Portuguese citizenship: the step that completes your journey

Under the law in force since May 2026, citizens of Portuguese-speaking (CPLP) countries need 7 years of legal residence. For other foreign nationals, it's 10 years. Periods can be added together, but within a time limit, and we do that maths with you.

No. As a rule, applications filed before the new law came into force, on 19 May 2026, are still reviewed under the old rules. If that's your situation, we check your case and follow it until the decision.

The new law changed how it's counted, and some points are still being regulated. In general, time with a valid residence permit counts, and waiting time on older applications may not. We rebuild your history and count it under the rule that applies today.

If you've been married to a Portuguese citizen for more than three years, you can apply for citizenship by declaration, during the marriage. The application includes marriage certificates and documents for both of you. We organise everything and check whether the marriage is already registered in Portugal.

It can, if the de facto union with a Portuguese citizen has lasted more than three years. Under the new law, you first need a Portuguese court decision recognising the union. Our lawyer handles that recognition and the citizenship application afterwards.

Applicants need to show knowledge of Portuguese. If you come from a Portuguese-speaking (CPLP) country, the law presumes you know the language, unless it's clear you don't. The new law also requires knowledge of Portugal's culture, history and political organisation, and how to prove it is still being regulated. We'll let you know as soon as the rule is defined.

Grandchildren of Portuguese citizens have their own routes in the law, with specific requirements for ties to Portugal. The new law also opened a route for great-grandchildren who have lived legally in Portugal for at least 5 years. We look at your family tree and documents to tell you which applies.

It depends. Minor children of someone who becomes Portuguese can apply together or afterwards. Children born in Portugal to foreign parents, under the new law, generally need one parent to have lived legally in Portugal for at least 5 years at the date of birth. We look at your family's case.

The 2026 law ended the specific route for parents of Portuguese citizens by origin for new applications. That doesn't mean there's no way: you may qualify through residence time or another basis. We look at your case and show you the possible route.