Want to become a Portuguese citizen? Whether you’re living in Portugal on a visa or have Portuguese ancestry, Portuguese citizenship opens doors to European Union rights, visa-free travel, and dual nationality.
At Borderless Lawyers, we help expats, investors, and families secure Portuguese citizenship with full legal guidance and support at every step.
🎓 Why Get Portuguese Citizenship?
✔️ EU Citizenship — live, work, and study anywhere in the EU
✔️ Visa-Free Travel — access to 190+ countries with a Portuguese passport
✔️ Dual Citizenship Allowed — keep your original nationality
✔️ Permanent status — no more visa renewals
✔️ Pass it on — citizenship by descent for your children
🔑 Main Pathways to Portuguese Citizenship
There are several ways to obtain Portuguese citizenship:
1. 🕔 Citizenship by Naturalization (After 5 Years)
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Legal residence in Portugal for 5 years
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Basic Portuguese language skills (A2 level)
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Clean criminal record
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Integration into Portuguese society
2. 🧬 Citizenship by Descent
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Parent or grandparent is/was Portuguese
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No residency requirement (in most cases)
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Documentation proving lineage is essential
3. 💍 Citizenship by Marriage
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Married to a Portuguese citizen for 3+ years
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Must prove genuine connection to Portugal
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Language knowledge recommended
4. 🏛️ Citizenship for Sephardic Jewish Descendants (Restricted)
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Historical ancestry from Portuguese Sephardic Jewish communities
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Criteria have recently tightened significantly
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Legal guidance essential
📝 Requirements for Citizenship by Naturalization
To apply, you must:
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✅ Have legally lived in Portugal for at least 5 years
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✅ Provide passport and residence permit
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✅ Prove knowledge of Portuguese (A2 level)
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✅ Provide a criminal background check
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✅ Show integration into Portuguese society
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✅ Pay a government application fee
💡 Time spent under D7, D8, D2, or Golden Visa counts toward your 5 years—if legal and continuous.
🗣️ Language Requirement (Portuguese A2)
You’ll need to prove basic Portuguese language skills (A2 CEFR level). Accepted proof includes:
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📘 CIPLE exam (Certificado Inicial de Português Língua Estrangeira)
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✅ Certificate from an A2-level Portuguese language course
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🏫 Educational diploma issued in Portuguese
🕒 Processing Time
The process takes time—but is worth the wait:
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📬 Application review: 12–24 months
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🪪 After approval: receive Portuguese citizenship certificate
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🛂 Then apply for a Portuguese passport
👨👩👧👦 Family Citizenship Options
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Children under 18 born in Portugal to foreign parents (with 1+ year residence) may apply
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Children of citizens automatically qualify
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Spouses/partners can apply after 3 years of marriage/cohabitation
🛡️ Why Use Borderless Lawyers?
Citizenship law is complex—our team offers:
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✅ Step-by-step legal guidance
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✅ Document preparation and translation
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✅ Language exam registration support
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✅ Legalization and apostille support
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✅ Family-based application strategies
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✅ Follow-up with the Portuguese authorities (IRN)
We work with clients worldwide and handle even the most complex citizenship cases with care and precision.
🌍 Who We Help
We’ve helped clients from:
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🇧🇷 Brazil
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🇺🇸 USA
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🇿🇦 South Africa
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🇮🇳 India
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🇬🇧 UK
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🇨🇳 China
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🇷🇺 Russia
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🇦🇺 Australia
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🇳🇬 Nigeria
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🇲🇽 Mexico
🚀 Ready to Apply for Portuguese Citizenship?
📩 Contact Borderless Lawyers today to check your eligibility and start your application. Whether you’ve lived in Portugal for 5 years or have Portuguese ancestry, we’ll guide you every step of the way.