Portuguese Citizenship: the news Golden Visa investors were waiting for!

Golden Visa holders in Portugal can now apply for citizenship in 5 years, starting from residency application submission, offering a shorter timeframe.

Anyone who has been dealing with the Golden Visa since the program started back in 2012 – like we have – knows how the residency timelines have been suffering unexpected delays, caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ukrainian war, and an overall increase in the number of immigrants wanting to settle down in Portugal over the last years.

These delays have adversely affected Golden Visa investors and their family members, many of whom had planned investments and their path towards citizenship based on a 6-year timeline, which is no longer a realistic expectation.

Following great pressure from civil society, the Portuguese Parliament raised concerns about this issue and has finally approved relevant changes: from March 1st, 2024, all past and future holders of resident permits in Portugal (including Golden Visa holders) will acquire the right to apply for Portuguese citizenship 5 years after they have submitted their residency applications.

Considering that, according to the previous legal framework, the 5-year period towards citizenship would only start counting from the date of issuance of the first resident card – which could often take 2-3 years as a result of the current immigration backlog – this is a major change that protects citizens’ rightful expectations, allowing them to apply for citizenship within a much shorter timeframe.

The amendments introduced by Organic Law 1/2024, of March 5 do not, however, exempt the fulfillment of all further citizenship requirements, which remain unchanged, namely regarding the evidence of knowledge of the Portuguese language and the absence of severe criminal convictions in Portugal and abroad.