Who qualifies
- Portuguese from birthA Portuguese parentChildren of Portuguese citizens born abroad are Portuguese by origin once their birth is registered in the Portuguese civil register, or they declare they want to be Portuguese. If you apply as an adult, you must show that your link to your Portuguese parent was legally established while you were under 18. The 2026 law didn’t change this.
- With conditionsA grandparent who was Portuguese by origin and never lost itYou declare that you want to be Portuguese and show real ties to the Portuguese community. Since May 2026 that means meeting most of the naturalization conditions, apart from living in Portugal.
- After 5 years in PortugalA great-grandparent who was Portuguese by originThe government may grant nationality after 5 years of legal residence in Portugal. It’s at its discretion, not a right.
- ClosedThe Sephardic routeThe 2026 law ended the special route for descendants of Sephardic Jews for new applicants.
What grandchildren now need to show
- Knowledge of Portuguese language, culture, history and national symbols. Nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries are presumed to know the language.
- Knowledge of citizens’ rights and duties and how the Portuguese state is organized.
- A formal declaration supporting democratic principles and the rule of law.
- No final conviction with a prison sentence of more than 3 years for certain serious crimes, and no security concerns or EU or UN sanctions.
The detailed regulations explaining how to prove the culture and language knowledge hadn’t been published by September 2026. We’ll update this page when they are.
Applied before May 19, 2026?
Applications already pending when the law took effect are decided under the old rules.
What a Portuguese passport gives you
The right to live, work, study and retire across all 27 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. See what an EU passport lets you do.
Living there
A Portuguese passport lets you live and work in any EU country, and in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
Not eligible? The long way round
If descent doesn’t work for you, you can still become a citizen by living in Portugal and applying to naturalize. It takes longer, but it’s open to anyone who meets the conditions.
- Time living there first
- 10 years’ legal residence, or 7 for EU citizens and nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries, for applications made since May 19, 2026.
- Language and tests
- Knowledge of Portuguese, and of Portuguese culture, history and the constitution.
- Keep your current passport?
- Yes. Portugal allows dual citizenship.
- Main ways to get residence
- The D7 visa for people with a passive income, the D8 digital nomad visa, work visas and study.
Already have, or able to get, a passport from an EU country through another family line? Then you can live and work in Portugal without a visa. See what an EU passport lets you do.
General information, not immigration advice. Residence rules change often, so check the official source before you plan a move. Sources: Organic Law 1/2026, Diário da República.