Portugal approves rules to apply its new nationality law

Portugal's Council of Ministers approved on 29 October 2026 the decree-law that regulates its revised nationality law, allowing the stricter rules to apply in full, ECO reported the same day. The text has not yet been published in the Diário da República, the official gazette, so the detailed rules and the start date are not yet public.

According to ECO, the decree sets out tests of Portuguese language, culture, history and institutions, a framework for showing means of subsistence and a declaration of adherence to the democratic rule of law. It also covers biometric data and more digital processing. Presidency minister António Leitão Amaro confirmed the residence periods already set by law: seven years for nationals of Portuguese-speaking (CPLP) countries and ten years for most others.

The government also named César Teixeira as president of AIMA, the migration and asylum body, and said AIMA attendances had risen by 60% in 2026. The nationality law itself has been in force since 19 May 2026. For golden visa holders, the longer route to citizenship is not new; what changes is how the tests and checks will work in practice.