Portugal’s citizenship wait time has been doubled to ten years, up from five years in the country’s latest immigration policy.
This development was announced by António Leitão Amaro, Portugal’s Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.
According to the Minister, this reform is part of a broader strategy of Portugal to streamline immigration and prioritize skilled talent.
The minister also stated that the move is designed to reorganise the entry of immigrants in a more orderly and sustainable way.
According to Amaro, the government’s objective is to attract qualified immigrants, emigrants, and their descendants, and investment immigration.
Aside from changes to Portugal’s citizenship time wait, Amaro added that the country would also enforce more demanding conditions for family reunification.
This policy is expected to affect migrants from non-European Union countries, with additional requirements such as Portuguese language proficiency and proof of economic independence expected to be introduced.
He attributed this move to the insufficiency of public services, which he said currently cannot meet the needs of the large influx of immigrants and their families.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that these immigration policies come days after Prime Minister Luís Montenegro was sworn in on June 15, 2025.
Recall also that in February 2024, Portugal, through the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), launched a digital portal designed to convert work permits into citizenship more efficiently.
For foreign workers, the reform allows individuals with valid employment contracts who have contributed to Portugal’s Social Security system for at least one month (before June 4, 2024) to benefit from the simplified residency process.
