Published: 20.05.2026
According to the sources, amendments to Portugal’s nationality law increased the required period of legal residence for most applicants from five to ten years. A seven-year period applies to citizens of CPLP countries and the EU; the sources report that the changes took effect in May 2026.
The change directly postpones the point at which most new and existing residents can apply for citizenship, compared with the former five-year route. For someone planning a move, this means a longer path to a Portuguese passport, although the sources do not say that residence rights or residence permits have been abolished. The measure primarily affects non-residents choosing Portugal as a route to citizenship, including Russians mentioned in the reports. It is worth close attention for anyone whose relocation plan depends on naturalisation; for people moving mainly for work, study or residence, separate residence-permit rules remain more immediately relevant.