Big changes were on the horizon for anyone hoping to become Portuguese – but they’ve just been put on hold.
In a surprise move, Portugal’s Parliament has pushed back a crucial vote on major nationality and immigration reforms until September 2025. That means, at least for now, the existing, more flexible rules stay in place. This unexpected delay feels like a lifeline for many aspiring citizens.
The proposed reforms are no small tweak. They would have doubled the required residency time for citizenship, introduced stricter language and cultural exams, tightened family reunification policies, and even scrapped some popular routes like the Sephardic Jewish ancestry path.
So, what caused this sudden pause? And what does it mean if you're eyeing Portugal as your future home?
Let’s unpack it.
Why Portugal Wants to Tighten Citizenship Rules
Portugal wasn’t always on the world’s radar as a migration hotspot. But over the past decade, this situation changed rapidly.
From 2017 to 2024, the number of foreign residents skyrocketed from about 400,000 to 1.6 million. Today, nearly 15% of Portugal’s population is foreign-born. This boom brought fresh energy and serious economic perks:
- Immigrants helped plug labour gaps.
- Rejuvenate ageing towns
- Bolster social security contributions.
In 2024 alone, foreign workers poured close to €3.7 billion into the national social security system.
Yet, beneath these bright headlines, tension has been brewing. Many locals feel overwhelmed. Recent surveys show that around 67% of Portuguese citizens believe immigrants drive up crime rates, and nearly 69% think they lower wages. Cultural worries run deep too; fears of losing "Portuguese identity" have grown louder.
At the same time, the new immigration agency (AIMA), which took over from SEF in 2023, has been drowning in paperwork, facing a backlog of more than 400,000 residence permit requests. Frustrations over slow approvals and bureaucratic chaos have only fuelled the debate.
Against this backdrop, the government, led by a centre-right coalition under pressure from the anti-immigration Chega party, argued that tougher citizenship rules were necessary. What's the official position? The goal is to guarantee that new citizens establish a genuine and enduring bond with Portugal, rather than merely passing through.
Whether you see it as safeguarding national identity or a politically motivated tightening of the gates, one thing is clear: Portugal is wrestling with how to stay open while still feeling in control.
What Were the Proposed Changes?
The proposed reforms weren’t just cosmetic tweaks; they aimed to reshape the path fundamentally to Portuguese citizenship and tighten the country’s overall immigration framework. Let’s break down what was actually on the table.
📌 Longer residency requirements
The headline change: extending the legal residency period before you can apply for citizenship.
- For most applicants: from 5 to 10 years.
- For citizens of Portuguese-speaking countries (CPLP): from 5 years to 7 years.
On top of that, they planned to change how this period is counted. The new rule would start counting from when your first residence permit was issued, instead of from when you applied for residency (a 2024 change that was popular), potentially adding months or even years of waiting.
📌 Tougher language and civic tests
Applicants would no longer just need basic (A2 level) Portuguese. The plan included additional tests on Portuguese culture, democratic values, and civic knowledge, plus a formal “declaration of loyalty” to the constitution and national principles.
📌 Stricter rules on criminal records
Under the new rules, anyone with any prison sentence (not just those over three years) would be barred from citizenship. Plus, a controversial proposal would allow Portugal to revoke citizenship from naturalised citizens convicted of serious crimes (with sentences of five years or more) within ten years of naturalisation.
📌 Changes to birthright citizenship
Currently, kids born in Portugal to foreign parents can become Portuguese if one parent has lived legally for at least one year. Under the reform, that would jump to three years, and parents would have to formally request citizenship for the child.
📌 Abolishing the Sephardic Jewish ancestry route
A once-popular route introduced in 2015, allowing descendants of Sephardic Jews expelled during the Inquisition to claim citizenship, was set to close for new applicants. Those who had already obtained citizenship could still pass it to spouses and children.
📌 Tighter family reunification rules
New conditions would include:
- The main resident would need to live legally in Portugal for at least two years before applying for family reunification.
- Adult family members would need to apply from abroad (not from within Portugal).
- Proof of housing, financial means, and integration efforts (like kids attending school and language courses) would become mandatory.
📌 Extra barriers for visas
CPLP residence permits would require a consular visa in advance, scrapping the option of converting from a tourist visa. Job-seeker visas would be limited only to highly qualified professions.
The Big Delay: Why Parliament Hit Pause
Despite the government's push, these sweeping changes failed to reach the final stage. Instead, Portugal’s Parliament decided to hit pause and push the final vote back to September 2025,
Why? In short: politics, legal worries, and serious public pushback.
Several parties, particularly those on the left, expressed concerns about the constitutionality of the reforms. What are the most contentious aspects of the changes?
- The idea of revoking citizenship from naturalized citizens (something that doesn’t apply to native-born Portuguese).
- The new rules apply retroactively to pending applications, potentially impacting individuals who previously filed under the previous system.
There were also broader fears that the proposed changes could violate fundamental rights and create legal uncertainty, especially for immigrants who had been planning their lives (and investing money) based on the current rules.
Beyond the legal challenges, the reforms lacked strong political consensus. While the center-right government insisted these laws were necessary to “protect national identity,” they faced stiff resistance from opposition parties and civil society groups.
The powerful anti-immigration Chega party supported many of the changes, but others worried this was exactly the problem: it signaled a more closed, less inclusive Portugal.
Then there’s the practical angle. Over 400,000 pending residence applications have already overwhelmed Portugal's new immigration agency, AIMA. Many argued that adding stricter rules (and likely more appeals and legal challenges) could further swamp an already struggling system.
