The Short Answer
To naturalise, you now need 10 years of legal residence in Portugal, or 7 years if you are an EU citizen or a national of a Portuguese-speaking country. You also need proof of Portuguese language and culture, and a clean record. Applications that were already pending when the law took effect stay under the old rules.
| Requirement | Rule under Lei Orgânica 1/2026 |
|---|---|
| Residence (most nationalities) | 10 years |
| Residence (EU and CPLP nationals) | 7 years |
| How residence is counted | Sum of all legal residence periods, continuous or interrupted |
| Language and culture | Test or certificate: language, culture, history and national symbols |
| Civic knowledge | Rights and duties of citizens, organisation of the state |
| Pending applications | Decided under the previous law |
What the 2026 Law Changed
Article 6(1)(b) of the nationality law, as amended, now reads: “Residirem legalmente no território português há pelo menos sete anos, no caso de nacionais de países de língua oficial portuguesa e de cidadãos de Estados-Membros da União Europeia, ou 10 anos, no caso de nacionais de outros países” The full text is in the Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026 (official text), published in the Diário da República on 18 May 2026 and in force from the following day.
Article 15(3) sets how the years are counted: the sum of all periods of legal residence in Portugal, consecutive or interrupted. A gap between permits does not reset the clock, but the gap itself does not count either.
Some official pages had not caught up when we checked. The justice ministry's service pages still described five years in places. The law text is the authority, so plan on 10 years unless the 7 years exception applies to you.
Already applied?
Article 7(2) of Lei Orgânica 1/2026 keeps pending procedures under the previous version of the law. If your application was filed before 19 May 2026, it is decided on the rules you applied under. Keep your submission receipt.
Which Visa Starts the Clock
Every year on a Portuguese residence permit counts. These are the routes most non-EU movers use:
| Route | Government fee | Processing | Permanent residence |
|---|---|---|---|
| D7 Passive Income Visa | $250 | 2–6 months | About 5 years |
| D8 Digital Nomad Visa | $250 | 2–6 months | About 5 years |
| Tech Visa | $160 | 1–2 months | About 5 years |
The D7 suits passive income, the D8 suits remote workers, and the Tech Visa is for hires at IAPMEI-certified technology employers. Permanent residence still comes well before citizenship, so you have settled status for most of the wait.
Portuguese Citizenship by Descent
A Portuguese parent passes nationality once the birth is registered with the Portuguese civil registry. A grandparent claim requires a CIPLE A2 language certificate and evidence of effective ties to the Portuguese community.
A great-grandparent route was only introduced in 2026 and carries a higher ties burden (CIPLE B1). Case law is still developing, so treat it as 'verify'. The Sephardic-Jewish route is closed to new applications. Start with the citizenship-by-descent checker, then read the gov.pt, obtaining Portuguese nationality page for the documents. Descent is the one route where the 2026 residence change does not apply.
If 10 years Changes Your Plan
Portugal now sits with Italy, Spain, Switzerland in the slow group. If citizenship is the point of the move, compare the five-year countries in the easiest countries ranking, or read the Irish citizenship guide for the closest English-speaking EU alternative.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many years do you need to live in Portugal to get citizenship in 2026?
10 years of legal residence for most nationalities, and 7 years for EU citizens and nationals of Portuguese-speaking (CPLP) countries. This comes from Lei Orgânica 1/2026, which entered into force the day after its publication on 18 May 2026.
I applied before the law changed. Which rules apply to me?
Article 7(2) of Lei Orgânica 1/2026 says administrative procedures already pending when the law entered into force continue under the previous version of the nationality law. If you had not yet applied, the new residence periods apply.
Do I need to speak Portuguese to become a citizen?
Yes. The amended law requires proof, by test or certificate, of sufficient knowledge of the Portuguese language and culture, history and national symbols, plus knowledge of the rights and duties of citizenship and the organisation of the Portuguese state.
Can I get Portuguese citizenship through a grandparent?
Yes, if the grandparent was Portuguese. A grandparent claim needs a CIPLE A2 Portuguese language certificate and evidence of effective ties to the Portuguese community. A great-grandparent route exists since 2026 but carries a higher bar and is still being settled in practice.
Does time on a D7 or D8 visa count towards citizenship?
Yes, time on a residence permit is legal residence. The amended law counts the sum of all legal residence periods, whether continuous or interrupted.
Related guides
Plan your Portugal move around the new timeline
Transita ranks the Portuguese residence routes for your profile and compares Portugal with countries that still naturalise in five years. Answer 8 questions and your routes, documents and dates are set up for you. Free.
Build my workspaceofficial sources: D7 · vistos.mne.gov.pt·Tech Visa · iapmei.pt