Can someone attach a copy of the document please? It seems they are under some load and the page can not be opened.
And another link to the parliamentary debates page with the same document:
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I have a certain amount of hope still that, despite all of the dysfunction of the Portuguese government we see, and for all the posturing and politics and lurching back and fro, the government is still capable of debate and compromise and reaching end goals that sit somewhere in the center, leaving everyone with something even if no one is happy. It just takes place in Portuguese time and Portuguese fashion.
Perhaps that is just naivete on my part but we all need to hang onto something.
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Lol. How many times has this country flipped and flopped?
Too many times over GV rules and regulations.
Each time it adds new clauses. Making it more and more unplatable.
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New news this morning… still collecting more sources…
Government eliminates retroactivity [to 19-June] in Nationality Law, loss of citizenship remains
New proposed Nationality Law maintains the loss of nationality for those who commit very serious crimes and the mandatory Portuguese language exam and knowledge of constitutional principles.
October 14, 2025, 6:01 AM, PúblicoFollowing several critical opinions on the first version of the Nationality Law, the Government has decided, as Público has learned, to drop the transitional regime of the new legislation, which would have taken effect retroactively from June 19th (the date of the Government’s Program debate in Parliament), and to apply the same system of counting years for access to nationality to both European citizens and people from the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP). On the other hand, the government does not waive the right to the loss of nationality for those who commit crimes considered very serious, which divides the opinions of constitutional scholars.
EDIT: bit more from CNN PT’s reprise of the Público ‘exclusive’ above…
- The law also continues to require a Portuguese language exam and proof of knowledge of the constitutional principles of the rule of law.
- Another relevant change is the standardization of the time counting regime for nationality applications, now the same for European citizens and those from the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries, with the deadline now only counting from the granting of legal residence.
[…an arbitrary starting point deemed “constitutionally unacceptable” by various PT legal experts.]- The revised proposal will be discussed this Wednesday in the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees, in a context of intense legal and political debate on the constitutional limits of Portuguese nationality.
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Jack, did you submit your citizenship application yesterday?
If so, congratulations, and please remember that I was the only loyal person who proposed to you back when you weren’t yet an EU-citizen-to-be-in-three-to-four-years-or-perhaps-longer.
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I reckon we can all ace that test.
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so, if I follow,
- The time period for citizenship will run from the grant of the permit, not the application.
- The time period for citizenship will be 10 years (or maybe 7 years? It will be the same but which way does it change) (I assume the reference to European citizens means everyone).
- If your permit is granted by the time the law goes into effect, the time period will remain 5 years.
the tea leaves are still a little clouded…
No I think reference to European citizens, means other Europeans. Expect the rest of us will still be getting the 10 years…
Issue for many likely to be it will be in Portuguese. Don’t know what that means for those who did the 150 hour PLA course rather than learn Portuguese?
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The other issue with the cultural/history test is how long it will take to develop the test and when the date for first sitting the test will be.
I foresee a gap with people otherwise able to apply for citizenship but just need to take a test that does not exist.
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fwiw, I emailed a few of those Committee members again today (Committee link here), reminding them of what “the Father of the Constitution” has to say about counting years from SEF/AIMA’s arbitrary residence granting…
por violar os princípios da segurança jurídica, da igualdade e da dignidade da pessoa humana, e “cria uma situação de incerteza sobre o momento de início do prazo, que deixa de estar nas mãos do cidadão e passa, inteiramente, para as mãos da Administração.”
Desta feita, duas pessoas que apresentem, ao mesmo tempo, o pedido de residência podem vir a receber o deferimento em datas distintas, contando, por isso, com um início de prazo totalmente diferente para o acesso à nacionalidade. “Nenhuma razão discernível se pode encontrar para semelhante distinção”
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My citizenship application finally went in this morning.
Thanks to everyone who helped with advice along the way. Even though I can’t marry all (or indeed any) of you, I’ll carry the memories of this message board in my heart 
Now the multiyear wait for approval …
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Good luck!
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If you are currently on a permit and haven’t applied for citizenship, you are still on the hook for 10 years.
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Funny they require this for immigrants but apparently not for legislators
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I suggest also sending mass letters to the President and to the Prime-minister, besides the Deputados.
This is a question I’ve been wondering about. Assume you applied in October 2022 and got approved for your permit today. That means, as of today, you technically have three years toward citizenship. Of course, the legislature can extend the time for you to get citizenship. But can, in accordance with Portugal’s constitution, Can the assembly come along and pass legislation that eliminates the time you have already accrued toward citizenship? This seems to violate retroactivity.
I don’t know the answer and it will likely have to be litigated. For reference, the act that started the clock at application only spoke of whether you were “approved,” not the time with card in hand.
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If you had applied for a GV in Oct 2022, I would just apply for citizenship at this point (before they pass the new law), and then take them to court and hope for the best. Not much to lose IMO, other than money (which may cut your wait time 5 years so it might be worth it)
Without 5 years now IRN will not even accept your application
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