The Portuguese Parliament has accepted for discussion a public petition that urges the country to formally recognize the waiting time in immigration procedures as part of the legal-residence period required to obtain Portuguese nationality — a change that could impact thousands of migrants who have spent years in administrative limbo.
The initiative, led by Brazilian lawyer Priscila Nazareth Ferreira, gathered more than 7,800 signatures, surpassing the threshold needed to bring the matter before lawmakers. The petition now moves to the Committee on Rights, Liberties and Guarantees, where MP Pedro Delgado Alves of the Socialist Party has been appointed as rapporteur.
At the heart of the petition lies a simple but powerful claim: that the months — often years — migrants spend waiting for their residence permits to be approved should count toward the five-year legal residency requirement for nationality. Although Portugal amended its Nationality Law in April 2024 to allow these waiting periods to be included, the petition argues that the change remains inconsistently applied, leaving many unable to advance their citizenship applications despite having already fulfilled the intended timeline.
Priscila stresses that without clear national protocols, digital verification mechanisms, and uniform guidance across all state bodies, the reform exists “more in writing than in practice.” She also calls for protective measures to ensure that individuals who already qualify under the new rule cannot be disadvantaged by future administrative or legislative changes.
The parliamentary debate is expected to give migrants and legal experts a forum to clarify the gaps between the law’s promise and its real-world execution. Priscila herself is likely to be invited to testify, offering firsthand insight into the human impact of bureaucratic delays.
As Portugal continues to position itself as an open, welcoming nation, this petition casts a gentle but persistent light on a truth long felt by immigrant communities: that waiting is not absence — it is part of the journey, part of the commitment, and deserves to be recognized in the path toward belonging.