Portugal Citizenship by Descent

Moving to another country is one thing. Getting citizenship in another country, in most cases, is quite another. There are several ways you can apply for citizenship in Portugal, but if you have any Portuguese ancestry, you might be able to apply for Portugal citizenship by descent. Here’s what that means, and how you could apply if you qualify.

Portugal Citizenship

Like most countries, Portugal has different levels of “legal status,” and each one has varying degrees of difficulty to get and legal rights.

First, there’s the visitor visa. This is the kind of visa tourists from certain countries use when they arrive. Some countries are exempt from needing a visitor visa, but people who enter Portugal for a short period, usually as a tourist, fall into this category. You can’t stay for a long time as a visitor, and you can’t work or go to school.

Next, there’s a temporary resident visa. This allows you to live, work and attend school in Portugal for a certain amount of time. Temporary resident permits can usually be renewed at the end of their validity period. This is the kind of permit you get when you apply for a Portugal golden visa.

Then there’s permanent residence. This does not need to be renewed and allows you to live, work and study in Portugal indefinitely. Temporary residents are usually eligible to apply for permanent residence after they have been in the country for a certain amount of time.

Finally, there’s citizenship. This is almost like being born in Portugal and will get you a Portuguese passport and all the rights and responsibilities that people who are born in Portugal have.

How to Apply to Portugal Citizenship by Descent?

If you have one or more parent or grandparent who was born in Portugal and was a Portuguese citizen, then you are eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship by descent. You can apply for this at any age, provided you can prove that you have Portuguese ancestry within the past two generations.

What Are the Documents and Requirements to Request Portuguese Nationality?

As mentioned before, applying for Portuguese citizenship by descent is an option if you have a parent or grandparent who was born in Portugal and was a citizen by birth.

You might also be eligible if you were born in Portugal, and your parents had legal status at the time.

You might even be able to apply if your great grandparent was a citizen if your parent or grandparent applies for citizenship in Portugal first – which would give you a relationship with a Portuguese citizen within the two-generation limit.

The most important thing you will need to do is gather documentation that proves your relationship to the person you are using to support your claim of citizenship by descent. That usually means birth certificates and marriage certificates.

You will need to complete forms and provide proof of your claim at a Portuguese consulate or an office of the Portuguese immigration department. They will verify your claim and decide if you are eligible to get a Portuguese passport by descent.

How to Prove It?

Proving that you have a direct link to a parent or grandparent who is or was a Portuguese citizen is how you prove the validity of your claim. That means being able to produce birth and marriage certificates that prove your relationship with that person.

Who can Request Portuguese Nationality?

It is not only people who have a parent or grandparent who might consider applying for Portuguese citizenship. There are several other ways you could successfully apply for Portuguese citizenship, such as:

• If you have been a legal resident of Portugal for five years or more
• If you are married to a Portuguese citizen
• If you are of Sephardic Jewish origin

In all cases, you need to prove to the Portuguese government that you are not a risk to their existing citizens. That means not having a criminal record, not having served a foreign military voluntarily, not having ties to terrorist organizations and in most cases, not having served your country as a public servant.

Processing time

Unfortunately, processing Portuguese citizenship applications is not usually a quick process. You can expect to wait at least one or two years before you hear if you are approved or not. This is because there are so many departments involved and so many checks that have to be made.

The good news is that the application fee is not very high – usually only about 200 Euros, so you won’t have to make a big investment to start your application.

FAQ

Can I keep my original citizenship when I become a citizen of Portugal?

Yes. Portugal allows dual citizenship, which means provided your home country allows dual citizenship too, you can remain a citizen of your original country when you get your Portuguese passport.

Can my children become Portuguese citizens too?

Yes. Usually, when one member of a family successfully applies for citizenship in Portugal, their spouse and children are eligible to apply for citizenship too.

Do I need to prove my language ability?

Not always. Some people who apply for citizenship by descent might be asked to prove their language ability, but not everyone.

Can I get citizenship through the golden visa program?

Yes, if you don’t qualify for Portuguese citizenship by descent, you can apply under other processes, and one of those is if you successfully applied for the golden visa program and have been a resident for five years.

Do I have to live in Portugal when I am a citizen?

No. While there are residency requirements to become a permanent resident or citizen, once you are a citizen, you don’t need to live in Portugal to maintain your citizenship.

Is Portuguese citizenship by descent easy to get?

That depends on how well your family history is documented. If you don’t have easy access to documents like birth certificates and marriage certificates, you could have some trouble gathering all the information you needed.