Request portuguese nationality
Portuguese Nationality may be acquired at birth or during a person's lifetime.
The attribution of Portuguese nationality may depend on the person's place of birth, how many years he/she has lived in Portugal, the nationality of his/her family members or spouse, the relationship with the Portuguese community, among other factors.
The application for Portuguese Nationality can be made online, provided it is made through a lawyer or solicitor. The application may also be made, by the person him/herself, over the counter or by mail.
It is also possible to check the status of the application online.
Service channels
Learn where you can carry out the service and what are the advantages of each channel
Who can request portuguese nationality?
How to request the portuguese nationality?
Online:
The application for nationality is available online for people over 18 years of age who have been living in Portugal for at least five years and for people who have been married or living in a non-marital partnership with someone of Portuguese nationality for more than 3 years.
The online service can only be done through a lawyer
or solicitor.
The lawyer or solicitor must access NacionalidadeOnline and authenticate themselves with their digital certificate.
At the counter:
The application for Portuguese nationality is made in person, in one of the following places:
- at the counter of the Institute of Registration and Notary Affairs at the National Support Centre for the Integration of Migrants (CNAIM) in Lisbon or Oporto
- at the Registry Spaces in Lisbon, on Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo, on the Campus da Justiça and in Benfica
- at the Central Registry Office in Lisbon
- at the Nationality Desk
- at the Odivelas Citizens' Shop
- at the Civil Registry Offices
- at the Portuguese Consulate in your area of residence.
Go to one of the locations indicated and apply for Portuguese Nationality. Deliver the requested documents.
By mail:
The application for nationality can be made by mail and the form to be filled in depends on the particular situation. After filling in the form, you must send the application to the Conservatória dos Registos Centrais, Rua Rodrigo da Fonseca, 202, 1099-033 Lisbon.
What are the documents and requirements to apply for portuguese nationality?
The documents to present when applying for Portuguese Nationality vary according to your conditions. Check if you are able to apply for Portuguese Nationality and which documents and requirements are necessary according to your profile:
You were born in Portugal:
- You were born in Portugal when your parents resided here and have habitually lived in the country for the last 10 years
- You were born in Portugal in 1981 or after, have foreign parents, one of them having legally resided in Portugal for at least 5 years
Born abroad
- Married or living in a non-marital partnership with a Portuguese for more than three years.
- Born abroad and has been living legally in Portugal for at least 5 years
- Born abroad and is the daughter/daughter of a Portuguese person
- Born abroad and grandchild of a Portuguese person
- Born abroad and adopted by a Portuguese person before turning 18 years old and before 8 October 1981
- Belongs to a Portuguese community abroad
You lost your nationality and you want to get it back
- Stopped having Portuguese Nationality and never obtained another one
- You stopped having Portuguese Nationality because you chose another one
- You ceased to have Portuguese Nationality when you were a minor or incapable, by decision of your legal representative
- You lost Portuguese Nationality because you married a foreign man before 1981
Other cases that allow the attribution of Portuguese Nationality
How much does it cost to apply for Portuguese Nationality?
The price of the application may vary. Consult the conditions that apply to your case to know the price.
The consultation of the process status of the application for Portuguese Nationality is free.
How to consult the status of the process