How can I get citizenship in Portugal?

Portugal grants citizenship through: Ancestry, Naturalization, Birth, Investment.

What residence or golden-visa options does Portugal offer?

Portugal offers 3 residence programme(s): Retirement, Digital nomad, Investment (golden visa).

Portugal — Citizenship & Residence Routes

Citizenship routes

Ancestryreviewed

Naturalizationreviewed

Birthreviewed

Investmentreviewed

Birthactive

Conditional citizenship through birth in Portugal

The 2026 nationality-law changes provide a birth-in-Portugal route where, at the time of birth, one parent has legally resided in Portugal for at least five years. This is a conditional jus soli rule, not unconditional citizenship for every child born in Portugal; additional statutory conditions and implementation rules must be checked for an individual case.

Sources: Portuguese Ministry of Justice — Nationality Law: new rules effective 19 May

Naturalizationactive

Acquisition by marriage or de facto union

A foreign spouse or de facto partner of a Portuguese citizen may acquire nationality by declaration, on proof of effective ties to the national community, without a residence requirement.

Sources: Portuguese Ministry of Justice — Portuguese nationality

Ancestryactive

Citizenship through a Portuguese parent

A person born abroad can obtain Portuguese nationality when a parent was Portuguese at the time of birth.

Sources: Portuguese Ministry of Justice — Portuguese nationality · Portuguese Ministry of Justice — Submit a nationality application

Ancestryactive

Facilitated naturalization for great-grandchildren

Great-grandchildren of a Portuguese citizen may naturalize on proof of lineage plus five years of legal residence in Portugal.

Sources: Portuguese Ministry of Justice — Portuguese nationality

Naturalizationactive

Ordinary naturalization after legal residence

For applications made from 19 May 2026, the ordinary legal-residence period is seven years for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries and EU Member States, and ten years for other nationals. Applications already pending when the law entered into force remain under the earlier rules. The Ministry of Justice notes that some practical implementation still requires supplementary regulation; eligibility is not an automatic grant.

Sources: Portuguese Ministry of Justice — Nationality Law: new rules effective 19 May · Portuguese Ministry of Justice — Portuguese nationality

Naturalizationinactive

Sephardic-heritage naturalization (closed)

Facilitated naturalization for descendants of Portuguese Sephardic Jews.

Sources: Portuguese Ministry of Justice — Portuguese nationality

Residence & settlement

Retirement→ citizenship

D7 passive-income / retirement visa

Residence for retirees and holders of stable passive income (pensions, rents, dividends).

EUR 870/mo

Sources: Portugal visas portal (MNE) — D8

Digital nomad→ citizenship

D8 digital nomad residence visa

Residence for remote workers and self-employed with foreign-source income.

EUR 3,480/mo

Sources: Portugal visas portal (MNE) — D8

Investment (golden visa)→ citizenship

Golden Visa (ARI) — investment residence

Residence-by-investment via qualifying funds, job creation, or cultural contribution; real-estate routes were removed in October 2023.

from EUR 500,0007 days/yr

Sources: AIMA — Autorização de Residência para Atividade de Investimento

Regional rights

EU / EEA (+ Switzerland)CPLP (Portuguese-speaking countries)