Immigration Law Blog | ZR Advogados - Expert Legal Insights
Legal Insights

Immigration Law Blog

Expert insights, legal updates, and practical guidance on Portuguese immigration law from licensed attorneys

Picture of Marcus Zottis Rocha

Marcus Zottis Rocha

From "welcome" to "come back later": is Portugal about to wind back the nationality clock?

From "welcome" to "come back later": is Portugal about to wind back the nationality clock?

The Government has announced plans to tighten the rules for gaining Portuguese nationality through length-of-residence: the talk is to raise the five-year requirement to six for CPLP nationals and to ten for everyone else, to push the Portuguese-language benchmark up a notch, and even to introduce an integration test.

European Context: A Tale of Two Directions

That stands in stark contrast to the March 2024 reform, which had just made the regime more flexible, and to Germany's course: in 2024 Berlin cut its residency rule from eight to five years, kept the B1 German test but scrapped the demand to give up one's original passport.

~50% EU countries with 5-year rule
7-10 Years in stricter countries
8→5 Germany's 2024 reduction
50% Italy referendum turnout (failed)

Across Europe roughly half the Member States still work with five years — France, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Sweden (for now) and the Czech Republic — while the rest sit between seven and ten and are edging upwards: Finland moved to eight in 2024; Sweden wants to do the same by 2026; Poland is debating ten; and Portugal is now thinking of stepping back from the "friendly" threshold it has long offered.

Interesting Exception: The tide is not one-way, though: in Italy, even under a clearly right-wing government, a June 2025 referendum tried to slash the requirement from ten to five years and failed only because turnout fell short of 50% — proof that "right-wing" does not always equal "tougher" in the citizenship debate.

Portugal's Current Framework

For now Portugal still asks five years, Portuguese at A2 level, a criminal record free of offences carrying more than three years' jail and no civic test or renunciation of the previous nationality. That is objectively lighter than Denmark (nine years, Danish B2 spoken/B1 written, 45-question cultural test), lighter than Finland (eight years unless the applicant can already show B1 in Finnish or Swedish) and lighter than Austria or Italy (ten years), while being a shade stricter than Ireland or Sweden, where there is still no formal language exam — though Stockholm is preparing to introduce one.

"The balance Portugal struck has helped attract Lusophone talent, foreign investment and workers who are already plugged into the economy."

The Integration Paradox

Looking at the key criteria, it is clear that simply adding up years does not guarantee integration. Fluency in the language and day-to-day involvement in the community carry far more weight than an administrative clock. Asking only A2 Portuguese can indeed be low; many residents speak English on a daily basis, or only their own language within their community, and stay on the sidelines of local life.

Integration Reality Check: Each person needs a different amount of time to strike roots: someone who arrives keen to integrate, works, pays taxes and puts children in Portuguese schools is often "in" after four or five years, while others, even after ten, barely step out of their linguistic bubble.

Integration shows up in small everyday gestures — chatting in Portuguese at the café, marking 10 June, joining local events or a village club — and also in a mutual, subjective recognition: feeling part of the group and being seen as such.

Legal Uncertainty and Legitimate Expectations

Legislative instability poses another risk. Tweaking the Nationality Act so soon after the last overhaul can breach the principle of legitimate expectation and sow legal uncertainty. Picture a foreign couple who, after six years in Portugal, already speak the language, have well-settled children and pay taxes, but delayed their nationality application because they had to choose between spending €500 at the registry or paying nursery fees. Or someone whose rent has left no spare cash for all the certificates.

"If tomorrow they are told they need another four years, they will feel betrayed; they planned life around rules the state changed mid-game."

That not only breaks individual trust; it broadcasts the message that Portugal is a country where the rules shift with the political wind — the opposite signal a nation needs if it wants to lure investors and talent.

EU Nationality Requirements Comparison

EU CountryYears of Residence
(general rule)
Language Requirement
(level)
Civic Test / InterviewDual Citizenship?2024-25 Trend
Germany5 (3 with exceptional integration)German B1Einbürgerungstest (33 Qs)Yes↓ cut 8 → 5
Austria10 (6 with reinforced integration)German B1History / constitution quizNo (few exceptions)
Belgium5FR/NL/DE A2Socio-economic integration proofYes
Bulgaria5 (after permanent residency)Basic BulgarianConstitution & anthem interviewNo (by default)
Cyprus7 (5 via fast track)Greek B1New cultural testYes
Croatia8 (with permanent status)Basic CroatianCultural interviewNo
Denmark9Danish B2 oral / B1 writtenIndfødsretsprøven + ceremonyYes
Slovakia8 (permanent)Basic SlovakHistory / constitution examNo
Slovenia10 (last 5 continuous)Slovene A2Civic interviewNo (EU citizens exempt)
Spain10 (only 2 for Ibero-Americans, PT, etc.)Spanish A2*CCSE testYes* (formal renunciation)
Estonia8 (5 permanent)Estonian B1Constitution quizNo
Finland8** (5 if language B1)Finnish/Swedish B1No formal civic testYes↑ 5 → 8 in 2024
France5 (2 if FR higher-ed.)French B1Assimilation interviewYes
Greece7 (3 in special cases)Greek B1Pan-Hellenic examYes
Hungary8 (5 spouse / refugee)Oral HungarianConstitution interviewYes
Ireland5 (1 + 4 pattern)— (no exam)No civic testYes
Italy10 (4 if EU citizen)Italian B1No written testYes↓ attempt 10 → 5 (failed)
Latvia5 (permanent)Latvian A2/B1Anthem & constitution testPartial
Lithuania10Lithuanian B1Constitution examNo
Luxembourg5 (last year continuous)Luxembourgish A2 oral / B1 listening"Living Together" course/testYes
Malta5 within 7 yearsPractical English or MalteseNo civic testYes
Netherlands5Dutch A2Civic integration examNo (some exceptions)
Poland3 after permanent (~8 real)Polish B1No formal testYes↑ proposal 3 → 10
Portugal5 (A2-level PT)Portuguese A2No civic testYes↑ draft 6 / 10 years
Romania8 (5 spouse)Basic RomanianConstitution & anthem interviewYes
Sweden5— (B1 & civic test proposed)Yes↑ plan 5 → 8 (2026)
Czech Republic5 (permanent)Czech B1"Czech realities" testYes

* Spanish A2 waived for nationals of Spanish-speaking countries.
** Finland keeps a 5-year track for applicants who already meet the language requirement.

Finding the Right Balance

There is room to stiffen the language requirement and build stronger integration channels, yet stretching residency time for those already playing the game, when Germany is moving the other way and even conservative Italy tried to shorten the track, looks like a disproportionate cure.

The real challenge is to strike a compromise that honours the legitimate expectations of people who are already here, protects the legal system's credibility abroad and, without slamming doors, insists on what truly matters: a solid grasp of Portuguese, active participation in the community and a clean criminal slate.

Everything else — whether five, six or ten years — counts for little unless it comes with serious language training and real opportunities to integrate.

About this analysis: This article examines Portugal's proposed changes to nationality law in the context of broader European trends. Data current as of June 2025. For legal advice on specific cases, consult with qualified immigration attorneys.

Stay Updated

Get Immigration Law Updates

Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest immigration law updates, visa guides, and expert insights delivered to your inbox.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Read our Privacy Policy.

Legal Consultation

Need Professional Immigration Advice?

Our licensed immigration lawyers are here to help you navigate the complex Portuguese immigration system with personalized legal guidance.