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Economic Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
A haven for many Americans and asylum seekers, Portugal now tightens citizenship rules for foreigners
Longer Residency Rule Separate Path for Lusophone Citizens Culture and Security Tests Live Events Family Reunion Limits Possible Loss of Citizenship Political Context Implementation Timeline FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Portugal has changed its citizenship law. The government says the country needs stronger links with new citizens. The cabinet approved a decree that raises the residency threshold for naturalisation. The plan also adjusts family reunion rules and adds tests of culture and democratic applicants had to live in Portugal for five years. They will now have to live in Portugal for a decade. The change applies to people from all countries except those that share Portuguese as an official language. The cabinet says extra years will show a clear link with the national community. Officials note that naturalisation numbers fell in 2023 even before the from Brazil, Angola, Mozambique and other Portuguese-speaking states will face a seven-year wait. The cabinet kept a shorter path to respect historical ties. Lawmakers say the rule keeps faith with language bonds while still asking for a significant period inside the country. Lusophone communities form the largest foreign group, so the rule will affect many future applicants must pass language checks as before. They must also show knowledge of Portuguese history and culture. The decree blocks applicants who served any prison sentence. It also asks a signed pledge to respect democratic rules. The interior ministry will run checks with police and security agencies. Authorities can cancel naturalisation later if a naturalised citizen commits a serious law lets a resident bring partners and adult relatives soon after arrival. The decree sets a two-year wait for sponsors. Relatives must be minors. The measure aims to control growth of extended families. Officials say the policy follows similar steps in other European Union countries. Migrant groups plan to study the final text before decree allows courts to withdraw citizenship from people naturalised under the new law if they later receive heavy criminal sentences. The measure will not apply to citizens by birth. The government argues that withdrawal protects public trust in the passport. Civil rights lawyers say courts must act with caution to avoid anti-immigration Chega party won many seats in the March election. Chega asked for longer residency rules during the campaign. The minority centre-right cabinet needs support in parliament, and Chega has signalled approval of the decree. The government says the proposal appears in its programme, not only in opposition demands. Debate will continue when the draft reaches lawmakers for has 10.5 million residents. At least 1.5 million are foreign residents. Brazilians number more than 450,000. The migration agency reports 141,300 naturalisations in 2023, a fall from 2022. More than 400,000 naturalisation files wait for review. Officials predict the new rules will slow future demand and let staff clear the cabinet plans to publish the decree in the official journal in July. The rules will take effect thirty days later. Applicants who already completed five years of residence must file before the change begins if they want the shorter wait. Lawyers expect a surge in last-minute filings. The migration agency is preparing extra staff and online slots. Officials say public information campaigns will run in several languages to explain deadlines and new seek stronger social ties. They argue longer residence shows commitment, supports language learning, reduces influx, and meets voter concern over rapid migration growth and integration pressure, also strengthening Courts may cancel the nationality of naturalised people convicted of serious crimes. Measure protects passport trust, applies after new law, and does not affect those who gained nationality by birth.
Euronews
5 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Portugal tightens citizenship rules and doubles residency requirement
Portugal has announced a tightening of its immigration and naturalisation laws, including doubling the minimum period of legal residency required for most foreigners to apply for citizenship to 10 years. Individuals from Portuguese-speaking countries such as Brazil and Angola will face a wait of seven years to obtain citizenship, while those from other nations must wait 10 years. Cabinet Minister António Leitão Amaro justified the measure on Monday by citing the "requirement of an effective connection, of belonging to the national community". "We are significantly strengthening the requirements for access to citizenship, naturalisation, in line with the guidelines we were already included in the government's programme," he said. Under current rules, foreigners in Portugal must show adequate knowledge of the Portuguese language, have no previous convictions of more than three years in jail, and must not be considered a threat to national security. The new regulations mean such individuals must also demonstrate familiarity with Portugal's culture, have not served any effective prison sentence, and declare their backing for the country's democratic principles. Other immigration regulations, like those governing the issuance of residence permits for relatives of legal immigrants, would also be tightened, and there will be a provision allowing naturalised Portuguese who commit serious crimes to be stripped of their citizenship, according to Amaro. Regarding family reunification, immigrants will have to be legal resident in Portugal for two years to bring relatives into the country, and the family members must be minors. Portugal has been caught up in the rising European tide of populism, and the anti-immigration Chega party won the second-most seats in elections last month — making it the head of the parliamentary opposition to the new centre-right minority government. Chega had pushed for tougher immigration measures and made citizenship reform a key pillar of its election campaign, and is expected to back the planned decree. Portugal's population of about 10.5 million includes at least 1.5 million legal foreign residents, according to its migration and asylum agency (AIMA). Brazilians are the largest group, with more than 450,000 residents. Economic data aggregator Pordata statistics show that 141,300 people were naturalised in 2023 — a 20% decrease from 2022. The government said in January more than 400,000 applications were pending.
