| ConstituiçãoCRP arts. 4.º, 164.º f) | Constitutional basis | - Art. 4.º: Portuguese citizens are those the law or an international convention considers as such.
- Art. 164.º f): nationality is reserved exclusively to the Assembleia da República.
- Changes are made by lei orgânica (art. 166.º, n.º 2), which opens preventive review by the Tribunal Constitucional.
| In force |
| Lei da NacionalidadeLei n.º 37/81, 3 out. | The core statute | - Art. 1.º: atribuição (nationality of origin).
- Arts. 2.º–5.º: acquisition by will (minors, marriage/união de facto, adoption).
- Art. 6.º: naturalização and its special routes.
- Art. 8.º: loss by declaration; arts. 9.º–10.º: opposition by the Ministério Público.
- Arts. 12.º-A/12.º-B: nullity and consolidation after 10 years in good faith; art. 12.º-C: biometrics.
- Art. 15.º: what counts as legal residence and how periods are added.
| In force |
| Lei Orgânica 1/202618 mai. · em vigor 19 mai. | The 2026 reform (amends and republishes Lei 37/81) | - Naturalização: 7 years legal residence for CPLP and EU nationals, 10 years for others (art. 6.º, n.º 1, b)).
- New integration requirements: language, culture, history and symbols test; rights and duties; solemn declaration; subsistence (art. 6.º, n.º 1, c)–e), i)).
- Revokes the Sephardic route (art. 6.º, n.º 7) and art. 13.º (suspension).
- Art. 4.º: Government had 90 days to amend the Regulamento.
- Art. 7.º, n.º 2: procedures pending on 19 May 2026 stay under the old wording.
| In force |
| Decl. Retificaçãon.º 17/2026/1, 18 mai. | Correction to LO 1/2026 | - Published the same day as the law.
- Relevant to the criminal-record bar in art. 6.º, n.º 1, f).
| In force |
| Lei Orgânica 1/20245 mar. 2024 | Previous amendment (10.ª alteração) | - Tightened the Sephardic-descendant route (art. 6.º, n.º 7) with a residence-based test.
- That route was later revoked outright by LO 1/2026.
| Revoked / historical |
| RegulamentoDL 237-A/2006 | Regulamento da Nacionalidade Portuguesa (current) | - Procedure before the Conservatória dos Registos Centrais / IRN.
- Still applies until the new decree-law is published, including the existing language proofs.
- Was due for amendment by 16 August 2026 (90-day deadline in LO 1/2026, art. 4.º).
| In force |
| New regulationDL aprovado CM 29-10-2026 | Decree-law amending the Regulamento | - Sets how the language, culture, history and institutions tests are run.
- Defines the subsistence requirement (art. 6.º, n.º 1, i)).
- Sets how the solemn declaration of adherence to the rule of law is made.
- Procedure for collecting biometric data (art. 12.º-C).
- Digital processing and document exchange between public services.
- Not yet published: test level, culture test format, subsistence amount and start date are still unknown.
| Approved · awaiting publication |
| Despacho 8343/20262 jul. 2026 | Relevant services to the State | - Implements naturalização for relevant services (art. 6.º, n.º 9), which waives residence and the language/culture test.
| In force |
| TC 1133 & 1134/2025Acórdãos, 15 dez. 2025 | First preventive review | - Struck several norms of the first nationality decree and the first penal decree.
- Parliament re-approved revised versions on 1 April 2026, which produced LO 1/2026.
| Court / struck down |
| Decreto AR 49/XVIICP art. 69.º-D | Loss of nationality as accessory penalty | - Would let a judge remove nationality from dual nationals sentenced to 5+ years for listed crimes.
- Vetoed by the President on 12 May 2026 after the TC ruling; reapproval was requested in Parliament.
- Not law. Loss of nationality today is only by declaration (art. 8.º).
| Court / struck down |
| TC Acórdão 409/20268 mai. 2026 | Second preventive review of the penal decree | - Unanimous: art. 69.º-D, n.º 1, n.º 4 a)–e) and h), and n.º 5 unconstitutional.
- Grounds: equality between original and naturalised citizens, and proportionality.
| Court / struck down |
| Lei 2098/1959revogada (art. 40.º) | Former nationality law | - Revoked by art. 40.º of Lei 37/81.
- Still matters for transitional reacquisition: women who lost nationality by marriage (art. 30.º) and those who lost it by acquiring another (art. 31.º).
| Revoked / historical |
| Lei 97/2017medidas restritivas | UN/EU sanctions regime | - Being subject to UN or EU restrictive measures bars naturalização (art. 6.º, n.º 1, h)), and acquisition by marriage (art. 3.º, n.º 4).
| In force |
| Lei 7/2007Cartão de Cidadão | Citizen card | - Biometric data collected for nationality (face, fingerprints, height) may be reused for the Cartão de Cidadão (art. 12.º-C, n.º 3).
| In force |
| Lei 27/2008Lei do Asilo | Asylum and protection titles | - Residence under the asylum regime counts as legal residence (art. 15.º, n.º 1).
- Stateless persons: naturalização after 4 years (art. 6.º, n.º 3).
| In force |
| Lei 23/2007Lei de Estrangeiros | Entry and residence of foreigners (AIMA) | - Titles, visas and permits under this law define legal residence (art. 15.º, n.º 1), including ARI holders.
- Periods may be added if interrupted, within a 9-year (CPLP/EU) or 12-year (others) window (art. 15.º, n.º 3).
| In force |
| Lei 37/2006cidadãos UE | EU citizens and family members | - EU and CPLP special residence regimes are preserved (art. 15.º, n.º 2).
- EU citizens: 7-year route, same as CPLP nationals.
| In force |
| Lei 147/99LPCJP | Protection of children at risk | - Minors in institutional care under a final protection measure may be naturalised, with the Ministério Público starting the procedure (art. 6.º, n.º 4, and art. 15.º, n.º 5). Free of charge (art. 6.º, n.º 12).
| In force |
| ETAF / CPTAcontencioso | Litigation | - Nationality disputes run in the administrative courts (art. 26.º).
- Standing: direct interested parties and the Ministério Público (art. 25.º).
- MP opposition to acquisition by will within 2 years of registration (art. 10.º).
| In force |
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