LVP Advogados provide full bureaucratic and legal assistance to foreign Clients with obtaining Portuguese citizenship. 

Our service includes the following, as needed by the Client:

• Advice on the formalities and practicalities involved
• Obtaining the necessary Portuguese documents to support the application
• If required, obtaining Portuguese tax id, social security and national health service numbers
• If applicable, preparing and getting foreign birth and marriage registration transcribed to Portugal's civil registry
• Preparing and submitting the citizenship application
• Providing assistance with dealing with any issues that may be raised by the Portuguese authorities
• Assisting with paying the Government fees
• Collecting and forwarding certificates to the Client
• Introducing the Client to non-legal professionals as may be needed

About Portuguese Citizenship

Portuguese citizenship may be obtained by someone who:

• is born in Portugal and has a Portuguese parent
• is born abroad and has a Portuguese parent, provided that: either the Portuguese parent was working abroad for the Portuguese State; or the Portuguese parent registered the birth with Portugal’s civil registry; or he/she declares the will to be Portuguese 
• is born abroad and has a Portuguese grandparent who did not lose his/her Portuguese nationality, provided that: the applicant has: (a) proof of knowledge of the Portuguese language; (b) proof of regular contacts and effective connections with Portugal; and (c) a criminal record certificate showing no conviction for a crime punishable in Portugal by a prison sentence of more than 3 years
• is born in Portugal and does not have a Portuguese parent, but has one Portugal-born parent, provided that the Portugal-born parent resided legally in the country at the time of the birth
• is born in Portugal and does not have a Portuguese parent, but one parent has been a legal resident of Portugal for at least 2 years, provided that the parents are not in Portugal at the service of their State of origin and the applicant does not declare his/her will not to be Portuguese
• is born in Portugal and does not have another citizenship
• is underaged or incapacitated and has a parent who acquired Portuguese citizenship, provided that the parents declare their will to register the child as a Portuguese citizen 
• has, for at least 3 years, been married to a Portuguese citizen or been a life partner of a Portuguese citizen, provided that he/she is not at the service of a third country as a military or as a non-technical civil servant and submits: (a) a marriage certificate or a judicial ruling confirming the partnership, as the case may be; (b) a birth certificate of the Portuguese spouse or partner; (c) proof of regular contacts and effective connections with Portugal, except where the couple has a Portuguese child; and (d) a criminal record certificate showing no conviction for a crime punishable in Portugal by a prison sentence of more than 3 years
• has renounced Portuguese citizenship while incapacitated, and provides proof of the temporary incapacity
• has held legal Portugal residency for at least 5 years, provided that the applicant: (a) is at least 18 y.o. or emancipated; (b) has proof of knowledge of the Portuguese language; (c) has a criminal record certificate showing no conviction for a crime punishable in Portugal by a prison sentence of more than 3 years; (d) has not been involved in terrorism-connected activities
• is underaged and was born in Portugal to foreign parents, provided that the minor: (a) has proof of knowledge of the Portuguese language; (b) being over 16 y.o., has a criminal record certificate showing no conviction for a crime punishable in Portugal by a prison sentence of more than 3 years; and (c) either concluded 1 schooling cycle in Portugal (1st-4th/5th-6th/7th-9th/10th-12th grade), or has one parent who, at the time of the application, has legally resided in Portugal for at least 5 years
• was born in Portugal to foreign parents and has habitually lived in Portugal during the 5 years prior to the citizenship application, provided that he/she files a citizenship application together with proof of meeting the legal requirements
• is the child of a foreign parent who has lived in Portugal for at least 5 years, provided that the applicant concluded in Portugal either basic (9th grade) or secondary (12th grade) schooling
• is the foreign parent of a native Portuguese national, provided that the parenthood has been established upon the birth of the Portuguese child and the applicant has lived in Portugal during a period of at least 5 years prior to the application date
• lost the Portuguese citizenship and never acquired another one, provided that he/she files a citizenship application together with proof of meeting the legal requirements
• has previously had Portuguese citizenship, provided that he/she files a citizenship application together with proof of meeting the legal requirements
• is a descendant of Portuguese or a member of a community of Portuguese ascent, provided that exceptional circumstances deem him/her worthy of Portuguese citizenship
• has rendered, or is asked to render, relevant services to the Portuguese State or the Portuguese Community, provided that exceptional circumstances deem him/her worthy of Portuguese citizenship
• is a Sephardic Jew that descends from the Portuguese Sephardic Jews, provided that a tradition of belonging to Sephardic community of Portuguese origin is demonstrated by proven links to Portugal, namely family names, family idiom, and direct or collateral ascent 
• being a minor, has been fully adopted by a Portuguese citizen, provided that the parents registered the adoption with Portugal’s civil registry
• is a woman who, under the legislation prior to 1960, lost her Portuguese citizenship for having married a foreigner, provided that she files a citizenship application together with proof of meeting the legal requirement​

To learn more and get a quote, email either of us

Madalena Pedreira

Joana T. Fernandes

​or submit a