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Business Standard
5 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Portugal joins European countries in tightening citizenship pathways
Portugal will double the minimum period of legal residency required for most foreigners to apply for citizenship, the government said on Monday, in a move expected to affect hundreds of thousands of applicants. Cabinet minister Antonio Leitao Amaro said the new requirement would extend the current five-year rule to 10 years for most applicants, with a shorter seven-year threshold for those from Portuguese-speaking countries such as Brazil, Angola and Mozambique. The stricter timeline is part of a wider set of changes to Portugal's immigration and naturalisation laws, which also include new criteria related to integration and public safety. New rules on family reunification and crime Leitao Amaro said the government would also revise rules around family reunification for legal immigrants and introduce provisions to strip naturalised Portuguese citizens of their citizenship if they commit serious crimes. 'We are significantly strengthening the requirements for access to citizenship, naturalisation, in line with the guidelines already included in the government's programme,' said Leitao Amaro during a press briefing. To qualify under the new law, applicants must: • Have resided legally in Portugal for 10 years (or 7 years if from a Portuguese-speaking country) • Show knowledge of Portuguese culture, rights and duties of citizens • Declare support for the fundamental principles of a democratic state • Have no criminal convictions that resulted in an effective prison sentence • Demonstrate knowledge of the Portuguese language Under the current system, naturalisation applicants must reside in Portugal for five years, demonstrate language proficiency, have no sentence of more than three years in prison, and not be considered a threat to national security. Push from far right influences citizenship debate The planned decree is expected to pass with support from the far-right Chega party, now the main opposition bloc following the March 2025 election. The party has pushed for tougher immigration measures and made citizenship reform a key demand. Portugal's population of around 10.5 million includes over 1.5 million legal foreign residents, according to AIMA, the migration and asylum agency. Brazilians form the largest group, with over 450,000 residents. Economic data aggregator Pordata figures show that 141,300 people were naturalised in 2023—a 20% drop from the previous year. In January, the government said more than 400,000 applications were pending. Tighter rules across Europe Portugal is not alone in tightening citizenship and residency rules. Germany ended its fast-track citizenship route in May 2025. All applicants must now reside in the country for five years, unless they are married to a German citizen, in which case they can apply after three years of residence and a two-year marriage. Finland increased its general residency requirement from five to eight years in October 2024, and introduced stricter conditions for time spent outside the country during this period. Italy narrowed its citizenship-by-descent rules in April 2025. Applicants must now have a parent or grandparent born in Italy to qualify, ending eligibility through more distant ancestry. United Kingdom introduced new guidance that makes it 'extremely unlikely' for individuals who entered illegally—such as via small boats—to be granted British citizenship, even after 10 years of residence.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Portugal tightens naturalisation rules, doubles residency requirement
By Sergio Goncalves LISBON (Reuters) -Portugal's centre-right minority government, under pressure from the far right to reduce immigration, said on Monday it would double to 10 years the amount of time most foreigners need to be legally resident in Portugal before applying for citizenship. Cabinet Minister Antonio Leitao Amaro said other immigration rules, such as those governing the issuance of residence permits for families of legal immigrants, would also be tightened, and there would be a provision stripping naturalised Portuguese who commit serious crimes of their citizenship. The Iberian country of around 10.5 million people has experienced a significant increase in immigration in recent years and the tightening of requirements to obtain Portuguese citizenship was a central theme in last month's election, in which the far-right Chega became the main opposition party. The decree is yet to be sent to parliament, but it is expected to be approved with Chega's support. "We are significantly strengthening the requirements for access to citizenship, naturalisation, in line with the guidelines we were already included in the government's program," Leitao Amaro told reporters. He said that the 10-year period will apply to most foreigners, but immigrants from Portuguese-speaking countries such as Brazil, Angola or Mozambique will have a 7-year period. Under existing rules, aside from the five years of residency, foreign citizens must demonstrate sufficient knowledge of Portuguese, no previous sentences of more than three years in prison and must not constitute a threat to national security. Portugal will now require that they also show familiarity with Portuguese culture, the rights and duties of citizens, declare support for the fundamental principles of a democratic state, and have not served any effective prison sentence. According to economic data aggregator Pordata, in 2023, the last year for which final data is available, 141,300 foreigners were naturalized, 20% less than in 2022. The government said in January that more than 400,000 applications were being processed. The migration and asylum agency AIMA estimates that more than 1.5 million foreign citizens were legally residing in Portugal as of the end of 2024. Brazilians are the largest group, with over 450,000 legal immigrants.
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Portugal tightens naturalisation rules, doubles residency requirement
LISBON - Portugal's centre-right minority government, under pressure from the far right to reduce immigration, said on Monday it would double to 10 years the amount of time most foreigners need to be legally resident in Portugal before applying for citizenship. Cabinet Minister Antonio Leitao Amaro said other immigration rules, such as those governing the issuance of residence permits for families of legal immigrants, would also be tightened, and there would be a provision stripping naturalised Portuguese who commit serious crimes of their citizenship. The Iberian country of around 10.5 million people has experienced a significant increase in immigration in recent years and the tightening of requirements to obtain Portuguese citizenship was a central theme in last month's election, in which the far-right Chega became the main opposition party. The decree is yet to be sent to parliament, but it is expected to be approved with Chega's support. "We are significantly strengthening the requirements for access to citizenship, naturalisation, in line with the guidelines we were already included in the government's program," Leitao Amaro told reporters. He said that the 10-year period will apply to most foreigners, but immigrants from Portuguese-speaking countries such as Brazil, Angola or Mozambique will have a 7-year period. Under existing rules, aside from the five years of residency, foreign citizens must demonstrate sufficient knowledge of Portuguese, no previous sentences of more than three years in prison and must not constitute a threat to national security. Portugal will now require that they also show familiarity with Portuguese culture, the rights and duties of citizens, declare support for the fundamental principles of a democratic state, and have not served any effective prison sentence. According to economic data aggregator Pordata, in 2023, the last year for which final data is available, 141,300 foreigners were naturalized, 20% less than in 2022. The government said in January that more than 400,000 applications were being processed. The migration and asylum agency AIMA estimates that more than 1.5 million foreign citizens were legally residing in Portugal as of the end of 2024. Brazilians are the largest group, with over 450,000 legal immigrants. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
