Residence based on genuine dependent employment in Portugal, with entry and residence procedures assessed separately.
Residency to citizenship
- 01Employment residence
- 02Permanent residence (optional)from 5 years
- 03Citizenship7 or 10 years
Each stage has its own eligibility requirements.
- Benefits
- The approved route permits the qualifying employment and residence subject to the authorisation and employer’s obligations. Continued eligibility is required for renewal.
- Eligibility
- Eligible non-EU, EEA or Swiss applicants with a Portuguese employment contract or qualifying promise of employment and the applicable general visa conditions.
- Requirements
- Provide the employment evidence, identity, resources, accommodation, health cover and criminal-record documents required by the competent consulate. Professional recognition may be necessary for regulated work.
YOUR LONG-TERM PATHWAY
Residency to citizenship
- 01
Employment residence
Residence based on genuine dependent employment in Portugal, with entry and residence procedures assessed separately.
- 02
Permanent residence (optional) · from 5 years
A separate application after five years of temporary residence, subject to basic Portuguese, means of support, accommodation and the other statutory conditions.
- 03
Citizenship · 7 or 10 years
For new applications under the law effective 19 May 2026: seven years of legal residence for EU and Portuguese-official-language-country nationals, ten years for other nationals. Language, civic knowledge, character and other nationality conditions apply.
Permanent residence is an option, not a compulsory intermediate step. Applications already pending before 19 May 2026 are subject to the previous nationality rules. A minimum-stay investment permit does not itself confer citizenship.
Each stage requires its own qualifying conditions and decision. The years shown are eligibility periods, not approval times.
