Portuguese Citizenship: Guide for UK Nationals

UK nationals are increasingly seeking Portuguese citizenship due to the country’s welcoming environment, great climate, affordable cost of living, and the opportunity it provides to gain EU citizenship.

While some UK citizens may be able to claim Portuguese nationality automatically, most will have to fulfil some residency requirements, depending on the citizenship route.

If you’ve continuously lived in Portugal or held a resident permit for at least 5 years, you can apply for permanent residency or citizenship, provided you meet all other requirements. You must submit a naturalisation application to the Institute of Registries and Notaries in Portugal.

Portuguese citizenship grants you the freedom to travel, live, and work anywhere in the EU without requiring visas or permits. Portugal allows dual/multiple citizenships, so you can maintain your existing nationality when you obtain Portuguese citizenship.

Page Contents

• Applying for Citizenship in Portugal
• Options to Obtain Portuguese Citizenship
• Portuguese Citizenship by Birth
• Portuguese Citizenship by Descent
• Portuguese Citizenship through Marriage
• Portugal Citizenship by Investment
• Portugal Citizenship by Naturalisation/Residency
• Other Options to Get Citizenship in Portugal
• Requirements and Documentation for Portuguese Citizenship Application
• How to Apply for Portuguese Citizenship: Application Process
• Application Cost for Portuguese Citizenship
• How Long Does it Take to Get Portuguese Citizenship?
• Portuguese Language Test Requirements: What You Need to Know
• Obtaining a Portuguese Passport
• Benefits of Acquiring Citizenship in Portugal
• How Can Our Portugal Citizenship Lawyers Help
• Frequently Asked Questions

British nationals have several options for obtaining Portuguese citizenship. The ideal pathway depends on individual circumstances, such as place of birth, ancestry, and financial situation.

There are 5 main pathways to acquiring Portuguese nationality. They are:

• Birth
• Descent
• Marriage
• Naturalisation
• Investment

Each pathway has its specific requirements, eligibility criteria, and timeline for acquiring citizenship. We’ll look at these in detail in the next sections.

Children born to Portuguese nationals in Portugal automatically receive Portuguese citizenship. If you were born to at least one Portuguese parent abroad (including in the UK), you can still claim Portuguese citizenship, regardless of whether you received a different nationality at birth.

You can apply for a Portuguese passport at the Portuguese embassy or consulate in your country of residence. You’ll need to provide your birth certificate and that of your Portuguese parent as proof of your entitlement to Portuguese nationality.

If you were born in Portugal to non-Portuguese parents, you’ll automatically receive Portuguese citizenship if at least one of your parents has legally resided in Portugal for up to one year. However, the proposed changes to Portuguese nationality laws seek to increase the parental residency period to 5 years. The changes are currently being contested and haven’t been signed into law.

Once the new law is signed, children born to foreign nationals in Portugal will only automatically receive Portuguese citizenship if at least one of their parents has been residing in Portugal with a valid residency permit for 5 years.

You can claim Portuguese citizenship if you were born abroad but have close Portuguese ancestry, i.e., one of your parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents is a Portuguese national. If you have a Portuguese parent, you may automatically acquire Portuguese citizenship upon registration of your birth at the Portuguese embassy or consulate.

If you’re claiming Portuguese citizenship by descent through a grandparent or great-grandparent, you’ll need to prove continuous lineage to your Portuguese ancestor and their nationality (their birth and marriage certificates). Your ancestors must have maintained an unbroken line of Portuguese nationality by registering births and marriages at the Portuguese embassy/consulate in their country of residence.

You must also have at least A2 proficiency in the Portuguese language and demonstrate strong cultural, economic, or social connections to Portugal.

You can apply for Portuguese citizenship if you’ve been married to or in a registered partnership or a de facto union with a Portuguese citizen for at least 3 years. You’ll have to provide evidence of your relationship with the Portuguese national and demonstrate strong social, cultural, or economic ties to Portugal (if you live abroad).

Proving a relationship is easier if you’re married or are in a civil partnership with a Portuguese national. You simply need to provide your government-issued marriage certificate or civil partnership registration document.

