Portugal raises residency wait for citizenship to 10 years for Indians and other non-European nationals

Indians dreaming of settling abroad, particularly those considering Portugal, have received worrying news. The Portuguese government has made major and stricter changes to its citizenship rules. Those who until now expected to get citizenship easily after living in the country for 5 years will now have to wait a full 10 years.

The new rule applies not only to India but also to citizens of several non-European countries, including Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Nigeria. Earlier, foreign nationals could apply for citizenship after living legally in Portugal for 5 years. The period has now been doubled to 10 years. This makes it harder still to keep paperwork in order and to remain legally in the country for so many years.

For citizens of European Union (EU) member states and of Portuguese-speaking countries, the period has been set at 7 years. These countries include Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe, and Equatorial Guinea. People from Asian countries will thus have to wait longer than others.

The law did not come suddenly. The Portuguese parliament passed the controversial law on April 1, 2026. President Antonio Jose Seguro signed the bill on May 3, and the law came into force on May 19, 2026. On October 29, 2026, the Portuguese cabinet then approved detailed rules for implementing it.

It is not only the residence period that has been extended. Applicants must now meet stricter conditions. First, they must prove adequate knowledge of the Portuguese language. Second, a thorough knowledge of Portugal's culture, history and democratic institutions is required. Third, applicants must be fully financially self-reliant so that they can meet their own expenses. Fourth, they must prove their loyalty to Portugal's democratic principles and Constitution.

The fifth and most important condition is that the time spent waiting for a residence permit will not count towards the 10 years required for citizenship. This will in effect lengthen the actual stay required.

According to figures released by Portugal's Ministry of Justice, the administrative system is under heavy pressure. As of June 30, 2026, 690,480 citizenship applications were pending in the country for various reasons. This is a 38 per cent rise from last year. About 26 per cent of these applications seek citizenship on the basis of legal residence.

According to figures from Portugal's AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum), more than 242,000 people from India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh combined were living in Portugal at the end of 2025.

Foreign nationals are unhappy with the tighter rules, but the Portuguese government says the new rules will make the whole process easier and more transparent in the long run. Antonio Leitao Amaro, the minister in the Presidency, has said that the use of digital systems will simplify administrative work. According to him, this will greatly help clear the backlog of applications and implement the new law effectively.