Under pressure from right-wing parties, the center-right minority government of Portugal announced on Monday (June 23) that it will double the required legal residency period for most foreigners applying for citizenship from 5 years to 10 years, tightening immigration policies.
Cabinet Minister Antonio Leitao Amaro stated that in addition to extending the residency requirement, the government will also tighten other immigration rules, such as the issuance process of residency permits for family members of legal immigrants. Furthermore, a new clause will be added to revoke Portuguese nationality for naturalized citizens convicted of serious crimes.
With a population of around 10.5 million, Portugal has seen a significant increase in immigration in recent years. Tightening citizenship requirements was a key issue in last month’s election, with the right-wing party “Chega” rising to become the main opposition party in parliament.
The draft law is yet to be submitted to parliament, but it is expected to pass smoothly with the support of “Chega”.
Cabinet Minister Leitao Amaro told the media, “We are significantly raising the threshold for citizenship and naturalization, which aligns with the government’s existing policy direction.”
He pointed out that the 10-year residency requirement applies to most foreigners, while for immigrants from Portuguese-speaking countries (such as Brazil, Angola, or Mozambique), it is set at 7 years.
According to current regulations, in addition to 5 years of legal residency, foreign applicants must have sufficient knowledge of Portuguese, no criminal records exceeding three years of imprisonment, and not pose a national security threat.
The new regulations will additionally require applicants to have an understanding of Portuguese culture and civic responsibilities, declare support for the basic principles of democratic countries, and have no history of imprisonment.
According to the economic data platform Pordata, in 2023, Portugal naturalized 141,300 people, a 20% decrease from the previous year. The government stated in January this year that there are over 400,000 pending naturalization applications.
The Portuguese Immigration and Asylum Office (AIMA) estimates that by the end of 2024, over 1.5 million foreign citizens have legal residency in the country, with Brazilians being the largest group at over 450,000 legal immigrants.
Amidst the surge in immigration, Portugal abolished the “Golden Visa” program popular among wealthy Chinese individuals in February 2023, along with Ireland, citing escalating property prices that angered many locals, making it difficult to find suitable housing, especially in Lisbon and Porto, the two largest cities.