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Portugal Just Made Citizenship Much Harder
Every week, another country seems to mess up its citizenship laws. This time, it’s Portugal.
The government has proposed increasing the residency period required to apply for a passport from 5 to 10 years. For citizens of Portuguese-speaking countries, there's a "discount"—just 7 years. Technically, it’s still a proposal, but with backing from the far-right Chega party, it’s all but guaranteed to pass. Sad but true.
The Global Trend: Longer, Harder, Less Accessible
It’s becoming the theme of the year: extend the timelines, complicate the rules, and ask—do you even need citizenship?
The U.S. has cracked down on undocumented immigrants, Argentina stopped automatically granting citizenship to parents of newborns, and now Portugal. Who’s next?
Why Waiting Is a Bad Strategy
I’ve always said: sitting on a residence permit hoping for better times is a terrible plan. The world changes fast. Today you think, “five years—no problem, I’ve got time.” Tomorrow, the rules change. And just like that—goodbye.
Faster EU Options Still Exist
Thankfully, a few EU countries still offer quicker paths to a passport. Want advice on where to go for a faster route to citizenship?
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