Portugal has unveiled plans to overhaul its immigration laws, extending the residency requirement for foreign nationals to obtain citizenship from five to ten years.
The announcement was made by António Leitão Amaro, Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, as part of broader reforms aimed at streamlining Portugal’s immigration system.
The minister said the move is designed to reorganise the entry of immigrants in a more orderly and sustainable way.
According to Amaro, the government’s objective is to attract qualified immigrants, emigrants and their descendants and investment immigration.
Key changes
Citizenship wait period doubled
One of the central proposals is to extend the number of years immigrants must legally reside in Portugal before qualifying for citizenship from five to ten years.
In addition, the period between the application and approval of a residence permit may no longer count toward the total residency requirement. This measure could further delay access to citizenship for thousands of foreign nationals.
Stricter family reunification rules
Amaro stated that Portugal would also enforce more demanding conditions for family reunification.
This would particularly affect migrants from non-European Union countries, with additional requirements such as Portuguese language proficiency and proof of economic independence expected to be introduced.
He attributed this move to the insufficiency of public services, which he said currently cannot meet the needs of the large influx of immigrants and their families.
More insights
- These immigration reforms follow the swearing-in of Prime Minister Luís Montenegro’s administration on June 15. Reforming the immigration system was one of his key campaign promises, and the government appears determined to act swiftly.
- The Minister emphasised that the changes will help align immigration flows with national capacity and long-term economic needs.
- The Portuguese government says it intends to attract more highly educated professionals, emigrants returning from abroad, and descendants of Portuguese citizens.
What you should know
In February 2024, Portugal, through the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), launched a digital portal designed to convert work permits into citizenship more efficiently.
- This tool is expected to reduce citizenship application processing times by up to 50%, a crucial improvement considering that around 1.4 million people have applied for Portuguese citizenship in the past six years.
- For foreign workers, the reform allows individuals with valid employment contracts who have contributed to Portugal’s Social Security system for at least one month (before June 4, 2024) to benefit from the simplified residency process. This change supports skilled workers transitioning to legal residency status.
- Investors applying through Portugal’s Golden Visa program are now subject to a more streamlined and digitised process. Under the new system introduced by AIMA, all required documents must be submitted electronically via the ARI Portal, eliminating paperwork and reducing delays. Starting January 2025, biometric appointments will be automatically scheduled, further simplifying the process.
The updated fee structure sets the cost at €6,045.20 for certified documents and €8,060.20 for uncertified submissions.