If you’re applying for citizenship as a de facto partner of a Portuguese national, you must provide proof that you live together and have been doing so for at least 3 years. Evidence can include rental agreements, utility payments, or bank statements showing that you both share the same address.

You can only apply for Portuguese citizenship by marriage while the relationship subsists. If you get divorced or break up your relationship, you cannot apply for citizenship even if your marriage/relationship lasted more than 3 years. However, if you get divorced/separated after you’ve submitted a citizenship application, your application will be processed normally regardless of your current relationship status.

Portugal’s residency by investment program, popularly called  ‘the golden visa program,’ is one of the easiest pathways to obtaining Portuguese nationality. While it doesn’t automatically confer Portuguese citizenship, it allows you to apply for citizenship after 5 years with very minimal residency requirements.

The investment residency scheme grants Portuguese residency to foreign nationals in exchange for a substantial investment in the Portuguese economy. There are several investment options to choose from. You can make either of the following investments.

• €500,000 in an approved investment fund
• Donate €250,000 to a scientific research or cultural preservation project
• Invest €500,000 in a new Portuguese business that’ll create 5 permanent jobs or create 10 jobs.

You can include your immediate family members (spouse, dependent children under 26, and financially dependent parents) on your investment residency application. Once your application is approved, you and each family member included on your application will receive residence permits valid for 2 years, which can be renewed without any further investment.

Portugal golden visa holders are only required to stay in Portugal for 7 days per year, and after 5 years, they can apply for Portuguese citizenship. Your Portuguese residency starts counting from the date you submit your residence permit application.

However, this will change with the new amendment to the Portuguese Nationality Law. Once the law is signed and published, residency for naturalisation applications will start counting from the date of issuance of your first residence permit. The residency requirement will also increase from 5 years to 10 years for UK nationals.

Citizenship by naturalisation is the most common route for foreign nationals to acquire Portuguese citizenship.

UK nationals who have lived in Portugal for at least 5 years under valid residence permits can apply for naturalisation as Portuguese citizens. You must not have stayed outside Portugal for 6 consecutive months during the 5 years. This pathway ensures foreign nationals fully integrate into Portuguese society and build strong ties before granting them citizenship.

In addition to being resident in Portugal for at least 5 years, you must also demonstrate proficiency in the Portuguese language to at least the A2 level to qualify for citizenship by naturalisation. You may also be required to pass a test of Portuguese culture. You must also have a clean criminal background record throughout your stay in Portugal.

Approved changes to the Portuguese citizenship law recommend an increase in the residency requirement for naturalisation. If the approved changes are passed into law, the residency requirement will increase from 5 years to 7 years for CLCP and UK nationals and 10 years for other foreign nationals, including UK citizens. The residency period will also start counting from the date of issuance of the initial residence permit.

You can apply for Portuguese citizenship online, at the Civil Registry, or at the Portuguese Consulate nearest to you (if applying from abroad). If you’re applying online, you’ll need a Portuguese lawyer or solicitor to help you complete the online application.

If you’re applying from inside Portugal, you can submit your application in any of the following places.

• Institute of Registries and Notaries (IRN)
• National Support Centre for the Integration of Migrants (CNAIM) in Lisbon or Porto
• Central Registry Office in Lisbon.
• Nationality Desks at Citizen Shops

The process for obtaining Portuguese citizenship is quite straightforward, although collecting the required supporting documents can be taxing. The Portuguese application process is as follows.

• Complete and sign the citizenship application form. You can find this form on the Portuguese government’s website (gov.pt). Download the form and fill in all required sections accurately.
• Gather supporting documents required to prove your eligibility for Portuguese citizenship. Ideally, you should gather all these documents before starting your citizenship application to avoid last-minute scrambling and refusal.
• Pay the required fee and submit the completed application form along with the required supporting documentation.

The Civil Registry Office will evaluate your citizenship application to determine whether you meet all the requirements for citizenship. If your application is approved, you will receive an official letter confirming your new status as a Portuguese citizen.

If your application is refused, the Registry Office will send you a letter notifying you of the outcome of your application and explaining the reasons for the refusal.

Applying for Portuguese citizenship comes with some financial costs. Here’s the breakdown of the application cost for Portuguese citizenship.

