Portugal Doubles Wait for Citizenship and Plans Faster Deportations

Portugal’s next nationality shake-up is no longer a rumour. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has confirmed that the cabinet signed off on sweeping changes aimed at curbing what he calls portugueses de ocasião—people who apply for citizenship when it is convenient and then disappear. Stricter residence thresholds, harder language exams and an upcoming revamp of repatriation rules promise to redraw the country’s migration map just as Portugal wrestles with a labour shortage, a housing crunch and a polarised parliament.

A harder road to the passport

Montenegro’s cabinet has replaced the five-year wait for naturalisation with a ten-year residence rule, except for nationals of the EU and CPLP, who will need seven. Candidates must now pass rigorous Portuguese-language and culture exams, show proof of stable income and remain free of serious criminal convictions. Explaining the shift, the Prime Minister argued that “citizenship is an honour, not a convenience.” The change upends a model introduced in 2006 that drew thousands of Brazilians, Ukrainians and Francophone Africans to Lisbon and Porto. Legal scholars warn that the new bar could leave many long-term residents in limbo, while government advisers insist the extended timeline aligns with Germany’s and Spain’s recent reforms.

Repatriation overhaul on the horizon

Alongside the nationality bill, the cabinet is drafting a “law of return” to streamline forced and voluntary removals of people who lose legal status. The text, expected in parliament before Christmas, will emphasise “dignity and efficiency” by pairing expulsions with reintegration funds offered through bilateral agreements with countries such as Guinea-Bissau and Nepal. Critics fear that the plan will effectively resurrect detention centres closed in 2019. Supporters counter that the current system—under which deportation orders take an average of 18 months to execute—encourages overstays and fuels underground labour markets. The Foreign Ministry insists emergency evacuations of Portuguese nationals, like those carried out in Sudan in 2023, will remain fully funded regardless of their consular registration status.

A parliament at odds

The governing PSD-CDS coalition enlisted backing from Chega and Iniciativa Liberal to pass the nationality bill, while the PS, BE, PCP, Livre and PAN lined up against it. Montenegro says he feels “comfortable” legislating with Chega despite its anti-immigration posters, a statement that has deepened rifts inside the centre left. The opposition argues the package discriminates against low-income migrants and ignores Portugal’s demographic slump—births fell below 80,000 last year for the first time since records began. Economists calculate that without net migration of at least 75,000 people a year, the social-security system will tip into deficit by 2032. Yet polling by the University of Minho finds 57 % of residents back longer residence requirements, signalling that Montenegro’s rhetoric resonates beyond his conservative base.

Diaspora worries, domestic dilemmas

Across Europe and the Americas, community leaders say the “Portuguese of convenience” label stings. Alexandra Gomide of UAI, which represents Brazilian entrepreneurs in Lisbon, warns that tougher rules could “freeze out” highly qualified professionals Portugal desperately needs. In Paris, the Associação Portuguesa de Emigrantes fears that linking repatriation support to strict documentation will leave older migrants stranded in crises. At home, business federations welcome the move, provided the government keeps the golden-visa channel open for major investors. The executive has confirmed that the popular residency-by-investment scheme, which injected €6.6 B into the economy by mid-2025, will continue unchanged.

Why it matters for residents in Portugal

For people living in Portugal, the forthcoming rules cut both ways. A tougher citizenship path may reduce competition for social housing in Lisbon and Porto, yet it could also shrink the pool of workers in hospitality, agriculture and tech. Landlords, who already demand near-native language skills from tenants, may find it easier to vet applicants. Families planning to bring relatives under the reunification programme should brace for lengthier procedures. Meanwhile, municipalities hope the new framework will come with fresh funding for integration classes so that those who do stay can clear the higher linguistic bar. The government’s balancing act—welcoming investment while tightening access to passports—will determine whether Portugal remains one of Europe’s most open societies or drifts toward the restrictive norm now taking hold across the continent.