Portugal's 2026 Rule Changes for Families: 10-Year Citizenship, Babies Born in Portugal and the 2-Year Family Rule

October 5, 2026

Last checked: September 2026. Portugal's immigration and nationality rules have changed several times since 2024, and official guidance is still catching up with the new laws. Treat figures as a starting point for your own research.

If you are looking at Portugal as a family, you have probably seen headlines about "10-year citizenship" and a new "2-year rule" for bringing family. Some of those headlines are right. Some are only half right. And a lot of older advice online is now out of date.

This guide explains each change in plain language: what it is, when it started, which law it comes from, and what it means for a family with children.

First, the good news. None of these changes close Portugal to families. The visas most families use (the D7 for passive income, the D8 for remote workers, work visas and the Golden Visa) all still exist. What has changed is the timeline, especially the road to a Portuguese passport. For the full picture of family life there, read our guide to moving to Portugal with family alongside this one.

What changed in Portugal in 2025 and 2026?

3 June 2024: the "manifestation of interest" route ended. You can no longer arrive as a visitor and apply for residence from inside Portugal.
2024: the old NHR tax regime closed to newcomers. A narrower regime called IFICI replaced it.
23 October 2025: a new foreigners law (Law 61/2025) added a waiting period before some residents can bring family members.
22 April 2026: the transition period for that law ended. Every new family application now follows the new rules in full.
19 May 2026: a new nationality law raised the residence needed for citizenship from 5 to 10 years for most people, and made it harder for babies born in Portugal to be Portuguese from birth.
Unchanged: permanent residence is still possible after 5 years.

Is it really 10 years to Portuguese citizenship now?

Yes, for most non-European families. The new nationality law is Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026. It was published on 18 May 2026 and came into force on 19 May 2026.

10 years of legal residence for most nationalities, including Americans, Canadians, British, Australians, South Africans and Indians.
7 years for citizens of other EU countries and of Portuguese-speaking countries (the CPLP group, which includes Brazil, Angola, Mozambique and Cape Verde).
Before this law, it was 5 years for everyone.

When does the clock start?

This is the part many families miss. Your residence time now counts from the date your first residence permit is issued. The months you spend waiting for an appointment or a decision do not count. Under a 2024 rule they did, but that is no longer the case. If you land in March and your card is issued in October, your clock starts in October.

Language, civic test and pending applications

You still need Portuguese at A2 level (a basic, everyday level). The law adds a requirement to show knowledge of Portuguese culture, history, national symbols and citizens' rights and duties, plus a formal declaration of commitment to democratic principles. As of September 2026, the exact format of this civic test has not been fully published.

If your citizenship application was submitted on or before 18 May 2026, it continues under the old 5-year rule. If not, the new rule applies, even if you had already lived in Portugal for years. There is no transition for people who were "nearly there".

Sources: Portuguese Ministry of Justice announcement and the law as published in the Diário da República (both in Portuguese).

Will a baby born in Portugal be Portuguese?

Only if one parent has lived in Portugal legally for at least 5 years when the baby is born. Before 19 May 2026, one parent only needed to have lived there for 1 year, and not necessarily on a residence permit.

It was never automatic. Parents have to declare that they want the child to be Portuguese. That is still the case.
The 5 years must be legal residence. Time without a valid permit does not count.
There is a later route. A child born in Portugal who was not Portuguese at birth can apply for naturalisation once one parent has 5 years of legal residence and the child is enrolled in and regularly attending compulsory school (where the child is old enough).
No transition. Families already living in Portugal before May 2026 are not exempt.

In practice, most families who move in 2026 or 2027 and have a baby in the first few years should expect the baby to take the parents' nationality. You register the birth in Portugal, then register the baby with your own embassy and apply for a passport. Our guide to citizenship and passports for a baby born abroad covers those steps.

What is the new 2-year rule for bringing family to Portugal?

This comes from Law 61/2025, which amended Portugal's main foreigners law (Law 23/2007). It came into force on 23 October 2025, and its 180-day transition period ended on 22 April 2026.

Family reunification is the process a legal resident uses to bring close family to live with them. The new rule says:

The person already living in Portugal (the "sponsor") must have held a residence permit for at least 2 years before bringing family members.
For a spouse or partner, this drops to 15 months if the couple can prove they lived together for at least 18 months before arriving.
The clock runs from when the sponsor's permit is issued, not from when they arrived.

Who does not have to wait?

This is the most important part for families, and much English-language coverage gets it only half right. Article 98(3) of the amended law says the waiting period does not apply to:

Minor children (and adult children unable to support themselves) who depend on the sponsor.
A spouse or partner who is the other parent (or co-adopter) of a minor child in the couple's care.
Family of Golden Visa holders, EU Blue Card holders and highly qualified workers under their special permits.