Ultimately, the postponement gives Parliament more time to debate, consult legal experts, and possibly tweak the proposals before a final vote in September. In the meantime, the current rules stay in place, and for many applicants, that’s a welcome window of relief.
Who’s Most Affected?
Who should be particularly attentive to this information? Let’s break it down group by group.
🟢 General applicants
If you’re living in Portugal on a standard residency permit, the proposed changes would hit you hardest. The jump from 5 to 10 years of required residency (or 7 years for CPLP nationals) would dramatically extend your timeline to citizenship.
On top of that, stricter language and civic tests and a tougher criminal record check would mean extra hurdles for many.
Right now, with the delay in place, applicants who already have five years of legal residency can still apply under the current, more forgiving rules, but the window might not stay open for long.
🟠 Golden Visa holders
Portugal’s Golden Visa program has already been tightened (with real estate and capital transfer options shut down), but under these reforms, it would get even tougher.
The general residency requirement for citizenship would rise to 10 years, and the old advantage of counting residency from the application date would be scrapped.
The proposed changes would be a blow to those banking on a relatively fast, flexible path to Portuguese citizenship after investing.
🔵 D7 Visa holders
Digital nomads and retirees using the D7 visa (based on passive income) would also face a longer path. Instead of 5 years, they’d need to wait up to 10 before applying for citizenship.
Plus, stricter family reunification rules would make it harder to bring over spouses or adult children, especially if you haven’t been living in Portugal for at least two years.
🟣 Sephardic Jewish descendants
The once-popular Sephardic ancestry route is already fading, but these reforms would shut it down completely for new applicants.
Those who have already received Portuguese citizenship through this route can still pass it on to spouses and children, but no new direct applications would be accepted moving forward.
🟡 CPLP nationals
Applicants from Portuguese-speaking countries (like Brazil, Angola, and Mozambique) would see their residency requirement extended from 5 to 7 years.
Additionally, they’d face stricter visa requirements, including needing a consular visa upfront instead of converting from a tourist visa, a big change for many who counted on Portugal’s historically smoother process for CPLP nationals.
What This Means Right Now: A Temporary Window of Opportunity
If there’s one silver lining to the postponement, it’s this: a rare window of opportunity for people who qualify under the current, more lenient rules.
Because the reforms have been pushed to September 2025, the existing law — which requires just five years of legal residency for most applicants — stays in place. If you already meet this requirement (or will meet it soon), now is the time to act.
Legal and immigration experts are already predicting a rush of last-minute applications as people scramble to file before any new, stricter laws kick in. Waiting too long could mean facing:
- Double the residency period (up to 10 years for many).
- Harder language and civic exams.
- Tighter family reunification rules.
- Extra uncertainty if retroactive changes are approved later.
For Golden Visa holders, D7 visa residents, and even those on student or work permits who are close to qualifying, this is a chance to lock in a simpler, faster path to citizenship before the door potentially starts closing.
Of course, nobody can predict with total certainty what the final law will look like after September. But given the political climate and the clear appetite for tougher rules, most advisors are urging eligible applicants to move sooner rather than later.
In other words, if Portugal is part of your future plan, now might be the best moment to secure your spot.
Broader Impact: Economy, Demographics, and Portugal’s Image
While these reforms focus on controlling migration and reinforcing national identity, they carry big-picture consequences that ripple far beyond individual applicants.
Portugal has depended heavily on foreign residents and investors to boost its economy, fill labour shortages, and support its ageing population. Stricter and less predictable rules may deter future investors and skilled workers, which could potentially weaken sectors that are already in need of talent.
Demographically, Portugal struggles with low birth rates and a rapidly ageing population. Migration has been crucial in offsetting this decline, helping to sustain the workforce and social security systems. Tighter gates run the risk of unbalancing the population.
Then there’s Portugal’s carefully crafted international image. Its reputation as a friendly, open, and easygoing European destination has been a major draw. If perceived as restrictive or unpredictable, Portugal could lose ground to neighbouring countries, like Spain or Greece, which are also chasing expats and investors.
What’s Next? Looking Ahead to September and Beyond
With the final vote delayed until September 2025, Portugal is entering a kind of "wait and see" limbo.
Between now and then, lawmakers plan to hold more hearings, consult legal experts, and possibly negotiate amendments to the proposed reforms. This means there’s still a chance that some of the most controversial parts, like retroactive rule changes or citizenship revocation clauses, could be softened or even scrapped altogether.
But there’s no guarantee. The political appetite for tighter immigration controls is strong, fuelled by public pressure and the rise of parties like Chega that have pushed for more restrictions. Even if some tweaks happen, most analysts expect the core idea of tougher, longer paths to citizenship to survive in some form.
For applicants, this means two things:
1️⃣ The current, more lenient rules remain in place, for now.
2️⃣ Future changes could come swiftly after September, potentially catching many off guard.
If you’re eligible to apply under the current system, acting sooner rather than later is widely considered the safest bet.
At the same time, businesses, investors, and immigration advisors will be watching closely to see whether Portugal can maintain its balance between openness and control without undermining its economic and demographic goals.
Portugal’s Balancing Act
Portugal finds itself at a complex juncture. On one hand, there’s a push to protect national identity and tighten controls. On the other, there’s its reputation as an open, welcoming country that has benefited greatly from foreign residents and investment.
This postponed reform shows the struggle to find a middle ground: staying attractive to talent and investors while addressing public concerns about integration and social impact.
For those considering a move, the message is clear: the window of opportunity under current rules is still open, but possibly not for long. September could bring a stricter, more selective system.
Until then, Portugal remains one of Europe’s most accessible doors, and for many, that’s a door worth stepping through before it starts to close.
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