Parliament approved an amendment to Portugal’s ‘’Law on Nationality’’.

New regulation provides easier access to citizenship for children (born in Portugal) of migrants who have held a residence permit and lived in Portugal for a year.  

On 23 July 2020 the Portuguese parliament approved amendment to the Nationality Law with 144 votes (63.4%) in favour. Newborns of migrants, who lived in the country for one year, will automatically receive citizenship if parents declare the wish to nationality acquisition on behalf of the children. According to the previous regulation (originally from 1981 and later amended in 2018) the residence requirement period for parents was two years. The idea of novelisation was based on temporal criterion settled by the United Nations. Constança Urbano de Sousa, former Minister of Internal Affairs,  explained  that “the one-year period is used by the United Nations and the European Union to distinguish immigration from other movements of people, like tourism or business travel”.

During the Parliament session the proposal for extension the principle of "jus soli", giving nationality to those born in Portugal, regardless of the legal situation in which their parents find themselves, was raised but failed. 

Nothing changed also for the migrant parents, who have children in Portugal. According to the current law, 5 years  is a minimal period of residency  necessary to apply for citizenship. 

Kseniya Homel
The European and Migration Policy Programme
Institute of Public Affairs

Resources: 
É oficial: Filhos de emigrantes a residir há um ano em Portugal terão direito a nacionalidade, 
https://executivedigest.sapo.pt/e-oficial-filhos-de-emigrantes-a-residir-ha-um-ano-em-portugal-terao-direito-a-nacionalidade/ 

Portugal: Children of migrants now have easier access to citizenship, 
https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/news/portugal-children-of-migrants-now-have-easier-access-to-citizenship