Lisbon April 3, 2026 — Portugal’s Parliament has re-approved its proposed nationality law reform on April 1, 2026, marking a significant political step forward for a measure that has already faced judicial resistance. Backed by PSD, Chega, IL, and CDS-PP, the reform seeks to extend the residency requirement for citizenship from five years to ten years for most applicants, and to seven years for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries.
This vote comes after an earlier version of the law was partially blocked by the Constitutional Court and subsequently vetoed by the President. Lawmakers returned to the proposal, revised its content—particularly addressing concerns around retroactive application—and pushed it through Parliament once again.
While the re-approval signals strong political momentum, it does not settle the legal fate of the reform. The law has not yet entered into force and remains subject to presidential decision. The President now faces three options: promulgate the law, veto it again, or refer it once more to the Constitutional Court for further review.
A key legal question emerging from this stage is whether the reform can be reviewed again by the Court. Under Portugal’s constitutional framework, if Parliament re-approves a law in exactly the same form after a presidential veto, the President is generally obliged to promulgate it, and further per-enforcement constitutional review is not triggered. However, that scenario does not apply here.
In the case of the nationality law, Parliament did not simply confirm the previous version—it introduced revisions to address earlier constitutional objections. This distinction is decisive. Because the text has been modified, the reapproved measure is legally treated as a new decree rather than a mere confirmation of the old one. As a result, the President retains full authority to request another constitutional review before promulgation.
This procedural nuance keeps the reform within the reach of judicial scrutiny. The Constitutional Court had previously raised concerns about legal certainty and the protection of individuals already within the residency system. Although lawmakers have attempted to resolve some of these issues, questions remain—particularly regarding transitional protections for current residents and the broader impact of extending eligibility timelines.
Adding to the complexity is the apparent absence of comprehensive transitional safeguards in the reapproved version. Reports indicate that proposals to protect individuals already residing legally in Portugal were not fully incorporated into the final political agreement. This has intensified debate over whether the reform adequately respects constitutional principles, especially in relation to legitimate expectations.
For now, Portugal’s existing nationality framework remains in place, allowing citizenship applications after five years of legal residence. The newly re-approved reform stands at a critical threshold, awaiting presidential action that will determine whether it advances toward implementation or returns once again to constitutional examination.
In this moment between approval and enforcement, the law remains suspended—politically affirmed, yet legally unsettled. Its final shape will depend not only on parliamentary will, but on constitutional judgment in the days ahead.