Portugal's 10-Year Citizenship Rule Enters Force from 19 May

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.