Many summaries mention point 1 and stop. Point 2 matters just as much: in a family with a shared child under 18, the other parent is also exempt. You can read the wording in the official text of Law 61/2025. Note the word "shared": if the child is only the sponsor's (a stepchild of the other partner), point 2 may not apply. Ask an adviser if this is you.

Other conditions still apply to everyone: suitable housing, enough money to support the whole family without state benefits, and a minimum age of 18 for spouses and partners. Family members granted residence this way are also expected to take Portuguese language and civic courses.

Planning your own move? Get our free 120-task family relocation checklist and cost planner, so you can see every step before you start. Get the free checklist

Can a spouse and children still apply together with a D7 or D8 applicant?

This is the question families ask most, and sources disagree. Here is what we could confirm, and what we could not.

What we could confirm

The joint visa still exists. Checklists from VFS Global, Portugal's visa partner, still describe a "residence visa for accompanying family member". The UK D8 version is dated 6 March 2026, after the new law. The D7 checklist says family members "should submit their applications at the same time as the D7 applicant and applications shall be assessed together."
The 2-year rule is not applied at the visa stage. A Portuguese immigration law firm (Fio Legal, May 2026) states this directly, but warns that joint applications "always depend on the practice of the consular post".
Families with children under 18 are covered anyway. When AIMA later processes the family's permits in Portugal, the children and the other parent fall under the exemptions above. Portuguese law firms and a 2026 Portuguese-language news report (DN Brasil) confirm that couples with minor children can apply straight away.

What is still unresolved

Couples without children under 18. If a spouse travels on the accompanying visa, it is not clear whether AIMA will grant their permit straight away or apply the 15-month or 2-year wait. We found no official answer, and advisers differ.
Consulate practice varies. Some consulates may accept joint applications easily, others may not. The official checklists do not mention the new law at all.

What we would do: apply as a whole family, at the same time, if your consulate allows it. Before booking, ask your consulate or a Portuguese immigration lawyer two direct questions: "Do you accept accompanying family visa applications together with the D7 or D8?" and "Will AIMA apply Article 98(3)(b) to my spouse as the co-parent of our minor children?" If you have no children under 18, ask how long your spouse may have to wait.

As a rough guide to income in 2026: the D7 asks for about €920 a month for the main applicant, plus 50% for a spouse and 30% per child. The D8 asks for about €3,680 a month for the main applicant, with more expected for each family member. Our guide to digital nomad visas for families compares family totals across countries.

Can you still move first and sort out residence later?

No. Until June 2024, many people entered Portugal visa-free, found work and applied for residence from inside the country using a "manifestation of interest". Decree-Law 37-A/2024 ended this on 3 June 2024. Law 61/2025 also narrowed the job-seeker visa to highly qualified professionals.

Today, almost every non-EU family needs a residence visa from a Portuguese consulate before moving, so your move date depends on consulate appointments. Our guide to moving from the USA to Portugal with family walks through the process, and most steps apply to other nationalities too.

Is permanent residence still possible after 5 years?

Yes. This did not change. Under Article 80 of Law 23/2007, you can apply for permanent residence after 5 years of legal residence if you hold a valid permit, have A2 Portuguese, have enough income and suitable housing, have a clean criminal record and have not been away too long. There is also a separate "EU long-term resident" status after 5 years, which can make a later move within the EU easier.

For many families, permanent residence is now the realistic medium-term goal. It gives security, the right to live and work in Portugal, and access to public schools and healthcare, without the 10-year wait for a passport.

What happened to Portugal's tax break (NHR and IFICI)?

The old Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) regime closed to newcomers in 2024. Its replacement, IFICI (sometimes called "NHR 2.0"), offers a flat 20% rate on qualifying Portuguese work income for up to 10 years, if you were not tax resident in Portugal in the previous 5 years. It covers specific activities only, such as research, certified start-ups and some highly qualified roles. Remote workers employed by a foreign company are generally not eligible. You apply by 15 January of the year after you become resident.

Questions to check with a qualified tax adviser: Does my job or business qualify? How will my pension, investment or rental income be taxed without NHR? How does Portugal's tax treaty with my home country apply?

How long does AIMA take in 2026?

AIMA is the agency that issues residence permits. It replaced the old SEF in October 2023 and inherited a very large backlog. It issued roughly 386,000 permits in 2025, a big increase, but mid-2026 reports still estimate tens of thousands of cases pending. Waits vary a lot by office: one tracker (August 2026) found averages of around 2 to 3 months in the Algarve and central Portugal, and around 8 months in Lisbon, from biometrics appointment to card. Golden Visa cases often take 12 to 18 months or more.

