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**Updated: October 29, 2025**
Portugal remains one of Europe’s most attractive residence destinations, but the latest overhaul of the Nationality Law lengthens the path to citizenship and tightens integration requirements. Below is a clear, factual guide for existing Golden Visa residents and those considering the Golden Visa, D7 (passive income), D8 (digital nomad), or D2 (entrepreneur) routes.
• Longer residence before citizenship: Most third‑country nationals will now need 10 years of legal residence; EU and CPLP nationals will need 7 years.
• When the clock starts: Residence time is counted from the first residence card’s issuance, not from filing or biometrics.
• Integration requirements expanded: Beyond basic Portuguese (A2), expect an assessment of culture, history, national symbols, civic duties, and political organization.
• Character requirement tightened: Disqualification threshold adjusted to convictions of two years of effective imprisonment.
Legal effect begins after presidential promulgation and publication in the Diário da República. Regulation and practice guidance may follow publication.
If you already hold a Golden Visa residence card, plan for a longer horizon to citizenship:
• General (non‑EU/CPLP): target 10 years of legal residence from the issuance date of your first card.
• EU/CPLP nationals: target 7 years from the first card.
• There is no broad “grandfathering” for those who merely hold or filed for residence under prior expectations. Citizenship applications already submitted and pending at the time the new law takes effect are generally expected to be assessed under the old rules.
• Consider Permanent Residence at the five‑year mark as a stability milestone (travel, renewals, and certainty) while you complete the longer nationality timeframe.
For applications filed after the law takes effect, budget for the new timings and requirements:
• 10 years (non‑EU/CPLP) or 7 years (EU/CPLP) from first card issuance.
• Plan ahead for the broader integration assessment (language + culture/history/symbols/civics). Early preparation makes a real difference.
• If near‑term citizenship is central to your goals, structure your Portugal strategy around residence and PR first, with citizenship as a medium‑to‑long‑term objective.
• Parliament’s approval is complete; final promulgation and official publication will trigger the effective date. Implementation details can be refined in subsequent regulation/guidance.
• The shift from application-date counting to first‑card counting makes early steps (e.g., biometrics, card issuance) more consequential. Delays at the start can now move your ultimate citizenship timeline by years.
• Golden Visa investor (first card issued in 2023; non‑EU/CPLP): Not eligible in 2028 under the old five‑year expectation; plan for 2033 (10‑year mark), assuming continuous residence and successful integration testing. Consider PR in 2028.
• EU national on D7 (first card 2021): Citizenship target shifts to 2028 (7 years from first card), not 2026.
• CPLP entrepreneur on D2 (first card 2020) with nationality file already submitted: A pending citizenship application before entry into force should be handled under the old rules; if not yet filed, expect the new 7‑year requirement and broader integration test.
1. Lock status early: If you’re approaching five years, assess Permanent Residence to secure continuity while the longer citizenship clock runs.
2. Keep residence unbroken: Maintain clean criminal records, documented means of subsistence, and a consistent presence suitable for your permit type.
3. Prepare for integration: Schedule time for A2 Portuguese and plan for the culture/history/symbols/civics assessment. Track exam sessions in advance.
4. Choose the right route: We compare Golden Visa (investment‑based, low stay), D7 (passive income), D8 (remote work), D2 (entrepreneur) to fit tax profile, mobility needs, and schooling plans.
5. Mind the dates: Your first residence card issuance date now anchors the citizenship countdown—capture it in your records.
Portugal remains a premium EU residence platform. The new law does not end the Golden Visa or other residence categories—it refocuses expectations: citizenship is now a 7–10‑year journey for most applicants, built on steady residence, integration, and good character. With the right plan, families can secure EU mobility and stability today and position themselves for nationality over time.
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This analysis is based on current regulations as of October 2025. Immigration laws change frequently, and individual circumstances vary. Professional legal and tax advice is recommended but not mandatory for all international mobility planning.
