Out of the numerous levers the government can pull to reduce demand (the number of people qualified to apply for naturalisation in 2026/2027/2028) to match supply (how many applications IRN can process) and avoid snowballing of backlog, increasing the language requirement is probably the simplest, and less draconian than physical presence test. With the physical presence test, applicants who only had 7 days per year and were planning to submit naturalisation application on Day+1 (the day after the new law comes into effect), will basically have to re-do five years and then apply.
Younger folks who speak English or one of the Roman languages at C2, if very motivated, can reach Portuguese B1 within 6 months from zero, or 2-3 months from A2. And of course there are usually carve outs—for example, even the French give you a free pass if you are a refugee/older than 70/have physically lived in France (presumably meaning at least being a tax resident) for 15 years:
Also adding a citizenship knowledge test similar to the one in Spain is always a possibility.
Regarding the french citizenship, what is most scary to applicants is the interview at the police station where they live. In addition to the language certificate, candidates must go thru an interview with police and of course the language to be used is french. Imagine if you cannot answer properly first 3-5 questions to the police, you will never get the Passed on the interview…Portugal can surely apply the same technique to the current citizenship’s process.
Delaying the first residency card by now 3 years over the promised 3-6 months is also unconstitutional. We are living in a different era. No need to look at US, Finland recently gave draconian powers to it’s law enforcement to detain anyone they deem security risk without any immediate need to present the concerned to court or to present any charges. Portugal re-packed and re-branded the same incompetent SEF into AIMA. Anything can happen these days. Whatever anybody in power does is constitutional these days.
When you made a GV investment, you were only promised a GV—taking it away by law after you’ve made the investment but before your application is submitted/approved is called “changing the law retroactively.”
Taking away some things you assumed with regards to citizenship is not, unless your natualisation application has already been submitted.
Before incorporating company, i should have checked Portugal’s ranking in ease of doing business. Even Rwanda ranks higher.
3 months of efforts and I have still not been able to get company bank account opened after ensuring all requirements are met. 3 years of real estate investment and pre-approval is still stuck. I feel stupid.
I do think it wise to remain about €200 in my bank account after the first submission in Feb 2023.I am the one who need to send a email to check the balance of my account.Maybe my account has been frozon or closed due to insufficient money.
I still think €200 is more than a donation,maybe a tax of IQ.
Did u not opt for online banking? please keep sufficient balance to cover the fees to be paid on the day of the biometric- whether u pay from ur account’s debit card or through the lawyer, it is advisable to keep balance in it. And i was not referring to personal bank account, i was referring to company account- one i already opened with wise but i need another in addition with a traditional bank in portugal.
No, nor do the other applicants for the same property project in my country.
I read a reply about the payment on the day of bio indicating that a credit card is acceptable.But PT is PT, you still have a plan B. Who knows.
I know you refer to company account,maybe it’s more complicated than individual account.But the way they do has no difference I think.
Opening a bank account in may places has become ridiculous these days. My last HSBC individual account took over three months to open, and this is after already being an HSBC customer in two other countries. And I have no complicating factors that would cause KYC to take longer than normal…
One thing very important with the European bank nowadays is that never keep/deposit/make big transfer. Always maintain small amount. If you go big, your account gets flagged and they block your account without even telling you. How big is safe? I am not sure. But from my experience below 20k is safe. Deposit should not be more than 2k/time.
This sounds like coping with totalitarianism — legitimate citizens engaged in legitimate activities altering their behavior to avoid arbitrary punishments imposed by the surveillance state and the private enterprises doing its dirty work.
. And there are many like us. It is just that I am more vocal about the injustice being done.