Changes to Portugal’s Nationality Law: Strict New Revisions

LISBON – In a high-stakes parliamentary session on April 1, 2026, the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic approved a controversial revision to the Nationality Law. The decree, passed with a 152-64 supermajority, follows a last-minute deal between the governing Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Chega party, effectively sidelining the Socialist Party’s (PS) attempts to safeguard current residents.

The new legislation represents a sharp pivot in Portugal’s long-standing tradition of openness, introducing stricter thresholds for citizenship while notably excluding transitional protections (grandfathering) for those already in the residency pipeline.

Key Changes: Timelines and Criminal Thresholds

The PSD-Chega agreement has significantly toughened the requirements for becoming a Portuguese national:

Residency Timelines: The law maintains a 7-year residency requirement for EU and CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries) nationals, and 10 years for all other foreign residents.
Criminal Impediment: The threshold for blocking citizenship due to a criminal record has been lowered from five years to three years.
Revocation of Nationality: The Penal Code has been expanded to allow the revocation of nationality for offenses including arms trafficking, drug trafficking, and leadership in criminal associations.

Crucially, the “grandfathering” window proposed by the Socialists, which would have preserved the application-date counting method for current residents, was rejected.

The Impact on Golden Visa Investors

While the Golden Visa program itself remains operational, the lack of transitional protections creates a climate of uncertainty for investors. Experts suggest that the current scenario is “not particularly favorable” for those who relied on Portugal as a stable investment route toward citizenship.

The approved decree signifies a breach of the “legitimate expectations” of many who began their residency journey under more lenient rules. However, it is important to note that Permanent Residency (PR) after five years remains unaffected by this specific nationality debate.

The Last Check: A Potential Presidential Veto?

The decree now moves to the desk of President António José Seguro, who took office in early 2026. As a member of the Socialist Party (which opposed the bill), President Seguro holds the power to:

Promulgate the decree into law.
Veto the legislation, sending it back to Parliament.
Refer the law to the Constitutional Court for preventive review.

Given the President’s public stance on the need for broad national consensus, many industry legal experts expect a delay or a veto. If a veto occurs, Parliament can still override it with an absolute majority (116 of 230 deputies), a threshold that the recent two-thirds majority (152 votes) comfortably exceeds.

What’s Next for Applicants?

For those approaching the five-year residency mark, the next few weeks are critical. A presidential referral to the Constitutional Court could buy valuable time for current applicants. However, the “nationalist wave” currently affecting Western policies suggests that the era of easy naturalization in Portugal may be drawing to a close.