Portugal and other EU countries tighten their citizenship rules

Portugal’s new citizenship law extends the required residence period from 5 to 7 years for citizens of the European Union and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). For all other applicants, the period increases to 10 years.

Applicants must prove they have sufficient financial means to live in Portugal. They are also required to pass an exam on the Portuguese language, culture, history, and national symbols.

Children of foreign nationals will be eligible for citizenship if one parent has legally lived in Portugal for at least 5 years.

Naturalisation period will now be calculated from the date the residence permit card is issued, rather than from the date the application is submitted, as was previously the case.

Portugal will revoke citizenship for serious crimes punishable by 4 or more years in prison. This measure applies to all citizens who obtained their Portuguese passport less than 10 years ago.

Portugal’s new citizenship law will come into force the day after it is published in the official gazette Diário da República[5]. Before that, the document must be signed by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who has the power to veto the law or refer it to the Constitutional Court.

No transitional period is planned. The new law will apply to all applications submitted after it enters into force.

Before the vote, the Socialist Party (PS) proposed its own amendments to the citizenship law. Members of parliament suggested:

• extending the naturalisation period to 5 years for citizens of the European Union and Portuguese-speaking countries, and to 7 years for all other applicants;

• granting citizenship by birth only if at least one parent has legally resided in Portugal for a minimum of 1 year;

• counting the entire waiting time for a government decision as part of the residence period;

• abolishing the mechanism for revoking citizenship.

The party also proposed introducing a transitional period to keep the current law in force until 31 December 2026 for foreigners who meet the requirements and submit their applications before that date[6].

How many foreign nationals live in Portugal?

As of 31 December 2024, more than 1.5 million foreign nationals were living in Portugal[7]. Brazilians make up 31.4% of all foreign residents. They are followed by citizens of:

• India — 98,616 residents;

• Angola — 92,348;

• Ukraine — 79,232;

• Cabo Verde — 65,507;

• Nepal — 58,086;

• Bangladesh — 55,199;

• United Kingdom — 48,238;

• Guinea-Bissau — 47,252;

• Pakistan — 41,508;

• São Tomé and Príncipe — 40,112;

• Italy — 40,021.

Most foreign nationals live in Lisbon, Faro, Setúbal, and Porto. These cities account for 71% of the migrant population.

The number of residence permits issued rose by 60% in 2025, with 386,463 foreigners granted residency between January and October[8].

Beyond Portugal, several other EU countries also plan to tighten naturalisation requirements.

Germany

German parliament has abolished the fast-track naturalisation route, which allowed applicants to obtain a passport after 3 years instead of 5. The vote took place on October 8th, 2025[9].

Under the former fast-track route, applicants had to demonstrate German at C1 level and show notable professional or academic achievements in Germany.

Netherlands

Netherlands plans to extend the naturalisation period from 5 to 10 years. Lawmakers argue that this will strengthen applicants’ connection with the country and support their full integration into society.

The cabinet approved the proposal at the end of September 2025[10]. It will now be subject to a two-month public consultation before being submitted to the Council of State.

Poland

Poland plans to introduce a mandatory citizenship test. It will consist of 40 questions and be held twice a year[11].

Applicants will also need to prove their Polish language proficiency at a minimum level of B2.

The bill is currently still in the drafting stage.

The most common route to citizenship is naturalisation. To qualify for a passport, applicants must legally reside in the country for the required number of years and pass a language test.

In some countries, such as Greece, Germany, and France, applicants must also take an additional exam covering history, culture, and the fundamentals of the political system.

Obtaining a residence permit is the first step towards citizenship by naturalisation. EU countries grant residency status to investors, digital nomads, entrepreneurs, and financially independent individuals.

To apply for citizenship in Portugal, Greece, Spain, and France, residents must spend at least 183 days per year in the country. 

Portugal offers an exception for investors, allowing them to maintain their status with just 7 days of stay per year.

In Hungary, residents must not leave the country for more than 45 days per year during the 8 years before applying.

In Cyprus, applicants may not be absent for more than 90 days in the final year before submitting their citizenship application.

In Malta, applicants must have lived continuously in the country for 12 months prior to applying, and for a total of 4 out of the preceding 6 years.