Portuguese Citizenship - How to Prove Knowledge of Basic Portuguese?
16 January 2025
Madalena Viana Pedreira
Madalena Viana Pedreira | Lawyer
Have you been a legal resident of Portugal for the past five years? If so, the exciting time may have come - you are now eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship. However, while you may meet the eligibility criteria, are you prepared to prove you meet all the requirements? Specifically, do you have a certificate demonstrating your knowledge of basic Portuguese?
To obtain Portuguese citizenship by naturalisation, applicants must prove their understanding of the Portuguese language. This requirement ensures that those who become Portuguese citizens can communicate at a basic level. Unlike some European countries that also require cultural knowledge, Portugal focuses solely on language assessment.
This article outlines various ways to demonstrate knowledge of the Portuguese language, offering flexibility depending on the applicant’s circumstances. Special provisions apply to minors, seniors, people with disabilities, and nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries.
How to Prove Knowledge of the Portuguese Language
The Portuguese nationality law provides several pathways to prove your language proficiency:
Certificate of Qualifications from an Educational Institution
- Applicants can provide a certificate from a public, private, or cooperative educational establishment, recognised under legal terms, confirming successful attendance of Portuguese language classes for at least two academic years.
- If the certificate is from an institution where Portuguese is the official language, it must certify attendance and qualification in Portuguese as part of the curriculum.
Certificate of Approval in a Portuguese Language Test
- This test can be taken in public educational institutions in Portugal or locations accredited by Camões - Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua, I.P. if taken abroad (more details here).
- The test includes three components: reading comprehension, writing, and oral comprehension.
- Only individuals who meet the minimum age for compulsory education in Portugal are eligible to take the test. Compulsory education ends:
- Upon obtaining a high school diploma; or
- In the school year during which the student turns 18, regardless of diploma completion.
- For applicants aged 60 or older who cannot read or write, the test is adapted to match their ability to demonstrate knowledge of Portuguese. Those with disabilities or serious health conditions are exempt but must provide proof through a multipurpose medical certificate or report, as per Portuguese legislation.
Certification in Portuguese as a Foreign Language
- Applicants can obtain a certificate by completing a Portuguese language test at an assessment centre recognised by the Ministry of Education and Science (more details here). The test must confirm a level of A2 or higher.
- A certificate issued by public educational establishments, employment and training centres, or Instituto do Emprego e da Formação Profissional, I.P. (IEFP, I.P.).
- Courses, commonly known as Português Língua de Acolhimento (PLA), must include a minimum of 150 hours and be conducted in certified learning centres.
Proof for Minors
- For minors who have not yet completed the 1st level of basic education, a declaration issued by their school can serve as proof of Portuguese language knowledge.
Proof for Nationals of Portuguese-Speaking Countries
- Applicants from Portuguese-speaking countries can prove proficiency with a certificate of qualifications from a recognised educational institution in their country.
- Additionally, proficiency is automatically assumed for individuals who:
- Were born and are nationals of a Portuguese-speaking country for at least 10 years, and
- Have resided in Portugal for at least five years, regardless of the type of residence permit.
These are the different ways to demonstrate your proficiency in the Portuguese language.
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