I feel like there is a conflict of interest here, they will charge you $$$$$ even if you fail. Nothing is straight forwatd here
If someone opts for a postal route, what would be considered by IRN as the date of submission?
The date of posting, the date of receipt by IRN, or some later date of ‘initial opening of the envelope’ by IRN?
no risk aa according to them, it wont impact current or future apps
lawyers charge for literally everything
Are there any downsides to applying, apart from costs?
I feel for everyone that is so close, less than a year from their 5 years for citizenship. If I were in your shoes, I’d apply early for sure…
But we’ve only been waiting a year. So the 2-3 waiting period for a nationality application will come and go before 5 years are up 
So it doesn’t seem like early application is even an option for anyone with less than 3 years already invested in the process. I’ll be talking with our atty of course.
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2022 applicant here! biometrics in march
Considering it. Oct 2021 applicant, just received primary card.
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Hi ohbee,is it also applicable to some applicants like me who haven’t received the first card yet to apply for the citizenship?
Dec 21 applicant
Main applicant got card in Oct 24
Spouse and kid got card in mar 25
Parent biometric in Apr 26
We are going forward with it, don’t think there is much to loose other than lawyers cost and some fees.
My lawyer has indicated that proof of enrolment into A2 Certificate programme is enough to apply for the citizenship.
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Thanks for this @cj807
@tkrunning - there’s still lots of “Early application” posts in the other thread, could you please move them over here too?
What is Prime legal charging ?
Don’t know for citizenship application, I got a call with them next week and will ask everything then. Plus they are hosting a general QnA for everyone on 26th, might be for client’s only.
When in 2022 might matter, early 2022 vs Dec 2022 is a big difference in this particular case.
That’s done
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Do you need to have 14 days of stay completed before applying for citizenship? If applying before 5 years?
In our situation main applicant got card in Oct 24 and we are planning a trip in summer, but with these recent changes we are now considering filing early citizenship application in jan/feb 26
Will we need to have the 14 days requirement completed for applicants that already have a valid card or do we have until renewal/expiry of card to fulfil this requirement?
Stay requirements are only tested for renewal of cards. The IRN doesn’t care
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A key section of the TC ruling is this:
Assim sendo, não há dúvida de que o sacrifício que é imposto a estes cidadãos estrangeiros se revela excessivo e é quanto basta para concluir que a norma extraída do disposto nos n.ºs 3 e 4 do artigo 7.º do Decreto n.º 17/XVII, no sentido segundo o qual o deferimento dos pedidos de atribuição ou aquisição da nacionalidade, cujo procedimento administrativo esteja pendente à data da entrada em vigor da presente lei, depende do preenchimento, à data dos respetivos pedidos, dos requisitos da Lei n.º 37/81, de 3 de outubro, na redação anterior, viola o princípio da proteção da confiança, ínsito no princípio do Estado de direito, consagrado no artigo 2.º da Constituição.
Which machine-translates to:
That being so, there is no doubt that the sacrifice that is imposed on these citizens foreigners reveal themselves excessive and that is enough to conclude that a rule taken from the provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4 of article 7 of Decree No. 17/XVII, in the sense that the granting of requests for allocation or acquisition of nationality, the administrative procedure for which is pending at the date of entry into force of this law, depends on the completion, on the date of respective requests, of the requirements of Law No. 37/81, of October 3, in previous wording, violates the principle of protection of trust, inherent in the principle of the rule of law, enshrined in article 2nd of the Constitution.
https://www.tribunalconstitucional.pt/tc/acordaos/20251133.html
I would interpret and paraphrase that to mean that it is unconstitutional for a requirement to be enforced upon the date of application, rather than upon the date of decision.
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Mine said the same thing. I included the receipt for the course in my application.