminal record can still apply through the Institute of Registries and Notary (IRN). Existing residence permits, visa routes and renewal rules are not altered by the nationality reform itself; separate legislation governs those regimes.

Practical steps

Applicants and prospective applicants should:

1. Verify their current period of legal residence against the new thresholds.
2. Check the transitional provisions in the published law if they already filed an application or already hold five or more years of residence.
3. Confirm current requirements and processing guidance on the official IRN portal and the Diário da República before making decisions based on this summary.

This article is general information about a legislative change, not legal advice for individual cases. Rules on deadlines, documentation and transitional treatment depend on each applicant's status, and the official text of the amendment published by the Portuguese state is the authoritative source for every threshold cited above.