Portuguese CitizenshipFor Children of Portuguese
The application for Portuguese citizenship is open to children of Portuguese citizens, with the main criterion being the unequivocal demonstration of kinship with the Portuguese father or mother.
It is important to highlight that, in the case of children of Portuguese people who acquired their citizenship by secondary means (acquisition), and not directly (attribution) - for example, because they are spouses of a Portuguese person - the granting of citizenship to the child is restricted to MINORS of age and subject to additional, more specific requirements. - Art. 2 of the Nationality Law.
Portuguese CitizenshipFor Grandchildren of Portuguese
Grandchildren of Portuguese people have the opportunity to apply for Portuguese citizenship, as long as they meet the following criteria:
1. Demonstrate effective ties with the Portuguese national community, currently this connection is proven exclusively through mastery of the Portuguese language;
2. Not have convictions of more than three years in prison or suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities that could constitute a threat to the national community.
In recent years, there has been a significant facilitation and expansion in the granting of citizenship to grandchildren of Portuguese people. This was due to recent changes in legislation, which made the way of proving ties with the Portuguese community more flexible and began to consider this category as a form of original nationality, rather than a derived one.
Portuguese CitizenshipFor Great-grandchildren of Portuguese
"Can great-grandchildren of Portuguese qualify for Portuguese citizenship?"
Although Portuguese legislation does not directly stipulate the possibility of great-grandchildren of Portuguese people acquiring citizenship, this does not exclude the opportunity to obtain it. Great-grandchildren may be eligible for Portuguese citizenship if one of their parents or grandparents acquires Portuguese nationality. This classifies them as grandchildren or children of Portuguese citizens, allowing them to apply for citizenship based on this relationship.
Portuguese CitizenshipBy Marriage or Stable Union
Spouses or partners have the possibility of applying for Portuguese citizenship, as long as they meet the following requirements:
1. Be married or in a stable union for more than three years with a Portuguese citizen;
2. Have the relationship legally recognized in Portugal, either through the transcription of the marriage or judicial recognition of the stable union;
3. Prove effective ties with the Portuguese national community.
According to the recent amendment to the Nationality Law, for couples whose relationship has lasted more than six years, it is not necessary to explicitly demonstrate effective ties with Portugal. In these cases, the existence of these links is presumed, and they are automatically accepted by the Portuguese Government.
Portuguese CitizenshipFor Children of Foreigners Born in Portugal
Currently, for children of foreigners born in Portugal to have the right to Portuguese citizenship from birth, it is necessary that, at the time they were born, one of the parents was already legally resident in Portugal, or had resided in the country, under any condition, for at least one year, and that the parents were not serving their country of origin.
Furthermore, Portuguese citizenship can be granted by naturalization to children of foreigners born in Portugal, provided that one of the following conditions is met at the time of application:
1. One of the parents has been residing in Portugal, legally or not, for more than five years;
2. One of the parents has legal residence in Portugal, regardless of the duration;
3. The minor has attended at least one year of education at any level – pre-school, basic, secondary or professional – in Portugal.
Portuguese CitizenshipBy Length of Residence
For a foreigner to acquire Portuguese citizenship by residence, it is necessary to simultaneously meet the following criteria:
1. Have reached the age of majority or be emancipated in accordance with Portuguese legislation;
2. Reside legally in Portugal for a minimum period of five years;
3. Have adequate knowledge of the Portuguese language;
4. Not have a serious criminal record, including convictions of more than three years in prison or suspected involvement in terrorist activities that could endanger national security.
It is important to note that, to calculate the required period of residence, the law allows the accumulation of all legal periods of residence in Portugal, whether consecutive or not, as long as they occur within a limit of 15 years. This rule is particularly advantageous for those who have consistently maintained their legality and held residence permits during this time.
Portuguese CitizenshipFor Descendants of Sephardic Jews
Individuals who are descendants of Sephardic Jews have the opportunity to apply for Portuguese citizenship. To do this, they must prove their connection with the Sephardic tradition of Portuguese origin. This is done by presenting objective evidence that demonstrates family, direct or indirect lineage.
An essential element of this process is obtaining a Certificate proving the applicant's Sephardic ancestry. This document must be provided by the Jewish Community of Porto or Lisbon, thus validating the Sephardic origin of the individual seeking citizenship.
Portuguese CitizenshipInvestor Visa
Individuals who have a Residence Permit for Investment Activity - ARI (popularly known as a Gold Visa), have the possibility of applying for Portuguese citizenship when they meet specific criteria, which include:
1. Maintain investment in the country for a minimum period of five years;
2. Demonstrate proficiency in the Portuguese language;
3. Absence of criminal convictions exceeding three years and of suspected involvement in terrorist activities that could threaten national security.
Essentially, this is a variation of the general criteria of the Nationality Law, which typically requires a specific length of residence. However, in this case, the length of residence criterion is replaced by maintaining the investment in Portugal for at least five years.