Portugal's New Nationality Law Is Published and In Force: What Changed in 2026

Portugal's New Nationality Law Is Published and In Force. Here's What Changed.

Last updated: May 19, 2026

Current status: Portugal's new Nationality Law was published in the Diario da Republica on May 18, 2026. Under Article 8, it entered into force on May 19, 2026.

Portugal's new Nationality Law is no longer only approved, promulgated, or waiting for publication. It has now been published in the Diario da Republica as Lei Organica No. 1/2026, de 18 de maio, amending Lei No. 37/81, Portugal's Nationality Law.

That means the practical citizenship planning position has changed. For most new residence-based naturalisation applications, the old 5-year assumption should no longer be used.

Quick answer

Portugal's new Nationality Law was published on May 18, 2026 and entered into force on May 19, 2026.

For standard naturalisation by legal residence, the new law requires:

• 7 years of legal residence for EU citizens and nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries
• 10 years of legal residence for most other foreign nationals

Applications that were already pending when the law entered into force are treated differently. Article 7 says pending administrative procedures at the date of entry into force are governed by the previous wording of the Nationality Law.

If you had not submitted a nationality application before the new law entered into force, do not assume the old 5-year rule still applies. If your case is close to the line, get case-specific advice from IRN or a Portuguese nationality lawyer.

What changed on May 19, 2026?

The key change is that the law is now both published and in force.

Before publication, the legally important distinction was that the President had promulgated the law, but publication in the Diario da Republica had not yet happened. That mattered because the approved text said the law would enter into force on the day after publication.

That publication has now happened.

The official timeline is:

There was also a same-day rectification published in the Diario da Republica correcting the criminal-record threshold wording. Anyone relying on the criminal-record provisions should read the rectified wording, not only early summaries.

The new 7-year and 10-year citizenship rule

The biggest practical change is the residence period for naturalisation.

The amended Article 6 says applicants must legally reside in Portugal for at least:

• 7 years if they are nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries or citizens of EU Member States
• 10 years if they are nationals of other countries

This affects people on common residence routes such as D7, D8, work, family, and Golden Visa residence who were planning around a 5-year citizenship timeline.

It does not mean those residence routes disappear. It means the expected timeline to Portuguese nationality is longer for many applicants.

Are pending citizenship applications protected?

Yes, pending administrative procedures receive express protection, but the wording is narrower than many people would like.

Article 7 says the new law applies from its entry into force, but pending administrative procedures at that date are governed by the previous wording of Law No. 37/81.

In practical terms, if your nationality application was already pending before the law entered into force on May 19, 2026, you may be able to rely on the previous law.

Keep strong proof of:

• submission date
• payment
• protocol or process number
• IRN confirmation
• appointment, counter submission, courier or registered-mail evidence
• screenshots showing submission date and status

Do not rely on memory or informal confirmation. The important question is whether your application was already a pending administrative procedure when the new law entered into force.

What if you completed 5 years but did not submit?

This is the difficult group.

The published transition rule protects pending administrative procedures. It does not clearly protect everyone who had already completed 5 years of residence but had not yet submitted a nationality application.

If you completed 5 years before May 19, 2026 but did not submit before entry into force, you should assume the new 7-year or 10-year requirement may apply unless you receive case-specific advice to the contrary.

What if you submitted before completing 5 years?

Do not assume Article 7 automatically solves this.

Article 7 protects pending administrative procedures, but it does not clearly say that a nationality application submitted before the applicant met the residence requirement must be accepted under the previous law.

The key issue is likely to be whether IRN treats the file as a valid pending procedure and whether the legal requirements were met at the relevant moment. This is a case-specific legal question.

Does this end the Portugal Golden Visa?

No.

The new Nationality Law does not end Portugal's Golden Visa programme. It changes nationality eligibility and naturalisation timing, not the existence of Golden Visa residence itself.

For Golden Visa investors, the planning shift is important:

• the investment route can still be a residence route
• the low physical-stay structure of the Golden Visa is separate from nationality timing
• the expected citizenship timeline may now be 7 or 10 years, depending on nationality
• permanent residence after 5 years may become more important for some clients

Golden Visa clients should separate the residence strategy from the citizenship strategy. Those are now even more clearly different planning questions.

What about D7, D8, work and family visa residents?

The same naturalisation timeline issue applies.

If you were planning to apply for citizenship after 5 years of legal residence, you should reassess your plan under the new framework.

The residence route itself may still be valid and worthwhile. What changes is the expected timing of citizenship by naturalisation.

For EU and CPLP nationals, the new standard residence period is 7 years. For most other foreign nationals, it is 10 years.

Does permanent residence after 5 years still matter?

Yes. Permanent residence is a separate immigration status from citizenship.

For some residents, especially those around year five, permanent residence may now become a more immediate stability goal while the citizenship clock continues.

Do not confuse permanent residence with Portuguese nationality. They are different statuses, handled through different legal frameworks, with different benefits and requirements.

What still needs clarification?

The law is now in force, but not every operational detail is settled.

The Government has 90 days from publication to update the Portuguese Nationality Regulation. IRN and related authorities will also need to apply the new rules in real cases.

Important practical questions include:

• how pending online applications will be evidenced
• how edge cases submitted close to the entry-into-force date will be treated
• how the updated integration, culture and civics requirements will work in practice
• how residence periods will be calculated in cases involving AIMA delays
• whether forms, checklists and IRN guidance will change immediately or gradually

For now, the safest approach is to work from the published law, keep documentary evidence, and avoid relying on old summaries.

What should applicants do now?

If your nationality application was already submitted before May 19, 2026, keep every proof of submission and pending status.

If you completed 5 years but had not submitted before entry into force, get legal advice before assuming you can still apply under the old rule.

If you are between 5 and 7 years and you are an EU or CPLP national, prepare for the 7-year framework unless your application was already pending.

If you are between 5 and 10 years and you are not an EU or CPLP national, prepare for the 10-year framework unless your application was already pending.

If you are a Golden Visa investor, review both citizenship timing and permanent residence planning.

If you are planning a move to Portugal now, do not plan around a guaranteed 5-year passport. Plan around residence first, then citizenship eligibility under the new law.

FAQ

Is Portugal's new citizenship law in force today?

Yes. The law was published in the Diario da Republica on May 18, 2026 and entered into force on May 19, 2026.

Did Portugal change citizenship from 5 years to 10 years?

For many applicants, yes. The new standard naturalisation period is 10 years for most foreign nationals. EU citizens and nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries have a 7-year requirement.

Are pending citizenship applications grandfathered?

The law protects administrative procedures that were already pending at the date of entry into force. That is not the same as a broad grandfathering rule for every resident who had not yet applied.

Does this affect Golden Visa holders?

Yes, if they are planning for citizenship by naturalisation. The Golden Visa programme itself is not ended by this law, but the nationality timeline may now be longer.

Does this affect permanent residence?

Permanent residence is separate from citizenship. The new law changes nationality rules, not the basic distinction between residence status and citizenship.

What official source should I rely on?

Use the Diario da Republica publication of Lei Organica No. 1/2026 and the same-day rectification. Commentary and news summaries can be useful, but the official law text is the source of truth.

Official sources

• Diario da Republica: Lei Organica No. 1/2026, de 18 de maio
• Diario da Republica: Declaracao de Retificacao No. 17/2026/1, de 18 de maio
• AIMA: Autorizacao de Residencia para Investimento - Art. 90.o-A