Nationality by marriage / partnership

Acquisition of Portuguese nationality by marriage or civil partnership with a Portuguese citizen is possible after 3 years of marriage or legally recognised civil partnership. For civil partnerships, the couple must have cohabited for at least 2 years for the union to be legally recognised; the 3-year period for nationality purposes runs from that recognition. Organic Law 1/2026 extended the same criminal bars as naturalisation by residence to this route.

Required documents include: marriage certificate or court-recognised civil partnership certificate with at least 3 years' standing; criminal record certificates from Portugal and the country of origin; and a Portuguese language certificate at minimum A2 level (typically the CIPLE exam from CAPLE). Proof of effective ties to the Portuguese community is also required.

This route does not require any minimum period of residence in Portugal — the determining factor is the length of the marital or partnership bond. However, administrative processing at the Civil Registry (Conservatória do Registo Civil) currently takes an average of 3 to 4 years due to the volume of applications.

Confirm the current requirements applicable to your case, especially if the relationship is a civil partnership.