Yesterday, something happened that had been talked about for six months. The growing number of migrants and the support of the far-right Chega party have pushed Portugal towards strict changes. On June 23, the Council of Ministers approved fundamental changes in migration legislation. Now the document is being sent to parliament, where it is likely to be supported – the ruling coalition has the tacit support of the far-right Chega.
What exactly is changing?
Obtaining citizenship through naturalization:
- The length of stay increases from 5 to 10 years for most countries.
- For citizens of CPLP (Portuguese–speaking countries) – 7 years instead of the previous 5.
- A compulsory language, cultural and democratic proficiency test is being introduced.
- The signing of a declaration of commitment to democratic principles is required.
- Criminal checks are being tightened, and any prison sentences are now excluded.
Child citizenship:
- The children of foreigners no longer receive Portuguese citizenship automatically.
- Parents must have lived in the country for at least 3 years and submit a special application.
What’s next?
- The parliamentary vote is in the coming weeks.
- The possible launch of the new rules is autumn 2025.
Political background
The situation is developing against the background of a right turn after the May elections. The far-right Chega has increased its representation in parliament from 12 to 50 deputies. The ruling Democratic Alliance is ruled by a minority and needs the support of either the Chega or the Socialists.
In May, the government already began expelling up to 18,000 illegal migrants, and the first group of 4,500 people received 20-day deportation notices.
Statistics show the scale of the migration boom. Between 2015 and 2023, the number of foreigners in Portugal increased by 171%. In 2023, 141.3 thousand people received citizenship, which is 20% less than in 2022. There are more than 400,000 applications in the queue for consideration.
Experts note the economic importance of migrants. In 2023, they brought over 1.6 billion euros in taxes and 257 million euros in social contributions to the budget. Some sectors of the economy would simply collapse without foreign labor.
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Journalist, editor with 9 years of experience in investment immigration. I specialize in analysis of residency and tax programs, as well as individual selection of jurisdictions for relocation.
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