I’m with @rahaskli on this. All for exacting well overdue accountability from this toxic GV ecosystem. But in the 12+ years I’ve been in it I haven’t yet seen government marketing materials that explicitly or implicitly guaranteed ARI as a path to citizenship. Seen plenty from lawyers, consultants, realtors, fund managers etc.
Hopefully someone is collecting all of this material - and I really hope that people have the snake oil salesmen firmly in their sights. Because 
3 Likes
This path was explicitly advertised on their respective websites by SEF, AIMA and multitude of Portuguese embassies/consulates.
6 Likes
I’ve heard that and would not be in the least surprised. It’s just that I understood from the moment I entered in 2014 that changes to the nationality law were a risk.* That might be because I’m small print obsessive. But may well be because SEF/AIMA/embassies became more careless in the pursuit of $$$. If so, I’m interested to see examples.
- Still got burned on a lot of other stuff I coulda/shoulda foreseen.
They all say and said " Solicitar a aquisição da nacionalidade portuguesa, por naturalização, cumprindo os demais requisitos exigidos na Lei da Nacionalidade (Lei n.º 37/81, de 3 outubro, na sua atual redação"
As dodgy and shady as it may sound, that we are reading it only now, it effectively means they were pointing applicants to a moving target.
There were a number of consulate websites that explicitly promised a 5 year path to citizenship, but once NomadGate members and others started poking around the government found the sites and took them down. There was also an old SEF marketing presentation that said the same thing. The government quietly walked back those promises at a certain point and changed the language “naturalize according to the current law” which says to me that there was intent to change the rules midstream.
4 Likes
Thats why archive.org exists
4 Likes
All the lawyers, real estate agents, and other assorted online thugs have had guaranteed it to us, but that doesn’t make those promises legally enforceable. Also, I do wonder: if the Portuguese state and public are so firmly against immigrants, why don’t they shut down the Golden Visa entirely? They won’t, IKR?.
3 Likes
A number of the law firms who have been prepping to challenge the law in court also recorded the evidence while it was still live. I think that the government (who clearly monitors this community) is going to have a hard time proving that they acted in good faith by promising something and changing the goalposts.
9 Likes
The ARI program is too valuable to actually shut down, and even Chega has spoken in favor of it. By moving the goal posts though, they’ve effectively killed it for most people.
5 Likes
Ahh, Chega! They could have at least carved out an exception for ARI holders’ rights. Only fools would consider Portugal now, and I wouldn’t be surprised with the EU - pressure if the seven-day rule gets changed next.
7 Likes
I had assumed for a long time that Chega was mostly motivated by racism, and that they would provide a carve out for immigrants they deemed desirable, but it seems clear that their nationalist impulses were stronger.
3 Likes
Link still active TODAY…
After 5 years of activity in Portugal, the investor is offered the opportunity to acquire permanent residency, and may opt for Portuguese nationality after 6 years.
11 Likes
I don’t think they’ll (materially) change the 7 day rule. I do think they’ll up the “integration” requirements. Things like French-style language requirements (at least B1), civics tests, and interviews with your local freguesia accompanied by 2 random strangers who happen to be Portuguese citizens.
2 Likes
That seems pretty unambiguous.
2 Likes
Just a heads up, the WhatsApp GV community is migrating to Telegram due to capacity issues (there were like 1000 people waiting to join who couldn’t get in), so if anyone still wants to join, the new home is here: Telegram: Join Group Chat
8 Likes
Now, it is officially published. https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/lei-organica/1-2026-1123539996.
8 Likes
The lobbyists make a good point here - which given how PT never respects “90-day deadlines” anyway, suggests to me there’s little chance we’ll see the final regulations until after summer hols:
The legislative phase is now closed. The next phase is the regulation of the law. The Government has 90 days from publication to make the necessary amendments to the Portuguese Nationality Regulation. Since the law was published on 18 May 2026, the deadline should fall around 16 August 2026, which is “political holidays”. There may be a chance that the regulation either goes into September or [they] fast forward to pass it on before August.
Nothing in the story below that avid readers of this forum don’t already know, but fwiw:
1 Like
I have just received the following invitation to a webinar conducted by four law firms to present their assessment of the new law and chart a potential course for legal challenges.
If you’re interested - there’s a webinar tomorrow at 6 pm about the collective strategy and efforts of four law firms (my attorney’s firm is participating) to challenge the law change with no grandfathering.
9 Likes
The law firms just want you to sign up for their webinar so they can sell you “Premium Lawsuit package against goverment for 14,000”
Anyone has a zoom link i can get without having to give them my info?
3 Likes
Well, at this point I do not know exactly what they are “selling”. If it is the “Premium Lawsuit Package” you are mentioning, I will probably re-consider sighing on to their campaign. However, I am interested in trying to learn what options there might be to challenge the new ex post facto regulations that violate the original promises of Golden Visa and change the conditions of our investments. Whether or not the webinar will reveal anything useful is anyone’s guess.
As for the disclosure of your info, though I understand your hesitation, you still have an option to deny any of their further advances in the future if contacted.
4 Likes