A decisive parliamentary vote that reshapes Portugal's citizenship pathway
On 1 April 2026, Portugal's Assembly of the Republic approved sweeping revisions to the country's Nationality Law, passing the decree 152 to 64 with a single abstention. The vote cleared the two-thirds supermajority threshold required for nationality legislation, after a last-minute agreement between the governing Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the right-wing Chega party effectively sidelined the Socialist Party (PS) and its proposals for transitional protections.
A separate vote on amendments to the Penal Code, introducing loss of nationality as an accessory criminal penalty, passed 151 to 65, also with a two-thirds majority. PSD, Chega, and the Liberal Initiative (IL) voted in favour of both decrees. The PS, Livre, the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), Left Bloc (BE), and People–Animals–Nature (PAN) all voted against.
For high-net-worth individuals with residency-based citizenship strategies linked to Portugal, the result represents a material shift in the planning horizon. The absence of any transitional safeguards means that existing residents — including those who entered through the Golden Visa programme — will be subject to the new timelines once the law enters force.
What the decree changes
The approved text sets naturalisation residency requirements at seven years for EU and Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) nationals, and ten years for all other nationalities. No grandfathering window, graduated phase-in, or preservation of the application-date counting method was included — all proposals put forward by the PS were rejected.
PSD parliamentary leader Hugo Soares announced the deal with Chega less than an hour before the debate began. The agreement moved the final text closer to Chega's positions, although the self-sufficiency requirement Chega had sought — which would have barred citizenship applicants who had received social benefits — was ultimately not included.
Critically, permanent residency after five years remains unaffected, and the Golden Visa programme itself was not part of the parliamentary debate. What has changed is the route from residency to citizenship: the runway is now substantially longer, and current residents have no protected transition.
The decree is not yet law — presidential and constitutional checks remain
Despite the parliamentary supermajority, the legislative process is not complete. The decree now goes to President José Luís Carneiro Seguro, who has the power to promulgate, veto, or refer the text to the Constitutional Court for preventive review.
Adriano Vieira, a lawyer at Apparcel Uriarte Abogados, noted that while the two-thirds majority was expected, "the current scenario is not particularly favourable for Golden Visa applicants." However, he stressed that the diploma "is not yet law" and that the president may still delay promulgation or exercise a veto. Vieira observed that this effectively buys additional time, which may be particularly valuable for those approaching the five-year residency threshold.
If the president vetoes the decree, parliament can override with an absolute majority of all deputies — 116 out of 230. If he refers it to the Constitutional Court, the decree remains suspended until the court issues its ruling.
Source: IMI Daily report on the parliamentary vote
Legal observers signal that the process is far from settled
André Miranda, a partner at Fieldfisher Portugal, described the outcome as a sharp departure from Portugal's tradition of openness in nationality matters. He pointed to the president as the remaining institutional check, noting that Seguro has publicly advocated for a law that is as consensual as possible rather than one that divides the country.
Miranda expects the president may still exercise his veto power or refer the law to the Constitutional Court. He emphasised that the process remains far from over.
Madalena Monteiro, founder of Liberty Legal and the lawyer who filed the Golden Visa investors' amicus curiae brief to the Constitutional Court in December, said the result confirmed her expectations. She described the parliamentary session as deeply divided and conflictual, and said she would not be surprised to see the president send the law to the Constitutional Court or veto it, given his vocal stance on the need for broader consensus.
What this means for HNWI planning
For high-net-worth families with active or planned residency strategies in Portugal, the practical implications are threefold. First, the naturalisation timeline has been extended materially, and there is no protected pathway for those already in the system. Second, the decree is not yet in force and may be delayed or altered by presidential action or constitutional review. Third, permanent residency remains available after five years — meaning the residency value proposition has not been eliminated, even as the citizenship pathway has become longer and less predictable.
Where citizenship strategy sits within broader cross-border planning — including documentation readiness, banking relationships, and mobility resilience — firms such as Stellar Pass may become relevant as part of a wider advisory framework. The situation underscores the importance of structuring second-citizenship strategies around institutional stability, not just eligibility snapshots.
The broader signal for investment migration
Portugal's vote is part of a wider European pattern in which nationality rules are being tightened in response to political pressures. For sophisticated applicants, the lesson is that citizenship planning must account not only for current requirements but for the direction of legislative travel. A programme that appears accessible today can shift substantially within a single parliamentary session.
The coming weeks — and the president's decision — will determine whether the decree enters force in its current form, is returned for revision, or faces a further constitutional challenge. Until that process concludes, the pathway from Portuguese residency to citizenship remains in a state of active uncertainty.
FAQ
Does Portugal's new nationality law affect the Golden Visa programme?
The Golden Visa programme itself was not part of the parliamentary debate. However, the pathway from Golden Visa residency to Portuguese citizenship is now significantly longer, with naturalisation timelines extended to ten years for non-EU and non-CPLP nationals and all transitional protections for current residents rejected.
Can the Portuguese president block the nationality law decree?
Yes. President José Luís Carneiro Seguro may veto the decree or refer it to the Constitutional Court for preventive review. If vetoed, parliament can override with an absolute majority of 116 out of 230 deputies. If referred to the court, the decree remains suspended until a ruling is issued.
What are the new residency timelines for Portuguese citizenship?
Under the approved decree, EU and CPLP nationals face a seven-year residency requirement before naturalisation. All other nationalities face a ten-year requirement. Permanent residency after five years remains unaffected.
Were any transitional protections included for current residents in Portugal?
No. The Socialist Party's proposed grandfathering window, graduated phase-in period, and preservation of the application-date counting method were all rejected in the final vote. Current residents will be subject to the new timelines once the law enters force.
Further reading: IMI Daily — Portugal Approves Nationality Law Decree After PSD–Chega Deal