After 5 years of being a legal Portugal resident, individuals may be eligible for permanent citizenship in the country. Please note, legal Portugal residents are not required to reside in the country and citizenship is subject to a basic Portuguese language test. 
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Portugal Permanent Residency

How To Apply For A Permanent Resident Card

The application for a permanent residence permit must be submitted to SEF, Portugal's border agency, and under the Foreigners' Law, permanent residency shall be granted to someone who cumulatively:
  • Holder a temporary residence permit for at least 5 years
  • During the last 5 years the individual has not been convicted of a crime punishable by a prison sentence of more than 1 year
  • Sufficient subsistence/financial means
  • A place of abode in Portugal
  • Proof of basic Portuguese language

How Long Does It Take To Become An Official Portugal Resident?

​When achieved, permanent citizenship is granted for life. Notwithstanding, the card must be renewed every 5 years or whenever there is a change of details, such as changes to address and marital status.   

Stay Requirements & How To Renew A Permanent Resident Visa

Permanent citizenship is not subject to minimum stay requirements except in the case of the Golden Visa Permanent Residency. A permit may be cancelled if the holder, without an acceptable justification, is away from Portugal for a period of 24 consecutive months, or for a period of non-consecutive 30 months over 3 years. However, it is explicitly deemed acceptable to be away for any period of time in one's country of origin in order to carry out a professional, entrepreneurial, cultural or social activity. In practice, SEF will only demand to see proof of the holder having actually lived in the country or of a justification of absence from the country in the event the renewal of the card is requested after its expiry date. As such, provided the renewal of the permanent Portugal resident's ID card is applied for before the expiry date, Portugal's minimum stay requirements should not be a major concern.

Portugal Permanent Citizenship

Application Process

Unlike residency, the application for permanent citizenship in Portugal is to be submitted to a civil registry office and not to SEF. Once citizenship is acquired, passport applications are handled by SEF, although the application may be submitted at a Citizen's Shop or at a Portuguese Consulate. 

Original Citizenship

Original Portuguese citizenship is for individuals who have one parent or one grandparent who has not lost their nationality status. Original permanent citizenship is also available to individuals born in Portugal with the following criteria:
  • One parent who, having also been born in Portugal, lived in Portugal at the time of the birth
  • One parent who was a legal Portugal resident (other than one in the employment of his/her country of origin) for at least 2 years at the time of the birth
  • Does not have another citizenship

Acquired Permanent Citizenship

Portuguese citizenship may be acquired by:
  • The underaged or incapacitated child of someone who acquired Portuguese citizenship
  • The spouse or life partner of a Portugal resident after 3 years. 

Naturalisation Of Portugal Resident

​Portuguese permanent citizenship by naturalisation may be applied for by:
  • A legal Portugal resident (for the minimum 5 year period)
  • Under 18’s, those born in Portugal and either concluded at least 1 cycle of schooling in Portugal, or has one parent who has been a legal Portugal resident for the last 5 years (at the time of application)
  • Born in Portugal to foreign parents and has habitually lived in Portugal during the 5 years prior to the application for permanent citizenship
  • Is a Sephardic Jew that descends from Portuguese Sephardic Jews
For more comprehensive information to permanent citizenship and how to become a legal Portugal resident, download Belion Partner’s criteria guide. Every route for permanent citizenship is detailed with their specific requirements. 
180705_portuguese_citizenship_1.pdf
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Portuguese Language

Proving basic knowledge of the Portuguese language is required from someone who applies to become a Portugal resident. This is only applicable for some application criteria, such as those applying for citizenship as someone with a Portuguese grandparent, someone who has legal residency in Portugal for 5 years, born in Portugal to foreign parents. ​

Documents Required For Permanent Citizenship

Some applicants for citizenship must submit documentary evidence of effective ties to Portugal and/or the Portuguese community, and the State Attorney may oppose the granting of citizenship if such ties are either too few or too weak. This criterion applies to those born abroad but who has a Portuguese grandparent or those who have been married to (or equivalent) a Portugal resident for 3 years.
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Typical documentation includes:

  • Registration with Portugal's Tax Authority and National Health Service
  • Regular trips to Portugal in case the applicant does not live in the country
  • Having owned or rented property in Portugal for at least 3 years
  • Living in a historic Portuguese community abroad or having ties thereto
  • Having participated during the previous 5 years in the cultural life of a Portuguese community existing in the country of residence of the applicant, namely in the activities of the cultural or recreational associations of such community