The Partido Socialista (PS) has submitted formal amendments to the Portuguese nationality bill, proposing five years of legal residence for citizens of the European Union and CPLP nations, and seven years for nationals of other countries — replacing the government’s earlier ten-year proposal.
According to the draft, the distinction is meant to preserve Portugal’s openness to Portuguese-language countries while raising the bar for other applicants. The proposal frames citizenship as “an instrument of integration” and keeps the route predictable for residents already settled.
If approved, this reform could reshape Portugal’s naturalisation landscape and signal a new era of selective openness.
“Counting Residency Time & Legal Delays: PS Pushes Administrative Safeguards in Citizenship Reform”
The PS’s legislative draft introduces a crucial change in how residence time is counted toward citizenship — covering periods when applicants await authorisation due to administrative delays.
Under Article 15 of the draft, the countdown begins when the legally mandated deadline for residence authorisation has been exceeded — even if the permit is still being processed. This aims to remove penalties for applicants who are victims of bureaucratic lag. The PS describes the change as “predictability for long-term residents”.
Combined with requirements limiting revocation and reinforcing equality, these tweaks reflect a broader push to bring Portuguese nationality law in line with constitutional norms.