Portugal · For your nationality or ancestry
Portugal Portuguese nationality for grandchildren
Portuguese nationality by origin for grandchildren of Portuguese nationals (Lei da Nacionalidade Article 1(1)(d))
First checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedRule changed 19 May 2026Change log
Key facts
Portuguese nationality for grandchildren is a for your nationality or ancestry route for Portugal. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
What you'll need
Who can apply6
- A grandparent (second-degree ascendant in the direct line) holds Portuguese nationality of origin and has not lost it.
- You declare that you want to be Portuguese and have effective ties to the national community.
- You prove sufficient knowledge of the Portuguese language, culture, history and national symbols by test or certificate.
- You know the fundamental rights and duties of Portuguese nationality and declare adherence to the democratic rule of law.
- No final prison sentence over three years for terrorism, violent or organised crime, crimes against the State or aiding illegal immigration.
- You pose no threat to national security or defence and are not subject to UN or EU restrictive measures.
Documents1
- Nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries are presumed to meet the language requirement unless lack of Portuguese is manifest.
After you arrive1
- Children of a Portuguese parent born abroad are Portuguese by origin if the birth is registered in the Portuguese civil registry or they declare they want to be Portuguese.
What happens at day 183
How Portugal decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in any 12-month period starting or ending in the tax yearResidence by presence.
- Foreign-source income
Resident individuals are taxed on worldwide income, including foreign-source income, at progressive rates from 12.5% up to 48% on the 2026 brackets set by the 2026 State Budget (Lei 73-A/2025: first bracket up to EUR 8,342, (≈ $9,320) top rate above EUR 86,634 (≈ $96,800)), plus an additional solidarity rate of 2.5% on taxable income above EUR 80,000 (≈ $89,400) and 5% above EUR 250,000 (≈ $279,000); non-residents are taxed on Portuguese-source income.
All tax rules for Portugal Tax records checked
Full official text
A person with a grandparent who holds Portuguese nationality of origin and never lost it can be attributed Portuguese nationality by declaring the wish to be Portuguese and showing effective ties to the national community, which since May 2026 means meeting the language, civic-knowledge, good-character and security conditions of Article 6(1)(c) to (h). 1 2
Requirements
- A grandparent (second-degree ascendant in the direct line) holds Portuguese nationality of origin and has not lost it. 1
- You declare that you want to be Portuguese and have effective ties to the national community. 1
- You prove sufficient knowledge of the Portuguese language, culture, history and national symbols by test or certificate. 1 2
- You know the fundamental rights and duties of Portuguese nationality and declare adherence to the democratic rule of law. 1 2
- No final prison sentence over three years for terrorism, violent or organised crime, crimes against the State or aiding illegal immigration. 1 2
- You pose no threat to national security or defence and are not subject to UN or EU restrictive measures. 1 2
- Nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries are presumed to meet the language requirement unless lack of Portuguese is manifest. 1
- Children of a Portuguese parent born abroad are Portuguese by origin if the birth is registered in the Portuguese civil registry or they declare they want to be Portuguese. 1
Stay
- Citizenship is permanent once acquired; it is not a time-limited permit.
Nationality
Open to anyone of any nationality with a Portuguese grandparent of original nationality who meets the language and civic conditions.
Work
A Portuguese national may live and work in Portugal and, as an EU citizen, across the EU and EEA.
Family
Children of the applicant become Portuguese by origin through registration or declaration once the parent is Portuguese.
Official sources
- Lei n.º 37/81, de 3 de outubro, Lei da Nacionalidade (texto consolidado) · Procuradoria-Geral Distrital de Lisboa · checked 2026-10-11
- Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026, de 18 de maio, alteração à Lei da Nacionalidade · Diário da República · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-05-18
Portuguese nationality for grandchildren and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portuguese nationality for grandchildren | – | – | – |
| CPLP residence | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Spanish nationality by descent and option Spain | – | – | – |
| Italian citizenship by descent Italy | – | – | Yes |
| Greek citizenship by descent Greece | – | – | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Portuguese nationality for grandchildren?
Citizenship is permanent once acquired; it is not a time-limited permit.
Can I work on the Portuguese nationality for grandchildren?
A Portuguese national may live and work in Portugal and, as an EU citizen, across the EU and EEA.
Can I bring my family on the Portuguese nationality for grandchildren?
Children of the applicant become Portuguese by origin through registration or declaration once the parent is Portuguese.
How are Portuguese nationality for grandchildren holders taxed in Portugal?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Portuguese nationality for grandchildren. The standard rules apply: Resident individuals are taxed on worldwide income, including foreign-source income, at progressive rates from 12.5% up to 48% on the 2026 brackets set by the 2026 State Budget (Lei 73-A/2025: first bracket up to EUR 8,342, (≈ $9,320) top rate above EUR 86,634 (≈ $96,800)), plus an additional solidarity rate of 2.5% on taxable income above EUR 80,000 (≈ $89,400) and 5% above EUR 250,000 (≈ $279,000); non-residents are taxed on Portuguese-source income.
More in Portugal
Nationality or ancestry visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 2 official sources. Status: partly verified; the page marks the facts an official source does not fully confirm.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Lei n.º 37/81, de 3 de outubro, Lei da Nacionalidade (texto consolidado) · Procuradoria-Geral Distrital de Lisboa · checked 2026-10-11
- Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026, de 18 de maio, alteração à Lei da Nacionalidade · Diário da República · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.