Due to the number of foreigners in Portugal reaching an unprecedented level, the country's President António José Seguro has signed a law that will double the period required for foreigners to obtain citizenship. This was reported by Bloomberg, according to UNN.
Details
The law, passed by parliament last year with the support of the minority center-right Social Democratic Party and the far-right Chega party, extends the period required for most foreigners to obtain citizenship from five to ten years.
At the same time, the president expressed hope in a statement on Sunday evening that applications already submitted would not be subject to the new changes.
"This would constitute an undesirable breach of trust in the state, both domestically and internationally,"
The massive influx of immigrants to Portugal following the pandemic has put a strain on housing, the healthcare system, and public services. According to Portugal's Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum, a record number of 1.5 million people, or about 15% of the country's population, are now foreigners—nearly triple the number in 2019.
Citizens of Brazil, Angola, and other Portuguese-speaking countries will now have to wait seven years to obtain citizenship instead of five under the new law.
This move is the latest stage in Portugal's efforts to reduce a significant backlog of immigration applications, particularly those related to the "Golden Visa" program.
The "Golden Visa," which gives non-EU citizens an accelerated path to residency through investment—specifically a minimum of 500,000 euros in eligible funds—currently allows for citizenship applications five years after joining the program.
Ireland to begin phasing out free housing for Ukrainians in August04.05.26, 00:33