Naturalisation by residence: conditions, documents and cost under the 2026 law

The nine conditions (art. 6.º n.º 1)

The Government grants nationality to a person who, at the time of the request, cumulatively:

Nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries are presumed to meet the language part of condition c) unless their lack of Portuguese is manifest (n.º 10).

• 7 or 10 years counted in a 9- or 12-year window, consecutive or not (art. 15.º n.º 3)
• A2 CIPLE certificate (95 €) or a recognised course; culture and history test once regulated
• 250 € fee, paid to the IRN
• Old rules for files lodged before 19 May 2026 (five years)

What counts as legal residence (art. 15.º)

Residence under any title, visa or authorisation of the Foreigners Act or of the asylum regime; for EU citizens, residence under EU law (the registration certificate and the permanent residence certificate). Tourist stays, expired permits, pending applications without a valid title and time under a temporary-stay visa do not count. All qualifying periods are added, provided they fit within nine years (EU and CPLP nationals) or twelve years (others) — seven years of permits spread over nine calendar years still qualify.

Language, culture, history

Condition c) is proven “by test or certificate”. The Regulation of Nationality (art. 25.º) has long accepted the CIPLE A2 certificate of the CAPLE, University of Lisbon (95 €, pass mark 55 %, sittings in Portugal and abroad), or a certificate from a recognised Portuguese course. The culture, history and symbols component is new: the Government had ninety days from 18 May 2026 to adapt the Regulation; on the date of this page the consolidated Regulation still showed its 2023 text and no such test had been published. Until it is, the language certificate is the document the registries ask for. We follow the Diário da República and update this page when the test is regulated.

Criminal records: several countries

Certificates are required from the Portuguese services (the IRN obtains them), from the country of birth, the country of nationality and every country where you lived after the age of criminal responsibility (the IRN form says 16). Apostilled or legalised; documents in English, French or Spanish need no translation at the IRN. A conviction is not an automatic bar: condition f) is a rebuttable presumption weighed by the Public Prosecutor on the sentence, the type of crime, intent, time elapsed, recidivism and integration (n.º 14), with a court remedy (n.º 15); the file is suspended meanwhile (n.º 16).

Subsistence

New in 2026. The law does not fix an amount; the IRN will apply the Regulation once adapted. In practice: payslips or pension statements, a tax return showing income, or bank statements showing means — the same evidence a residence renewal uses.

The file (Modelo 6.1)

1. Request form 6.1, signed;
2. Birth certificate legalised (apostille), unless the birth is registered in Portugal;
3. Proof of language (art. 25.º of the Regulation);
4. Criminal record certificates as above;
5. Certified copy of an identity document (passport, residence card);
6. evidence of legal residence (AIMA certificate of periods of residence, permits);
7. evidence of subsistence;
8. a power of attorney with special powers if a lawyer or solicitador files (no notarised signature needed when granted to a lawyer).

Since May 2026 the applicant also signs the solemn declaration and gives biometrics (face, fingerprints, height) at the IRN, a consulate or an Espaço Cidadão.

Decision and after

Naturalisation is granted by decision of the Minister of Justice (art. 7.º). The IRN registers the acquisition, after which you request the Cartão de Cidadão and the passport. Minor children of a person who acquires nationality can acquire it by declaration (art. 2.º).

Questions