Portugal’s Parliament [Assembleia da República] approved yesterday a sweeping reform of Portugal’s Lei da Nacionalidade [Citizenship Law], marking one of the most significant shifts in the country’s citizenship framework in more than a decade.
As an organic law, the reform now moves to the desk of the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The President may promulgate the law, veto it and return it to Parliament, or request a review by the Constitutional Court, particularly given ongoing concerns about retroactivity and equality raised by constitutional scholars.
The final vote passed with 157 votes in favor and 64 against, following intense national debate and public scrutiny. The law will enter into force only after its publication in the Diário da República. Transitional rules for pending applications are expected to be clarified in the coming days.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro announced the approval live on national television, declaring that “Hoje, Portugal fica mais Portugal” (“Today, Portugal becomes more Portugal”). The Prime Minister stressed that the reform reinforces national cohesion, strengthens integration standards, and addresses long-standing concerns over the balance between openness and responsibility in the naturalization system.
According to official summaries and statements released shortly after the vote, the new nationality law introduces several major changes:
Residency Requirements Increased: Naturalisation now requires 7 years of legal residence for citizens of CPLP countries and 10 years for all other foreign nationals, replacing the previous 5-year rule.
Residence Count Starts From Permit Issuance: Only time accrued after the issuance of the first residence permit will count toward eligibility, ending the former practice of counting earlier presence.
Stricter Criteria for Children Born in Portugal: Children born in Portugal to foreign parents will now acquire nationality only if at least one parent has three years of legal residence and formally requests citizenship.
End of the Sephardic Jewish Descent Route: The long-standing nationality pathway for descendants of Sephardic Jews—created in 2015 as a gesture of historical restitution—will be discontinued for new applicants.\
Integration Requirements: Applicants may be required to demonstrate Portuguese-language proficiency, civic knowledge, and understanding of cultural norms.
While the exact legal text has not yet been published in the Diário da República, the Government has emphasized that the reforms are intended to modernize Portugal’s citizenship framework, align it with broader European trends, and ensure deeper long-term integration.
Implications for the Portuguese Descendants Abroad
The reform carries significant implications for the more than five million Portuguese living abroad and their descendants, particularly in the major diaspora communities. Although the law primarily targets naturalization for foreign residents in Portugal, its effects will be felt across global Portuguese communities.
For children and grandchildren of Portuguese emigrants, the right to nationality by descent (jus sanguinis) remains intact. However, community leaders and legal analysts expect that administrative procedures may tighten once the implementing regulations are released. Families are encouraged to verify registration timelines and documentation requirements, especially for children born abroad who have not yet been registered at a Portuguese consulate.
The abolition of the Sephardic Jewish heritage route will directly impact thousands of families worldwide, including in the Americas, Israel, Turkey, North Africa, and the Caribbean. Organizations that had worked with descendants of the Iberian Sephardic diaspora have expressed concern that the closure removes a historic bridge of recognition and reconciliation.
For long-established emigrant communities, the extended residence requirements may influence future return-migration patterns. Non-Portuguese spouses, partners, or family members planning to naturalize after relocating to Portugal will now face a longer road to citizenship, affecting family reunification, retirement planning, and professional mobility.
Diaspora organizations, including Casas dos Açores, civic associations, and Portuguese cultural federations, are concerned that nationality is not only a legal concept but also a pillar of identity. They call on the Government to ensure that the reform does not weaken historic bonds between Portugal and its global communities.
The law will enter into force only after its publication in the Diário da República. Transitional rules for pending applications are expected to be clarified in the coming days.
PAJ/Staff/This developing story will be updated
