Obtaining Portuguese Citizenship Through a Spouse or Partner

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If you’re married or in a long-term relationship with a Portuguese citizen, the good news is that you may be eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship.

According to the Portuguese Embassy in Washington, you can apply if you are a “foreign national married to a Portuguese citizen for longer than 3 years.” The embassy website also notes that “the marriage must be registered in the Portuguese system,” and provides information on registering a marriage to a Portuguese national that has been celebrated abroad.

As well as those who are married, the embassy website also notes that the law also applies to “a foreign national who, at the time of the declaration, lives in a de facto union with a Portuguese citizen for more than three years, after judicial recognition of the status by a civil court.”

However, simply being in a relationship isn’t enough. Couples must provide tangible proof of their union. This includes documents demonstrating cohabitation, such as shared addresses, joint bills, and other evidence that substantiates the authenticity of the relationship. For those in long-distance relationships, this is obviously tricky.

Even if you are in a long-term relationship, it is typically harder to prove this than it is to present a marriage certificate. According to Sandra Gomes Pinto of Sandra Gomes Pinto & Associados, “For unmarried couples, the biggest challenge is providing proof of the relationship. It’s always much easier if you’re married so if you plan on applying for citizenship, this should make your application that little bit easier.”

She also notes that just because you’re getting married, that doesn’t mean the clock resets and you need to wait another three years before applying.

“If you live together for the required amount of time, you acquire the right to apply for Portuguese citizenship, and this wouldn’t disappear or reset because you got married.”

Interestingly, residing in Portugal for the duration of these three years is not a prerequisite as it is in other countries.

What about those who end up getting divorced? Unfortunately, if you get divorced, you can no longer claim citizenship via this route. However, there are plenty of ways that you can move to Portugal should you wish to do so, thanks to Portugal’s attainable residency visas.

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