Portuguese nationality: implementing legislation approved by the Council of Ministers
On 29 October 2026, the Council of Ministers approved a decree-law implementing the new Nationality Law and setting out the requirements for the attribution and acquisition of Portuguese nationality. According…
On 29 October 2026, the Council of Ministers approved a decree-law implementing the new Nationality Law and setting out the requirements for the attribution and acquisition of Portuguese nationality.
According to the official statement, the legislation will regulate:
▪️ Tests assessing knowledge of the Portuguese language, culture, history and institutions;
▪️ The requirement to demonstrate sufficient means of subsistence;
▪️ The declaration of commitment to the principles of a democratic state governed by the rule of law;
▪️ The procedure for collecting biometric data.
The Government has also announced measures to simplify and digitalise applications, through information sharing between public authorities and document retrieval, with the aim of reducing bureaucracy and speeding up decisions.
📌 What does this approval mean for those planning to apply for Portuguese nationality?
The decree-law has not yet been published in the Portuguese Official Gazette (Diário da República). Approval by the Council of Ministers does not mean that it has entered into force.
The published text will need to be examined to assess the specific conditions of application, the required procedures and any transitional provisions. The statement alone does not establish how all the announced measures will operate in practice.
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