Amendments to Portuguese Citizenship Law

The Portuguese Government recently amended the legal framework governing naturalization in order to allow legal residents to apply for the passport five years after been granted residency. Coincidence or not, this important amendment takes effect after five years from the Golden Visa program first approvals.

Prior to this amendment, any holder of a temporary residence permit would have to complete six years of residency to become eligible for citizenship. This order of affairs changed after consecutive efforts by the Portuguese government to make the path for EU citizenship visibly easier.

Portugal ranks top five as a country for expats and is the top favorite tourist destination in Europe. The Golden Visa program has also placed Portugal on the map as one of the most desirable investment destinations worldwide.