Portugal tightens citizenship rules, doubles wait time for foreigners

Portugal has tightened its citizenship rules, extending the wait period for most foreigners to ten years from five. The new measures were announced by Presidency Minister Antonio Leitao Amaro after a cabinet meeting on Monday.

Citizens from Brazil, Angola and other nations in the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries will now have to wait seven years, while others must wait ten years. To qualify, applicants will also be required to prove knowledge of the Portuguese language and an understanding of the country's culture.

“These are essential changes for the times in which we live,” Amaro said after the cabinet meeting. The measures will be voted on in parliament in the coming days, he added.

The move comes as Portugal faces a sharp rise in its foreign population. The country now has roughly 1.6 million foreign residents, making up about 15% of its total population, almost three times the number in 2019, according to the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum.

How does Portugal's Golden Visa change?
The changes will also affect Portugal’s popular golden visa program. At present, non-Europeans can apply for citizenship five years after making a qualifying investment of €500,000. Under the new rules, the wait will be extended, making the route to citizenship longer for wealthy investors.

The government will also create a new border police force and revoke citizenship for naturalized immigrants convicted of serious crimes, Amaro said. In addition, Portugal will end a program that granted nationality to descendants of Sephardic Jews of Portuguese origin.

These measures reflect the government's effort to adjust its policies in line with demographic shifts and social needs, Amaro said.