Portuguese Nationality

Among other possibilities, Portuguese nationality can be mainly obtained by:

Portuguese nationality by origin (“Atribuição da nacionalidade”)

  1. Children of Portuguese mother or father born in Portuguese territory or abroad;
  2. Individuals born abroad with at least one ascendant of Portuguese nationality of the 2nd degree of the direct line (grandmother or grandfather) that has not lost such nationality;
  3. Individuals born in Portuguese territory who are children of foreign nationals if at least one of the parents was also born in Portugal and is resident here at the time of birth;
  4. Individuals born in Portuguese territory who are children of foreign nationals provided that at the time of birth one of the parents has been legally resident in Portugal for at least 2 years;
  5. Individuals born in Portuguese territory who do not have other nationality.

Portuguese nationality by acquisition (“Aquisição da nacionalidade”)

  1. Foreign nationals that have been married (or in partnership) with a Portuguese national for more than 3 years;
  2. Individuals adopted by a Portuguese national;
  3. Minors or incapable children of parents who acquired Portuguese nationality;
  4. Individuals that have been legally resident in Portugal for at least 5 years;
  5. Minors born in Portuguese territory who are children of foreign nationals if one of the parents has been resident in Portugal for at least the last five years or if the minor has concluded at least one cycle of basic education or secondary education;
  6. Individuals who had and lost Portuguese nationality but never acquired another nationality;
  7. Individuals born in Portuguese territory who have been resident in Portugal for at least 5 years and that are children of foreign nationals that use to reside in Portugal when they were born;
  8. Individuals who had the Portuguese nationality, deemed descendants of Portuguese, members of communities of Portuguese ascendency and foreign nationals who provided or will be called to provide relevant services to the Portuguese State;
  9. Individuals who are descendants of Portuguese Sephardic Jews;
  10. Individuals who are ascendants of Portuguese citizens by origin and have been living in Portugal at least for the last 5 years.