Portugal's Council of Ministers has approved a decree-law regulating the country's new Nationality Law, setting out requirements for acquiring and obtaining Portuguese nationality. The decision was announced following the Council of Ministers meeting on October 29, 2026.

The new regulation specifies how applicants will be assessed on their knowledge of the Portuguese language, culture, history and institutions. It also establishes the framework for the subsistence requirement, the declaration of adherence to democratic rule-of-law principles and the collection of biometric data.

Alongside these requirements, the government says the regulation will simplify and digitise nationality procedures, improve coordination between public services and reduce the time needed to process applications.

New requirements for Portuguese nationality applications

The approved decree-law provides further detail on the requirements introduced under Portugal's new Nationality Law.

It establishes the conditions under which applicants must demonstrate knowledge of:

• Portuguese language

• Portuguese culture

• Portuguese history

• Portuguese institutions

The regulation also defines how the subsistence requirement will be assessed and the terms under which applicants must declare their adherence to the principles of the democratic rule of law.

In addition, it establishes procedures for collecting biometric data as part of nationality applications.

The Council of Ministers' announcement does not provide detailed testing formats, specific passing scores, income thresholds or individual eligibility timelines.

Government plans to digitise nationality procedures

A key part of the approved regulation is the modernisation of the nationality application process.

The government plans to simplify administrative procedures and expand digital services, including improved interoperability between public authorities and easier access to required documents.

These changes are intended to reduce bureaucracy and accelerate decisions on nationality applications.

For applicants, improved coordination between public services could reduce some of the administrative steps involved in submitting and processing applications. However, the government statement does not specify when each digital improvement will become operational or how much processing times are expected to change.

Other immigration-related developments: AIMA leadership appointments

The October 29 Council of Ministers meeting also approved appointments to the board of the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA).

César Nuno da Costa Teixeira was appointed president, while Wilson António Duarte Lucas was appointed as a member of the board of directors.

The appointments followed a favourable opinion from the Recruitment and Selection Commission for Public Administration (CReSAP).

AIMA is Portugal's agency responsible for integration, migration and asylum matters. The appointments are relevant to the country's immigration administration, although the government statement does not announce any separate changes to visa or residence permit procedures.

What applicants should know

The approval of the decree-law is an important regulatory step in implementing Portugal's new Nationality Law. It provides a framework for the knowledge requirements, subsistence conditions, declarations and biometric procedures associated with nationality applications.

However, applicants should distinguish between the approval of the regulation and the practical implementation of its requirements.

The Council of Ministers statement does not provide the detailed assessment rules, application forms, income thresholds or implementation dates for individual procedures.

People planning to apply for Portuguese nationality should follow further official guidance from the Portuguese authorities before making decisions based on the new requirements