CHANGES TO PORTUGAL'S NATIONALITY LAW

​​Portugal's Parliament has recently changed the Nationality Law, making it easier in some respects for a foreigner to become a Portuguese citizen. The changes came into force yesterday, although they still await the necessary changes to the corresponding regulations in order to become fully effective. The main changes are as follows:

- A foreigner who has held legal Portuguese residency for 5 years (formerly 6) may apply for Portuguese citizenship provided the other legal requirements are met.

- For the application for citizenship by someone married to, or living as a life partner of, a Portuguese citizen, it is no longer required to show an effective connection of the applicant to Portugal in the event the couple has a child who is a Portuguese citizen.

​- An individual born in Portugal to foreign parents shall be deemed an originary Portuguese citizen provided that on the date of the birth one of the parents has been a Portugal legal resident for at least 2 years (down from the 5 years that were formerly required).