How long does it take to get citizenship in Portugal?

The naturalization process in Portugal takes 6–24 months on average (12 months typical). You need 5 years legal residence before applying.

What are the steps to get Portugal citizenship?

1. Application at IRN/Civil Registry (0.5–2 months). 2. SEF/AIMA background check (2–12 months). 3. Central Registry decision (3–18 months). 4. Certificate issuance (0.5–3 months)

What is the residency requirement for Portugal citizenship?

You need 5 years legal residence to be eligible for naturalization in Portugal. A2 Portuguese required.

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Immigration Tracker

Portugal — Citizenship Timeline

5 years legal residence → 4 processing steps → passport

Average Total

12mo

Range

6–24mo

Speed Rank

#8 of 20

Residency Req.

5 years

Processing Steps

1Application at IRN/Civil Registry1mo avg (0.5–2 months)

2SEF/AIMA background check4mo avg (2–12 months)

3Central Registry decision6mo avg (3–18 months)

4Certificate issuance1mo avg (0.5–3 months)

Total processing time

Moderate12 months average

Important Notes

A2 Portuguese required. Dual citizenship allowed. Golden Visa holders eligible after 5 years. AIMA replaced SEF in 2023.

How Portugal compares

Average naturalization processing time, all 20 countries. Portugal highlighted.

Key Insight

Golden Visa changes in 2023 shifted timelines

Based on 200 community-tracked data points.

Source: IRN.mj.pt, AIMA reports · Last updated: 2026-04

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