Does Portugal Still Make Sense for Immigration After the Changes to the Nationality Law?

Over the past few months, the amendments to the Portuguese Nationality Law have raised questions and concerns among thousands of foreigners who live in or intend to move to Portugal.

The main change was the increase in the minimum period of legal residence required to apply for Portuguese citizenship by naturalization:

• 7 years for citizens of the European Union and CPLP member countries;
• 10 years for citizens of all other countries.

As a result, many foreigners have started asking whether Portugal remains an attractive destination for immigration.

In our view, the answer is clearly yes.

What Has Actually Changed?

What has changed is the waiting period required before applying for Portuguese citizenship through naturalization.

What has not been removed from the law:

• Access to residence visas;
• Access to the Portuguese labor market;
• Access to the National Health Service (SNS);
• Access to public education;
• The right to family reunification;
• Access to mortgage financing;
• The possibility of investing and doing business in Portugal.

In other words, the daily life of foreign residents remains largely unchanged.

Why Did Portugal Change the Law?

In recent years, there has been growing debate regarding the need to align Portugal’s nationality rules more closely with those of other European countries.

Portuguese nationality grants not only rights in Portugal but also European Union citizenship, allowing free movement, residence, and employment across most EU Member States.

For this reason, Portugal has experienced an internal political debate about partially harmonizing its nationality requirements with those adopted by other EU countries.

This is not about closing the doors to immigration.

Rather, it represents a redefinition of the criteria for acquiring Portuguese nationality.

Is Portugal Still Worth Choosing?

For those looking to live, work, invest, or raise a family in Europe, Portugal continues to offer:

• Safety;
• Political stability;
• A universal healthcare system;
• High-quality public education;
• A lower cost of living than many other European countries;
• An attractive real estate market;
• A favorable climate.

Obtaining Portuguese citizenship now requires a longer period of residence. However, legal residence in Portugal remains accessible and entirely achievable.