Thousands of people worldwide are looking for ways to get their hands on a Portuguese passport and enjoy the perks that come with it. Being one of the most powerful passports in the world, the Portuguese passport attracts many families, investors, expats, and digital nomads.
Although the process of acquiring a passport can be long and complicated, you can get through it in a breeze with the right set of information. This blog post will cover the topics such as;
- How to get a Portuguese Passport?
- What are the benefits of Portuguese citizenship?
- Does Portugal allow dual citizenship?
鈥nd a lot more. Enjoy the read!
Benefits of Having a Portugal Passport
Portuguese citizenship comes with several benefits. Moreover, the Portuguese passport is one of the highly ranked passports globally that allows you visa-free access to many countries worldwide.
Travel, Live, Work, and Study in the EU
With a Portuguese passport, you can freely travel in the Schengen zone without any additional visa requirements. Moreover, since Portugal is an EU nation, you鈥檝e got the right to live, work and study anywhere in any of the countries within the EU.
Get Free Access to Quality Healthcare and Schooling
You can enjoy free education in some of the world鈥檚 premier institutions or take advantage of government-sponsored healthcare programs that offer coverage at any time, anywhere across Europe.
Fantastic Quality of Life
Portugal is a great place to live. Thanks to its climate, safe environment, and rich cuisine, it serves as a great country to live in.
Participate in Employment
You can enjoy full-time or part-time employment opportunities with your Portuguese citizenship without any additional Portugal work permit.
Low Cost of Living
The living expenses in Portugal are relatively affordable than any other country in Europe.
Portuguese Citizenship for Life
Finally, a Portugal passport is your permanent identity for holding Portuguese citizenship for life.
Portugal Passport “Power”
The Portuguese passport ranks fourth in the world for visa-free access. As of 2024, Portuguese passport holders can travel to 191 countries without requiring a visa.
Portuguese Passport Requirements
If you鈥檙e already a resident of Portugal, you鈥檙e required to have spent at least five years in the country. This includes one year of permanent residence.
Apart from that, you will be required to present the following:
- SEF certified criminal record. This will also serve as proof of your legal residence in Portugal for five years.
- Fluency in the Portuguese language.
- Clean health record.
- Evidence of your Portuguese residency.
In order to obtain Portuguese citizenship, you鈥檙e also required to pass a simple A2 language test. The government created the CIPLE exam in 2006 and tests applicants on their ability to understand and use everyday Portuguese expressions.
It鈥檚 not too tricky if you鈥檙e already familiar with European languages, but it can be challenging for native English speakers.
Please note that if your spouse is Portuguese, you might be eligible to get your passport after three years of marriage. With this route, there is no residence requirement.
How To Apply For a Portuguese Passport
As an expat, there are three most common routes to Portuguese citizenship mentioned below.
1. Portuguese Passport Through Marriage
In Portugal, you can get citizenship through marriage after three years of being married to a Portuguese citizen. Besides, there鈥檚 no minimum residency requirement for any prior period in the country.
However, you鈥檙e required to provide documents to prove your relationship and union with the Portuguese community.
Even if you divorce or separate in the future, your Portuguese citizenship won鈥檛 be revoked.
2. Portuguese Citizen By Descent
Those acquiring citizenship by descent or birth are Portuguese descendants if,
- You have a parent born in Portugal.
- Your parents are serving the Portuguese state.
- You were born abroad to foreign parents, but at least one of them has their birth registered in Portugal.
3. Portugal Passport By Investment
Another route to a Portugal passport is the Portugal Golden Visa program designed to attract foreign investment. This visa scheme speeds up the process for foreigners and non-EU/EFTA citizens looking to obtain a residence permit in Portugal and claim citizenship by investing in that country.
Portugal鈥檚 Citizenship Law was approved by the president of Portugal in February 2024. Portuguese Golden Visa applicants will count the 鈥榓pplication waiting period鈥� from the 5-year citizenship period. That means that regardless of when the residency application was approved, the 5-year period will begin on the date of the initial application. The law will be official soon.
Through this program, the passport is granted to people who invest in Portugal. This citizenship process is called naturalization.
Portuguese Passport Processing Time
The Portuguese passport processing time is usually five business days once you鈥檝e submitted all the documents and you鈥檝e met all the residence requirements.
However, in emergency cases and authentic pleas, the processing time gets shortened to two to three working days. In this case, you might be charged some extra fee.
Dual Citizenship in Portugal
The Portuguese government allows foreigners to become citizens in the country without giving up their original citizenship.
So, if you鈥檙e looking for a new country to call home and have dual citizenship, Portugal is an excellent choice. But, you鈥檙e required to check with your native country whether it permits dual citizenship. If it does, you can keep both. If not, you鈥檒l have to choose between the two.
Portuguese Passport Eligibility
After a minimum of five years of living with a Portuguese investment visa, you can apply for citizenship. To do so, you鈥檙e required to take a Portuguese test. You can take the test at any time before your application is complete.
Ever since the UK voted to leave the EU, the British people have been looking for ways to live in Portugal as a UK citizen on a permanent basis.
Renewing a Portuguese Passport
The Portugal passport has a span of five years and you can get it renewed. Therefore, if your passport is due to expire in the next six months, you can apply for a replacement.
Note that when your passport expires, you can鈥檛 get it renewed. Furthermore, you will need to go through the entire passport obtaining process all over again.
In addition, the Portuguese passport renewal costs 鈧�100. But do note that if you鈥檙e applying for an early renewal, no matter what the reason is (a stolen or lost passport), you will be required to pay an additional fee.
Passport Costs
The application fee for citizenship ranges from 鈧�175鈥�250, depending on which category you鈥檙e applying under. For instance, children eligible for citizenship through descent can apply for a Portuguese passport for free.
In a different scenario, the passport costs around 鈧�100 to get if you鈥檙e applying for Portuguese citizenship abroad. However, a typical application will cost just 鈧�65, but this varies according to where you鈥檙e from and your personal situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I qualify for a Portuguese passport?
The requirements to get a Portuguese passport may include the visa type you hold, investment options, residency permit period, and a language test. It also depends on your conditions and nationality.
Does buying a house in Portugal give you residency?
As of October 2023, Golden Visa applicants can no longer have Portugal residency through real estate investment in Portugal.
Does Portugal have citizenship by investment program?
Portugal offers residency by investment program. After five-years period, you can be eligible for Portuguese citizenship.
