Portugal Parliament Holds Final Vote on Extended Citizenship Timeline

Parliamentary Vote Underway

Portugal's Assembly of the Republic is scheduled to hold its final global vote today, October 28, 2025, on a bill that proposes significant changes to the country's nationality law. The legislation aims to extend the minimum residency period required for new applicants to obtain Portuguese citizenship, a move that has been under discussion for several months. The bill is widely anticipated to pass, following an approval of a substitution text by lawmakers on October 24, 2025.

New Residency Requirements Detailed

Under the proposed amendments, the path to Portuguese citizenship will be differentiated based on an applicant's origin. Citizens from European Union Member States and countries within the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) will face a residency requirement of seven years. For all other foreign nationals, including those from countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, the period will be extended to ten years.

A crucial change in the bill concerns the calculation of the residency period. Previously, a March 2024 amendment allowed the five-year residency period to be counted from the date of the residency application. However, the new bill formalizes that the citizenship timeline will now commence only from the date authorities grant a residence permit. Legal experts suggest that, given typical processing times of two to three years for residence permits, this change could effectively extend the naturalization timeline for most foreigners to between 9 and 13 years.

Rationale and Impact of the Reforms

The Portuguese government has indicated that these reforms are intended to align the country's naturalization practices with broader European Union standards and to ensure a stronger, more effective integration of new citizens into the national community. Officials have also cited the need to manage the high demand for citizenship, partly driven by programs like the Golden Visa. The changes aim to ensure that individuals acquiring Portuguese nationality demonstrate a 'real, effective link to Portugal'.

The bill includes provisions to shield pending citizenship applications from retroactive changes. However, it may not extend the same protection to current residency holders who have not yet initiated their citizenship applications. This has raised concerns among some immigrant communities and investors who began their residency under the previous five-year rule.

Next Steps in the Legislative Process

Following today's final vote in Parliament, if approved, the bill will be sent to the President of Portugal for promulgation. The President has the option to sign the bill into law or refer it to the Constitutional Court for review. The legislation will become legally binding once it is published in the official gazette, the Diário da República. Subsequently, the government will have 90 days to update the Nationality Regulation to reflect the new requirements.