Unprecedented Rise in Portuguese Nationality Applications

There has been a remarkable surge in applications for Portuguese nationality, amounting to a staggering 37% increase compared to the previous year, reaching a total of 74,506. This record-breaking figure, the highest in the past four years, was disclosed by SEF - the Immigration and Borders Service.

According to Lusa, the Immigration, Borders, and Asylum Report (RIFA) reveals an intriguing shift in the trend of declining applications for Portuguese nationality. In 2022 alone, a remarkable 74,506 requests for opinions were filed, representing a substantial surge of 37.2% compared to 2021.

Out of the total applications for nationality, which amounted to 74,506, SEF issued 64,040 opinions. Notably, 63,129 opinions were positive, while 911 received unfavourable outcomes.

The majority of individuals who applied for Portuguese nationality in the past year hailed from Israel (20,975), Brazil (18,591), and Cape Verde (3,662), as highlighted by RIFA.

SEF underscores that approximately two-thirds of the applications pertain to Portuguese nationality by naturalisation, while a quarter are linked to marriages or de facto unions.

In terms of nationality acquisition through marriage or de facto unions, significant interest was observed from citizens of Brazil (9,435), Venezuela (1,536), and Cape Verde (900), according to SEF.

"In this type of process, there is a considerable number of foreign citizens residing outside the national territory who apply for nationality at the Portuguese embassies and consulates in their respective countries of residence. Notably, within SEF's jurisdiction in this field, 14,993 opinions were issued, with 14,854 being positive and 79 unfavourable opinions," states RIFA in its report.

You can click on this link to view the complete report and confirm that the number of foreign residents in Portugal has been increasing since 2017. Back then, there were slightly over 420,000 foreign residents, and this number has now increased to over 780,000. The largest group of foreign residents are Brazilians (almost 240,000), followed by citizens from the United Kingdom (approximately 40,000) and Cape Verde (almost 37,000).