1. What’s Happening With Portugal’s Citizenship Reform 

Over the course of 2025, the Portuguese government and parliament advanced proposals that would reshape how and when foreign residents can qualify for Portuguese citizenship.

The most widely discussed change is the proposal to extend the minimum residence period required for naturalisation. Under the current law, most foreign residents can apply after five years of legal residence. The reform approved by parliament would increase this to ten years for most applicants, and seven years for EU and Portuguese-speaking country nationals, with the qualifying period counted from the date the first residence permit is issued rather than from the application date.

Alongside the longer timeline, the reform places greater emphasis on integration. Applicants already need to demonstrate A2-level Portuguese, but the proposals indicate that citizenship may increasingly involve showing a broader connection to the country, including familiarity with Portuguese society, its institutions, and civic principles. 

However, despite parliamentary approval in October 2025, the new law has not yet entered into force. A preventive review by Portugal’s Constitutional Court in December found several provisions unconstitutional, meaning the legislation must now return to parliament for revision before it can be enacted.

Importantly, the Constitutional Court did not reject the proposal to double the minimum residence period. It did, however, strike down several other elements of the reform, including an automatic bar on nationality following certain prison sentences, the use of loosely defined “fraud” grounds to block applications, the retroactive application of new rules to pending cases, and provisions allowing nationality to be withdrawn for vaguely defined conduct seen as contrary to the national community. 

Ultimately, following the constitutional review, it is now highly likely that the minimum residence period for citizenship will be doubled from five to ten years once the revised law returns to parliament. For now, however, the existing five-year rule continues to apply.

2. Timeline of the Reform (2025–2026)

June 2025 – The Portuguese government first presented its proposal to reform the nationality framework. The draft included extending the residence requirement for citizenship, adjustments to integration expectations, and changes affecting several routes to nationality.

Summer 2025 – Over the following months, the proposal was debated as it moved through parliamentary discussion and committee review, with political parties and legal specialists examining it in detail. 

October 2025 – Parliament approved the core elements of the reform package. At this stage, the proposal to extend the residence requirement for citizenship formed a central part of the approved text.

November 2025 – Before the law could be enacted, the Socialist Party (PS) requested a preventive constitutional review. 

December 2025 – The Constitutional Court delivered its ruling. While it upheld the proposed extension of the residence period, it found several other provisions unconstitutional (as identified above) and required parliament to amend them before the law can take effect.

2026 (next steps) – The revised legislation is now expected to return to parliament for correction and final approval. Only once it has been amended, promulgated and published will any new nationality rules come into force.

3. Grandfathering, Retroactivity & Legal Uncertainty

One of the biggest concerns for current residents is whether the new rules will apply to people who are already living in Portugal or already planning their citizenship applications.

The Constitutional Court has already ruled on one important point: the reform cannot automatically apply new requirements to applications that are already pending. In other words, people who have already submitted citizenship applications cannot simply be moved onto a longer timeline.

However, this does not fully answer the wider question of transitional rules. It is still not clear whether residents who have not yet applied – but who are already legally living in Portugal – will be assessed under the current five-year framework or under the new rules once they come into force.

Until the revised law is published, this remains an area of uncertainty.

4. Why Permanent Residence is Now the Key Milestone

For many years, the typical plan for foreign residents in Portugal was straightforward: maintain legal residence for five years, apply for citizenship, and move on to the next stage of life with a Portuguese passport.

With the proposed reform, that timeline is likely to change. If the residence requirement is extended to ten years, citizenship becomes a much longer-term objective rather than a milestone reached soon after settling in the country.

This shifts the practical focus toward permanent residence. After five years of legal residence, foreign nationals can already apply for permanent resident status, which provides long-term stability without the need for repeated temporary renewals.

In day-to-day life, permanent residence offers most of what people need to live in Portugal securely. The key difference is that permanent residence is about legal stability rather than nationality. It does not grant a Portuguese passport, voting rights in national elections, or automatic EU mobility. But for most residents, it provides the certainty needed to plan their future in Portugal while keeping the option of citizenship open later on.

As the citizenship timeline becomes longer and less predictable, permanent residence is no longer just a step on the way to nationality. For many people, it is now the most important milestone in its own right. 

5. What This Means for Current and Future Residents 

For people already living in Portugal, the key point is that the current law still applies for now. Anyone who already qualifies to apply for citizenship under the five-year rule may wish to consider doing so while the existing framework remains in force.

For residents who have not yet reached the five-year mark, the position is less certain. If the reform is enacted as expected, the route to citizenship could become significantly longer, and the question of grandfathering in remains unresolved. In practical terms, this means permanent residence at the five-year point is likely to become more important than it has been in the past.

For those planning a move to Portugal, the reform reinforces the importance of thinking beyond the initial visa stage, focusing on building a secure residence path from the outset and recognising that citizenship may now sit further down the line.

6. What to Take From All This 

The proposed reforms have created understandable uncertainty, particularly for residents who have not yet reached the five-year mark and are unsure whether they will be grandfathered in. What has not changed, however, is that eligibility for permanent residence still arises after five years of legal residence, and this is now the most important milestone for most people planning to stay in Portugal long term.

While the new nationality rules have not yet come into force, the Constitutional Court’s review – which for many was seen as the last opportunity for major changes – is unlikely to alter the central proposal to double the residence period. That element of the reform was not struck down, and it remains highly likely that the citizenship timeline will increase to ten years once the revised law is passed.

After five years of legal residence, foreign nationals can still apply for permanent status, and this continues to provide the stability most people need in order to live and work in Portugal securely. 

For those whose main goal is to build a stable life in Portugal, this is the key takeaway: citizenship may take longer to reach, but permanent residence still offers a clear and reliable path to settling in the country and establishing a long-term base in Europe.

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*This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, tax advice, or political commentary.*