Portugal Makes It Harder to Get Citizenship: What Migrants and Businesses Need to Know

Portugal’s government has decided to make it much tougher for foreigners to become citizens or bring their families to the country.

These new rules, announced by the government in June 2025, come after a big increase in the number of foreigners living in Portugal. Official figures show that more than one million foreigners lived in Portugal in 2023, which is about one in every ten people in the country.

Now, people who want Portuguese citizenship must live in Portugal for at least ten years if they come from most countries. For people from Portuguese-speaking countries like Brazil, the wait is seven years. Before, the rule was five years for everyone.

The government will only count the time after a person gets their official residence permit, not the time waiting for approval. This change means many people will have to wait longer before they can apply.

Children born in Portugal to foreign parents will not get citizenship automatically anymore. At least one parent must have lived legally in Portugal for three years before the child is born.

Parents must also apply for citizenship for their child, instead of it happening automatically. Anyone who wants to become a citizen must now pass a Portuguese language test and a test about Portuguese society and laws.

If someone has a criminal record for serious crimes, they will not get citizenship. The government can also take citizenship away from people who commit serious crimes within ten years after becoming citizens.

Portugal Tightens Immigration and Citizenship Rules

The rules for getting citizenship through Portuguese ancestors are also stricter. Only people who are great-grandchildren or closer can apply. The government has also closed the special program for people with Sephardic Jewish ancestry.

Bringing family members to Portugal will also be more difficult. Immigrants must live in Portugal for two years before they can bring family members.

Only children can apply from inside Portugal; everyone else must apply from outside the country. Immigrants must show they have enough money and a place to live.

Work visas will only go to people with special skills or qualifications. The government says this is to make sure that new migrants can find good jobs and add value to the economy.

Portugal has also created a new police unit to check that these rules are followed and to control the country’s borders. These changes mean that people and businesses must plan more carefully if they want to move to Portugal or hire workers from abroad.

The government says the new rules are meant to help with integration and security, but they make it much harder for foreigners to become part of Portuguese society.

All information comes from official government statements and published legal documents from June 2025.