The Portuguese Parliament has recently passed amendments to the Nationality Law which include significant changes to the calculation of the 5-year residency requirement for applying for Portuguese nationality. Previously, the 5-year period would only commence from the date the residency was granted, leading to unfairness for many residents due to delays and backlog in processing residency applications.
The recent amendments include the waiting period for residency application in the 5-year residency requirement for nationality. This means that the waiting period for residency approval or card issuance will not be disregarded, and the date of submission of the residency application will be considered.
For example, an individual who applied for residency in March 2019 but had to wait for 18 months for approval, receiving their first residency card only in October 2021, can now apply for nationality in March 2024. An individual who applies for residency now can be assured that they can apply for nationality in 2029, irrespective of any potential delays in the processing of the residency application.
This is great news for anyone who has applied for or obtained a Portuguese residency, as it rectifies an unfair situation created due to delays in processing residency applications by the Authorities. The new law will be effective one month after its publication in the Official Gazette, following Presidential ratification.
Source: portugalimmigrationnews.com