In recent years, Portugal has positioned itself as one of the most open countries in Europe for foreign migrants, including refugees from Ukraine. Favorable conditions for legalization, relatively loyal requirements for candidates for citizenship, a high level of tolerance in society — all this made the country attractive not only for those who sought asylum, but also for people who planned to build a life there for the long term. However, the situation is changing.
Under political and electoral pressure from far-right parties, which were active in the recent parliamentary elections, the Portuguese government announced plans to significantly strengthen migration laws. Among the most resonant initiatives is the doubling of the period of legal residence required to acquire citizenship. This will directly affect Ukrainian refugees who, according to the current rules, could apply for citizenship as early as 2027. According to the new rules, this perspective is postponed until at least 2032.
What exactly will change: the key points of the reform
As reported Reuters, on June 24, 2025, Cabinet Minister Antonio Leitao Amaro announced the main provisions of the planned changes. According to him, the Portuguese government is preparing a large-scale revision of the rules for acquiring citizenship. The most important innovation will be an increase in the minimum period of legal residence in the country from five to ten years for most foreign citizens.
In addition, applicants will have to meet other criteria, which may also be revised in the direction of complication. It is, in particular, about:
– knowledge of the Portuguese language at a sufficient level;
– absence of serious convictions;
– the absence of a threat to the national security of Portugal.
Another innovation is the possibility of depriving already acquired citizenship if its owner has committed a serious crime. This point may gain importance in the context of interstate cooperation in the field of criminal prosecution, especially after high-profile cases involving dual citizenship.
Ukrainians under the general category: no concessions are provided
While certain benefits remain for citizens of some countries that were formerly Portuguese colonies — for example, Brazilians, Angolans and Mozambicans can apply for citizenship after seven years of residence — the government has made no exceptions for Ukrainian refugees.
Thus, Ukrainians who arrived in Portugal after the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022 will lose the opportunity to apply for citizenship in 2027, as provided by the current law. If the changes come into force, this perspective will be postponed until 2032. Even those who have already started preparing documents and are approaching the five-year threshold may find themselves in a situation of uncertainty if the new rules are retroactive.
Why there is an increase: the political and social background
The initiative to make access to citizenship more difficult is an isolated decision by the government, and a response to internal pressure caused by changes in Portugal’s political landscape. In the elections in May 2025, the right-wing populist and far-right forces gained significant support, which actively exploited the themes of “uncontrolled migration”, “overloading of social systems” and “threats to national identity”. According to Reuters, the topic of citizenship became one of the main topics during the election campaign.
In addition, the general dynamics should be taken into account: according to the official data of the Migration and Asylum Agency AIMA, at the end of 2024, more than 1.5 million foreigners lived in Portugal, which is approximately 14% of the country’s population. The largest group is Brazilians (more than 450,000), but among the refugees of the new wave there is a significant share of Ukrainians. All this creates the ground for the growth of social tension, on which radical politicians play.
What does this mean for Ukrainians: risks and real scenarios
The proposed changes create several risks for the Ukrainian community in Portugal. The first is legal uncertainty. If the new rules are passed without a transition period, thousands of people who were close to being able to apply for citizenship will lose that prospect for the next decade. This can demotivate people to integrate further or encourage them to migrate to other countries.
The second risk is discrimination. The privileged position for immigrants from former colonies against the background of the general complication of the rules for the rest raises questions about equality and justice, especially for refugees who have arrived from countries in a state of war.
The third aspect is psychological. Many Ukrainians, especially those with children, hoped to stabilize their status precisely through obtaining citizenship. Delaying this status can destroy long-term plans and cause a new wave of stress.
So, Portugal is taking a step in the direction of a tougher migration policy, and this step is already directly affecting Ukrainian refugees. In the context of pan-European trends, where individual states are gradually limiting access to social and legal mechanisms of integration, the new Lisbon initiative appears to be part of a wider trend. At the same time, the Ukrainian community in Portugal remains one of the most numerous, socially active and employed. The upcoming political season will show whether the government will take this into account in the details of the new legislation.
