Portugal Citizenship For Canadians

By Naturalization

To obtain Portuguese citizenship, Canadian citizens must live in Portugal for a minimum of 5 years as legal residents in the country. Previously, the minimum number of years required for citizenship by naturalization used to be 6 years.

You are also required to meet other eligibility requirements for Portugal citizenship which includes having a long-term residence permit for the duration of your stay in Portugal.

The following include some of the eligibility criteria you must meet to be considered for Portuguese citizenship by naturalization. You must:

• Be 18 years old or above.
• Not have a criminal record.
• Prove that you will not be a threat to national security.
• Have resided in Portugal for a minimum of 5 years.
• Pass the Portuguese language test (with at least A2 level).
• Provide evidence of your integration into the Portuguese community.
• Show that you do not have a tax obligation in Portugal.

The documents you may be required to provide for Portugal citizenship by naturalization include:

• Birth certificate.
• Marriage certificate.
• Portuguese residence permit.
• Criminal record certificate.
• Evidence of ties to Portugal.
• Letter requesting Portuguese citizenship.

By Marriage

Canadian citizens can obtain Portuguese citizenship if they are married or in a de facto union with a Portuguese citizen. You can obtain citizenship by marriage without fulfilling the 5 years residency requirement.

The marriage citizenship route also does not require your residence stay period in Portugal except that you must have been in a formal union with or married to your Portuguese partner in the last 3 years.

But if you separated, divorced, or broke up with your partner after 3 years, you may no longer be eligible to qualify for citizenship by marriage. Therefore you must prove that you and your partner live together and pay utility bills if you are just in a relationship. But if you are married to your partner, you must provide your government-issued marriage certificate as proof of your marriage.

This means that after getting married to your Portuguese partner, you may live in another country with them for a minimum of 3 years. However, you must show that you are connected to the Portuguese community by, having investment, taking an A2 (conversational) level Portuguese citizenship language test.

By Investment

Canadian citizens can also take this route to qualify for Portuguese citizenship. This route is also called the Portuguese Golden visa program which has been a popular means of getting Portuguese permanent residence and citizenship in recent years.

Once you become a Portuguese citizen through this route, you will be issued an EU passport which will grant you entry into several countries in the world visa-free. If you invest in Portugal, you will be granted the Golden visa residence visa.

Portugal Golden visa program route to citizenship, you may invest by making capital investments or creating employment opportunities to boost the Portuguese economy.

Before you are considered to get Portuguese citizenship through investment, you must show that you have invested in Portugal. Additionally, you must have lived in the country for a minimum of 7 days each year within a 5-year period in Portugal.

To get Portuguese citizenship through investment, do the following:

• Start a new company or purchase an already existing one.
• Invest about €500,000 in capital funds.
• Purchase shares from a Portuguese company.
• Invest at least €250,000 in Portuguese cultural heritage or arts.

You will no longer be allowed to purchase properties in Portugal in order to qualify for citizenship in the country. This is because the Portuguese government has stopped the real estate route to Portuguese citizenship for foreign nationals.

If you need more information on how to get Portuguese citizenship through investment, Total Law can help. Call us today on +1 844 290 6312 or contact us online.

By Sephardic Jews 

In 2015, the Portuguese Sephardic Jews citizenship route was created for people of Sephardic heritage including Canadians. The Sephardic Jews are known as Sephardim who are Jewish people of Spanish or Portuguese descent.

The ties of Jewish people expelled from the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th century during the Inquisition era are acknowledged through the Sephardic Jews citizenship route and citizenship is issued to their descendants as reparation.

To get citizenship by this route, Canadian citizens must prove they have a connection to the Jewish people through ancestry or culture. Also, you may be required to give evidence of your connection to the current Jewish community in Portugal or to a historical Sephardic community outside Portugal.

You must provide the following to apply for citizenship as a Sephardim:

• Your birth certificate.
• Your criminal record certificate from Canada or wherever you live after you turned 16 years old.
• Proof of your connection to a Sephardic community (a description of facts).
• Proof of your membership in a Jewish community in Portugal or abroad.

At the Counter

You must visit an application center to apply for your Portuguese citizenship. Ensure you provide all the required documents for review.

The following are the application centers you may visit to submit your application, at:

• The Odivelas Citizen’s Shop.
• The Civil Registry Offices.
• The Nationality Desk.
• The Consulate of Portugal in your area of residence.
• The Lisbon Central Registry Office.
• The Lisbon Registry Spaces on the Campus da Justiça, on Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo and in Benfica.
• The counter of the Institute of Registration and Notary Affairs located in the National Support Centre for the Integration of Migrants (CNAIM) which has offices in Lisbon and Oporto.

Online

Your lawyer or a representative will help you to apply online. This is because they are the only ones allowed to use the online portal. The Portuguese government designed an online platform to help Portuguese citizenship applicants. Therefore, your lawyer must obtain a valid signature and digital certificate they will need to log in to the Portal.

By Mail

If you choose to apply for your Portuguese citizenship by mail, you must address it to Conservatória dos Registos Centrais, Rua Rodrigo da Fonseca, 202,1099-033 Lisbon.

Ensure you complete the application form you are issued. The forms available for Portuguese citizenship application vary as you will be given the form that suits your individual situation. Also, add all the required documents before you mail them.

You need to follow the instructions the Central Registry Office will provide to guide you in filling out the form.

Rights of Portuguese Citizens

After you have obtained your Portuguese citizenship, you will be entitled to the rights that Portuguese nationals enjoy. You can access and enjoy work opportunities, social security, study programs, the right to vote and be voted for during elections, etc.

Free Movement in the EU

You will obtain a Portuguese passport once you become a citizen of the country. With this passport, you can enter many countries of the world without a visa.

If you enjoy traveling, your status as a Portuguese citizen will grant you entry into the countries in the Schengen region. You will not be restricted to visit those countries for 90 days.

Quality of Life

The quality of life in Portugal has attracted so many tourists from all over the world. The beautiful cities of Portugal, low crime rates, tourist spots, affordable cost of living, and culture have made Portugal become one of the best destinations for expats and their families.

Reside in Other EU Countries

You may decide to stay in any EU country of your choice as a Portuguese citizen. You will only be required to register as a resident of an EU country if you intend to stay there for more than 90 days.

But if you wish to stay for more than 90 days, you must register as that country’s resident and get a Certificate of Registration.

Free Healthcare

The Portuguese healthcare services are regarded as one of the best in the world. Portuguese citizens can access the country’s free national healthcare services.

As a Portuguese citizen with the country’s passport, you will receive a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This card will enable you to access free healthcare in any EU country.

Tax Benefits

Canadian nationals who are also Portuguese citizens will not be taxed two times for incomes they make from outside the country. This is possible due to the double taxation agreement Portugal has with Canada which protects the income of Canadian citizens from being taxed in Portugal and in Canada at the same time.