Articles

When Portugal’s Parliament approved the Nationality Law reform on 28 October 2025, it did more than extend waiting periods — it rewrote the clock itself. The new law changes both when the countdown to citizenship begins and how time is measured.

For many long-term residents and immigrants waiting on AIMA’s endless queues, these two questions — from when does my residence count? and which rule applies to me? — are not academic. They decide whether one may apply this year or must wait several more.

Today, the Assembly of the Republic (Parliament) voted article by article — approving several of the proposed changes individually.

This stage is called the “votação na especialidade” — the specialty vote or article-by-article vote.
It’s where MPs debate and approve or amend each clause one by one.
So: some parts passed, some may have been changed, and some may still be contested.

Portugal is once again at a legislative crossroads. Following recent attempts to reform immigration and nationality laws, strong concerns have emerged about the government’s push to apply new rules retroactively.

• "Portugal Wants the Best — But Offers the Least."
• "Highly Qualified, Highly Ignored: Professionals Reject Portugal’s Low Pay and Red Tape."
• "A Visa for Ghosts: Portugal Courts Talent That Won’t Come."
• "Engineers Wanted, Grapes Forgotten: Portugal Misses Its True Labor Need."
• "Portugal’s Brain Drain Reverses — This Time, It's Self-Inflicted."
• "Immigration Policy by Illusion: Laws That Chase Away Talent."
• "Lisbon Dreams, Berlin Real

An immigrant who works, pays taxes, issues invoices and contributes economically to the country, but who is systematically prevented from being treated as a resident."

Portugal is currently experiencing a disconcerting paradox. On the one hand, the state is increasingly demanding in collecting taxes paid by foreign citizens. On the other, these same taxpayers are being subjected to obstacles that hinder, or even prevent, their full fiscal and legal regularization in the country.

Immigration is growing in Portugal, but the government is moving forward with an anti-immigration package, ignoring data that shows its positive impact on the population.

হাজার হাজার বৈধ বাসিন্দা পিছিয়ে পড়ছেন। আমরা পর্তুগাল পার্লামেন্টের প্রতি আহ্বান জানাচ্ছি যেন তারা একটি অস্থায়ী ব্যবস্থা চালু করেন, যাতে ইতোমধ্যে যারা দেশে এবং বৈধভাবে বসবাস করছেন তারা পুরাতন প্রাকৃতিকরণ আইনের আওতায় নাগরিকত্বের আবেদন করতে পারেন।

👉 এখনই স্বাক্ষর করুন:
https://participacao.parlamento.pt/initiatives/5005

🕊️ আপনার একটি স্বাক্ষর পরিবর্তন আনতে পারে।

ধাপেধাপে পিটিশনে সই করার নিয়ম

এইলিংকে যান:

जो लोग वर्षों से पुर्तगाल में रह रहे हैं, कानूनी हैं, उन्होंने यहाँ जीवन बनाया — उन्हें पीछे नहीं छोड़ा जाना चाहिए।

हम पुर्तगाली संसद से माँग करते हैं कि एक संक्रमणकालीन व्यवस्था बनाई जाए ताकि वे पुराने कानून के अनुसार नागरिकता के लिए आवेदन कर सकें।

🖊️ यह याचिका सिर्फ कानून नहीं, इंसाफ की बात है:
👉 https://participacao.parlamento.pt/initiatives/5005

🕊️ एक प्रगतिशील समाज सबको अपनाता है।

#न्याय_के_लिए #मानवाधिकार_अब #पुर्तगाल_सबके_लिए #समानता_का_अधिकार

Milhares de residentes legais estão a ser deixados para trás.

Queremos um regime transitório para permitir a nacionalidade segundo a lei antiga.

Se defendemos os direitos humanos, defendemos também o direito à pertença.

 Ninguém fica para trás num país justo.

🖊️ Assine a petição oficial:

👉 https://participacao.parlamento.pt/initiatives/5005

🧭 Como assinar:

Aceda à página acima

Clique em "Iniciar Sessão"

Thousands of legal residents — working, contributing, raising families — are being left behind by a change in the nationality law.

We demand a transitional regime so that those already living legally in Portugal can apply for nationality under the old naturalisation rules.

This is not just a law — it's about dignity, fairness, and human rights.

🖊️ SIGN THE OFFICIAL PETITION NOW

👉 https://participacao.parlamento.pt/initiatives/5005