• Standard application fee – €250
• Children (under 18) and disabled – €175
• For citizenship by descent for under 18s (for children of Portuguese citizens) – €175
• For citizenship by descent for under 18s (if parents are not Portuguese citizens/weren’t born in Portugal) – €225
• Citizenship through investment can cost anywhere from €250,000 to over €500,000, including costs of investment, visa application, residence permit applications, and legal fees.

Besides the application fee for the Portuguese citizenship application, you can expect to incur additional expenses on

• Document translations and legalisations
• Obtaining required documents like bank statements, criminal record certificates, and health certificates
• CIPLE language test – €85
• Legal fees if you hired a lawyer or immigration consultant to assist with your application.

Processing times for Portuguese citizenship applications vary depending on various factors such as your citizenship route, the volume of applications, the consulate you applied at, and whether there is a need for further documentation.

Portuguese citizenship applications typically take 6 months to over 24 months. Anecdotal evidence shows that citizenship by descent applications enjoy faster processing, with applicants receiving citizenship within 6 to 18 months. For other citizenship pathways, the average processing time is 24 months. You may be able to get expedited processing in exceptional circumstances.

The above-stated timeline does not include the residency period required for a citizenship application. Including the required residency period, the average timeline for obtaining Portuguese citizenship for most foreign nationals is 7 to 8 years. The timeline will increase to 9 to 12 years once the approved changes to Portuguese nationality law are signed.

Getting legal assistance for document gathering and application submission can speed up the application process; however, processing delays are common. The processing delays are largely due to the high volume of applications and paperwork issues. There may be further delays if there’s a need for additional supporting documents or an error in your application.

Portugal does not have an actual citizenship test. However, Portuguese nationality applicants must pass a Portuguese language test to prove they can understand, read, and write the Portuguese language. Applicants born in Portuguese-speaking countries who have nationality there are exempted from this requirement.

There are several providers of Portuguese language tests. However, the most popular test among British expats in Portugal is the CIPLE (Certificado Inicial de Português Língua Estrangeira). The test for this certificate lasts about 2 hours and comprises oral comprehension, oral expression, reading, and writing.

To pass the test, you must score at least 55% (A2 level), which corresponds to the A2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The CIPLE test costs €85.

Once your citizenship application is approved and you receive a letter confirming your Portuguese nationality, you will receive a Citizen’s Card, which makes you eligible to apply for a Portuguese passport. Portugal’s immigration laws require that Portuguese nationals leave and enter Portugal on Portuguese passports.

You can book an appointment to apply for a passport at a local registry office, a citizen’s shop, or at the nearest Portuguese consulate if you’re abroad. The appointment is usually booked online.

You’ll need to attend your appointment with a valid ID/proof of Portuguese nationality (your Citizen’s Card) and 2 recent passport-sized colour photographs. Your biometric data (photo and fingerprints) will be captured during the appointment. You’ll also pay an application fee.

The fees for Portugal passports are:

• €65 for standard passports
• €75 for e-passports
• €100 for applications at Portuguese consulates abroad

Acquiring Portuguese citizenship comes with lots of benefits for UK nationals. Portugal offers similar standards of living as the UK at more affordable costs and a higher quality of life. Some of the benefits of acquiring Portuguese citizenship include:

• EU Citizenship and Mobility: Obtaining Portuguese citizenship automatically grants you EU citizenship. And as an EU national, you have the right to travel to, live, study, work, or retire in any EU/EEA member country without needing additional visas or permits. It increases your global mobility and grants access to many stable economies for work and business opportunities.
• High Quality of Life: Portuguese citizenship enables you to enjoy a European quality of life, a pleasant climate, rich cuisine, cultural heritage, and a stunning environment at affordable costs. The cost of living in Portugal is more affordable than in most Central and Western EU countries.
• Access to Quality Healthcare and Education: Portuguese citizens enjoy free quality education and mostly free access to the high-quality public healthcare system.
• Dual Citizenship: Portugal allows dual nationality, allowing you to hold Portuguese citizenship without losing your UK nationality, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of both countries.

Transfer of Citizenship to Your Descendants: You can pass down your Portuguese citizenship to your children and future descendants. Depending on your path to citizenship, your spouse/partner and children may receive Portuguese citizenship at the same time as you, which your grandchildren will inherit.