Is it still worth obtaining a Portugal Golden Visa with hardened citizenship rules?
Published at: 02/06/2026 11:18 am
The qualifying time of being a resident in Portugal for the naturalisation process has doubled; it is now ten years instead of the previous five years' waiting time. Is it still worth becoming a resident of Portugal through investment in 2026?
Applicants from the other Member States and the Portuguese-speaking countries can obtain Portuguese citizenship after seven years of residency. Portuguese-speaking or CPLP countries are Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste.
The necessary timeframe to spend as a resident starts with the issuance of the residence permits and not on the day when the foreigner applies for it. It is a very important little detail, as there is a huge backlog in Portugal's immigration processes, and it can take even years to start it. The Portuguese Migrations, the AIMA, is so overwhelmed that sometimes the applicant must wait 10 to 12 months to be able to file their applications.
It raised significant doubts among investors that the Portuguese government simply doubled the time required to obtain citizenship.
The issue became so crucial that the Portuguese Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, accused the consultants of the Golden Visa Program of misleading their clients. According to him, these consultants are marketing the scheme as a citizenship solution, but it is not. The objective of the program is to grant temporary, later permanent residency for the resident investors. And after ten years of residency, they can apply for citizenship.
What exactly happened is that the Portuguese legislators changed the law without proper preparations and discussions, creating a very awkward situation for the residents.
Is it worth becoming a Portuguese resident through the Golden Visa in 2026?
Yes, of course. Portuguese residents can travel, stay, and work in other Member States of the European Union. Portugal is a charming country with perfect schools, very good healthcare, and security. The cost of living is still affordable, and housing prices are increasing but are still lower than in other EU nations. Moreover, Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, became the most livable city in the world in 2026!
The most affordable option for the Portuguese Golden Visa is still the real estate purchase option (280,000 euros).
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