The Portuguese government explored increasing the residency requirement for citizenship applications from five to ten years. This was discussed in 2024 during a meeting on immigration with Brazilian representatives.
The government justified this potential change by arguing that the current five-year requirement attracts excessive immigration, citing a record high of 1.5 million immigrants in Portugal.
While the government considered the change during its one-year tenure (ending in March 2025 after a scandal involving the Prime Minister's family), it was not implemented. The current minister, António Leitão Amaro, suggested it again as a campaign promise for potential reelection in May.
The previous law change, which benefited many Brazilians by including the time spent waiting for residency documents, was not fully regulated by the government before it fell.
Any change to the residency requirement would need approval from the Portuguese Parliament.