Table of Contents
12 August 2026
Portugal Golden Visa - New Citizenship Laws!
Portugal’s nationality law was updated in May 2026, extending the time required to qualify for citizenship by naturalisation. This mainly affects the long-term citizenship timeline for Golden Visa holders. Under Organic Law No. 1/2026 (in force 19 May 2026): Citizenship now generally requires 10 years of legal residence (or 7 years for EU and CPLP nationals). The residence period is counted from the date the residence permit is issued. Additional requirements now apply, including knowledge of Portuguese language, culture, history, and civic principles. The new rules apply to applications submitted after 19 May 2026, while pending cases follow the previous law. The Golden Visa programme itself is unchanged. It continues to grant residence rights, including the ability to live and work in Portugal, with low minimum stay requirements. The main change is that the path to citizenship now takes longer under the updated nationality law. Applicants can still apply for citizenship once they meet the requirements in force at the time of application. The Golden Visa remains a flexible residence-by-investment programme, but the citizenship timeline is now longer and more structured under the 2026 law.