This matters more now, because both the citizenship clock and the family 2-year clock start when a permit is issued. A slow office delays both.

Before and after: what changed for families?

Topic	Before	Now (September 2026)
Citizenship (most non-EU nationals)	5 years of legal residence	10 years (7 for EU and CPLP citizens)
When the citizenship clock starts	From the date you applied for your first permit	From the date your first permit was issued
Citizenship requirements	A2 Portuguese	A2 Portuguese plus civic knowledge (format still being set)
Baby born in Portugal	Portuguese (on declaration) if a parent had lived there 1 year	Only if a parent has 5 years of legal residence
Bringing a spouse (no children under 18)	No minimum wait once you held a permit	2 years, or 15 months with proof of 18 months living together
Bringing children under 18	No minimum wait	No minimum wait (exempt)
Spouse who is the other parent of your minor child	No minimum wait	No minimum wait (exempt)
Applying from inside Portugal	Possible via manifestation of interest	Ended June 2024; visa from a consulate first
Permanent residence	After 5 years	After 5 years (unchanged)
Tax regime for newcomers	NHR	IFICI, narrower and job-specific

What does this mean for your family?

If you already live in Portugal

If you applied for citizenship by 18 May 2026, your case stays under the 5-year rule.
If not, find the issue date on your first residence card. Your 10 (or 7) years count from there.
Plan for permanent residence at 5 years. For many families it is now the more useful next step.
Expecting a baby before either parent has 5 years of legal residence? Plan to register the baby with your own embassy.
Start or continue Portuguese lessons. A2 is needed for both permanent residence and citizenship.

If you are applying now

Apply as a whole family, at the same time, if your consulate allows it.
With children under 18, point your adviser to Article 98(3)(a) and (b). These are your exemptions.
Couples without children: collect proof of 18 months or more living together (shared leases, bills, bank statements).
Think about which AIMA office you will use. Offices outside Lisbon have generally been faster.
If your partner will need to work, read can your partner work there? before you choose a visa.

If you are planning for 2027

Plan on today's rules, but check again before you apply. Regulations under both laws are still being written.
Be clear about your goal: a good base for 5 to 10 years, or a second passport. If citizenship is the main goal, compare Portugal with other countries in our overview of every new European rule for families in 2026.
Allow time. Many families plan 6 to 12 months from first application to residence cards in hand.

A worked example: one family's timeline

This is an illustration, not a real family. Two parents, both non-EU citizens, with children aged 4 and 9. One parent works remotely for a company abroad and applies for a D8. The other parent is not working at first.

Early 2027: the family applies together at their consulate: a D8 for the main applicant and accompanying family visas for the other parent and the children.
April 2027: visas approved. The family moves.
Later in 2027: AIMA appointment. The children are exempt from the 2-year rule as minors. The other parent is exempt as co-parent of minor children. Their first residence permits are issued in October 2027.
2029: a baby is born in Portugal. Neither parent has 5 years of legal residence, so the baby is not Portuguese at birth. The parents register the birth locally, then with their embassy.
October 2032: 5 years since the first permits. With A2 Portuguese, the parents can apply for permanent residence. The youngest child may later qualify for naturalisation as a child born in Portugal, once the school condition applies and is met.
October 2037: 10 years since the first permits. The parents can apply for citizenship, if the rules have not changed again. Processing then takes extra time.

If the same couple had no children, the second parent's position at step 3 is the unresolved question above. They should get written advice before moving.

Not sure whether Portugal is still the right fit for your family? Take the 2-minute family destination quiz to see which countries match your priorities, including how long you are prepared to wait for permanent status.

Frequently asked questions

Is Portugal still a good country for families after the 2026 changes?

For many families, yes. Safety, climate, public schools and healthcare have not changed. The main change is the wait for a passport. If citizenship within 5 years was your main reason for choosing Portugal, compare other options.

Does time on my visa count towards the 10 years?

No. Residence time counts from the date your first residence permit is issued, not from when you arrived or applied.

Do my children have to wait 2 years to join me in Portugal?

No. Dependent minor children are exempt. A spouse or partner who is the other parent of your minor child is also exempt.

Where can I check the official rules?

The laws are published in the Diário da República. AIMA handles residence permits, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa portal (vistos.mne.gov.pt) covers visas. Because rules and forms are still being updated, ask your consulate or a Portuguese immigration lawyer to confirm your case in writing.

Want the whole move in the right order? The Global Relocation System takes your family through all five stages, Decide, Prepare, Transit, Arrive and Thrive, with a master checklist, planning templates and a budget tool. See what is inside the system

Comparing visa routes? Our Visa Guide for families sets out visa types, costs, processing times and family rules for ten destinations.

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