Portugal fast-tracks citizenship for children of ‘golden visa’ residents

Children born to Portuguese golden visa holders can now obtain citizenship by birthright, even if their parents have lived in the country for only 7 days in a year.

This newly amended law applies to the children of foreign nationals who have held Portugal’s golden visa for at least one year, Investment Migration Insider reports.

Earlier, parents had to live in Portugal for two or more years in order for their children to obtain Portuguese citizenship.

According to Patricia Valadas Coriel of Valadas Coriel & Associados, foreigners who have held a golden visa for a year can now confer Portuguese citizenship to their child by birth, even if they have only met the minimum requirement of being present in the country for 7 days in a year.

This amendment makes the Portuguese golden visa the only programme in the EU that allows “jus soli” (land right) without the need for long-term residence in the country.