Portugal to Process Over 1.4 Million Citizenship Applications in Six Years

Portugal reported a record number of citizenship applications over the past six years, with 1.4 million requests submitted during this period.

Demand has remained particularly strong, with 230,000 applications filed in 2023 alone. The peak was observed in 2022, when the country processed approximately 300,000 citizenship applications, marking an all-time high in naturalization requests.

This increasing trend highlights Portugal’s attractiveness as a country for settlement, business, and global mobility.

Portugal Expands Efforts to Manage Citizenship Applications

To accommodate the growing volume of applications, Portugal has been adapting its citizenship processing system, to handle the growing demand efficiently.

The Institute of Registries and Notaries (IRN) introduced a new digital platform last year to streamline application management, that aims to make the process more efficient and accessible.

While this system is still in its adaptation phase, authorities expect long-term improvements in application handling and response times.

Despite the record-high interest, Portugal remains committed to enhancing its citizenship services for applicants to receive a clear and structured pathway to naturalization.

Government Plans to Strengthen Processing Capacity

With nearly 500,000 applications still in progress, authorities are working on measures to optimize processing times and expand available resources.

The Ministry of Justice has acknowledged the need for greater administrative capacity to meet demand efficiently and is exploring solutions to improve response times.

As Portugal continues to experience record-high interest in naturalization, the government is planning to further optimize processing times and expand resources to manage the growing demand more efficiently.