Portugal’s revised nationality law was published in the Diário da República on 18 May 2026 and entered into force on 19 May. The core change: the minimum legal residency period before a non-EU national can apply for Portuguese citizenship by naturalisation has doubled from 5 to 10 years. For nationals of CPLP countries (Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique and others) and EU citizens, the new minimum is 7 years, up from 5.
Who is - and is not - affected
Applications submitted on or before 18 May 2026 are processed under the previous 5-year rule and are not affected by the new legislation. The 10-year (or 7-year) timeline applies to anyone who files a citizenship application from 19 May onwards, or whose first residence permit was issued after that date.
This has the most direct impact on holders of long-stay visas and residence permits - the D7 passive income visa, D8 digital nomad visa and Portugal’s Golden Visa - who may have been planning a citizenship timeline based on the 5-year expectation. Someone who received their first residence permit in 2022 and had not yet applied for citizenship now faces a 2032 target rather than 2027.
What does not change
Tourist entry rules are unaffected. Visitors from countries with Schengen visa-free access - the US, UK, Canada, Australia and more than 50 others - continue under the same conditions. The digital nomad visa (D8) itself is unchanged: the law affects only the eventual citizenship path, not the ability to live and work in Portugal on a valid permit.
Language and civic requirements
The new law retains the requirement for A2-level Portuguese language proficiency. It also introduces a test on Portuguese history, culture and civic principles for applicants who are not nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries.
Timeline calculation
The 10-year period is counted from the date of first residence permit issuance, not from the date a citizenship application is submitted. This means the clock started when the original permit was granted, not when paperwork reaches AIMA.
For those planning long-term stays
The change significantly alters the calculus for anyone considering Portugal residency primarily as a path to EU citizenship. The 5-year timeline was one of the most competitive in Western Europe; at 10 years, Portugal aligns more closely with Germany and Austria. For stays motivated by climate, quality of life or access to the Schengen area, the citizenship timeline is a secondary consideration.
Our Portugal visa guide covers entry rules by nationality and visa category. Our Lisbon guide covers the capital for those evaluating where to base a long-term stay, and our Porto guide covers the northern alternative for those looking outside Lisbon.