Portuguese Citizenship By Marriage

Portuguese nationality offers many benefits and rights for US citizens, including:

• Passport – The ability to travel freely throughout the world
• Voting rights – The right to vote in elections and referendums held in Portugal
• Residence permit – The ability to live in Portugal as a permanent resident
• Access to education – Access to state-funded public schools and universities
• Access to employment – You can work in any field without any restrictions
• Access to healthcare – You can access free or low-cost healthcare in Portugal
• Property rights – You can own and inherit property in Portugal

If you, a US citizen, are married to a Portuguese citizen, you may be eligible to obtain Portuguese citizenship. To be eligible for citizenship, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be legally married to a Portuguese citizen for at least three years
• Must have your marriage registered in the Portuguese system
• Have no criminal record
• Live in a de facto union with a Portuguese citizen for more than three years, and have judicial recognition of that status by a civil court
• Be able to speak Portuguese with a sufficient level of proficiency

If you are married to a Portuguese citizen and plan to stay in Portugal, you will need to register your marriage with the Civil Registry Office (Conservatória do Registo Civil) where your spouse is registered.

The registration process is handled by the nearest Portuguese consulate. Once completed, the consulate will send a certification of registration to the applicant.

In addition to the above requirements, the Portuguese government requires that you demonstrate a connection to the Portuguese community beyond family ties.

For example, you may show your connection by presenting concrete evidence and witnesses who can attest to your involvement in Portuguese community activities, by showing evidence of useful activities benefiting the community or Portuguese culture, or by ownership of property in Portugal.

In order to apply for Portuguese citizenship by marriage as a US citizen, you must provide:

• A certified copy of the applicant’s birth certificate, legalized by an Apostille or by the Portuguese Consulate in the area where the birth occurred
• Marriage certificate of the Portuguese spouse, issued within the last six months, listing the date and place of marriage
• A copy of your spouse’s Portuguese passport and Identification card
• A criminal record certificate from the authorities of the country in which you were born, as well as any countries where you lived after turning 16
• FBI Criminal Background Check – authenticated by Apostille
• Proof that you have never served as a foreign Civil Servant, nor been employed in foreign armed forces (unless required by local law)
• A handwritten letter explaining your motive for requesting Portuguese citizenship

If you have been married to a Portuguese national for more than 5 years, you do not need to prove your knowledge of the Portuguese language.

In addition, you are exempted from presenting the Portuguese Criminal Record Clearance, since it may be obtained compulsorily by the Portuguese government. However, we recommend that you apply for it first to avoid delays in processing your application.

You will also need to show proof of your connection to the Portuguese community by showing photos and receipts from trips to Portugal, copies of hotel and restaurant receipts, medical bills from Portuguese doctors, airline tickets purchased from Portuguese airlines or membership cards from Portuguese clubs or associations in the US.

Documentation to Establish your Knowledge of the Portuguese Language

In order to apply for Portuguese citizenship by marriage, you will need to provide proof of your knowledge of the Portuguese language.

You can do this with one of the following documents:

• A diploma issued by a Portuguese public or private school, in accordance with Portuguese law
• A certificate of approval in a test that was given by the institution
• A certificate of approval in an exam issued by the Portuguese Consulate when you were still living abroad
• A certificate of proficiency in Portuguese as a foreign language issued by an accredited Portuguese evaluation centre

If you have studied in a school in one of the Portuguese-speaking countries, you may provide evidence of your knowledge of the language by showing a diploma from that school.

The cost of applying for Portuguese citizenship by marriage is €250. This fee includes the processing of your application and a certificate of Portuguese citizenship.

You can pay the application fee online using your credit card (Visa or Mastercard), by clicking here.

To complete your application, you must submit a payment receipt with the remaining documents.

If you, a US citizen, are married to a Portuguese citizen, you may be eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship through marriage.

To start your Portuguese Citizenship application, you need to submit all the required documents to Conservatória dos Registos Centrais. You will have to submit copies of your valid passport and birth certificate, as well as a copy of your marriage certificate and proof that the application fee has been paid.

Once you have completed the application, it will be reviewed by the relevant authorities. If approved, you will then have to take a Portuguese language and culture test, as well as an interview.

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After you apply, you will receive a notification of your application. You will have to send copies of all the necessary documentation to Conservatória dos Registos Centrais, Portugal.

Once your documents are received, they will be checked and if everything is correct, your Portuguese citizenship certificate will be issued.

If it is found that your marriage was entered solely to obtain Portuguese nationality, your application may be denied.

Your citizenship application may also be denied if your marriage has ended before the 3 years required for eligibility, or if you have falsified any documents in your application.

Adoption

Portuguese  citizenship by Adoption is a program that grants Portuguese citizenship to foreign nationals who are adopted by Portuguese citizens or residents.

To qualify for this, you must have at least one parent who is a Portuguese citizen and be legally adopted by a Portuguese citizen.

If you meet these requirements, then you will be able to apply for citizenship by adoption after your adoption has gone through.

The application process for citizenship is similar to other types, in that you need to provide identification, adoption papers, and evidence of your connection to Portugal.

Investment

The Portuguese citizenship by investment program allows individuals to obtain a Portuguese passport and enjoy all the benefits of being a citizen of Portugal by making a significant investment in the country.

The program allows investors to obtain a Portuguese passport with an investment between €250,000 and €1.5 million in Portugal. Additionally, the applicant must also be able to show the knowledge of Portuguese language.

Portugal is one of the few countries in Europe that allows its citizens to hold a second nationality. This is due to the fact that Portugal’s constitution, which was established in 1976, recognizes dual nationality as a right.

This means that once you become a Portuguese citizen, you will not be required to renounce your previous US citizenship.

If you hold Portuguese citizenship in addition to another citizenship, it is unlikely that you will lose your Portuguese citizenship unless you commit a serious crime or are involved in an act of terrorism.

Additionally, you cannot lose your Portuguese citizenship if you would become stateless as a result. This means only dual citizens can lose their Portuguese nationality involuntarily.