Portuguese nationality after the Golden Visa: what to check under the 2026 law
If you hold a Portuguese investment residence permit (ARI), check the nationality rules separately before planning a naturalisation application. Start with your nationality documents, your periods of lawful residence and any receipt for a nationality procedure. The relevant dates depend on the legal route and the records in your case.
The ordinary naturalisation residence periods
Portugal’s Organic Law 1/2026 was published on 18 May 2026 and took effect the following day. Under Article 6(1) of the amended Nationality Law, ordinary naturalisation requires at least seven years of lawful residence for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries and citizens of EU member states, or ten years for nationals of other countries. Applicants must also meet the other conditions in that provision, which include age and knowledge requirements. If you hold more than one nationality, gather the relevant documents and confirm which category applies to you.
Check which procedure was pending on 19 May 2026
Article 7 of the amending law applies the previous version of the Nationality Law to administrative procedures pending when the new law took effect. For a naturalisation case, check the nationality application receipt and the procedure status on that date. Keep ARI applications, renewals and fund subscription confirmations in separate sections of your file so they can be checked against the correct process.
For example, an investor may have subscribed before the law changed and have held an ARI card for several years without submitting a nationality application. Record the investment and residence milestones, then check whether a nationality procedure existed and which law governs it.
Bring a dated record to the review
Collect the residence application and approval records, card issue and expiry dates, renewal receipts, evidence of lawful residence and any nationality correspondence. Mark any gaps or overlapping records. Ask the appropriate Portuguese professional to confirm which residence periods count, how to assess gaps and whether the transitional provision applies. Continue checking the requirements of your existing ARI permit while any other procedure is pending.
卓越移民 Premiervisa Group can help organise a timeline and identify the questions to check with the appropriate Portuguese professionals.
Sources checked 11 November 2026
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