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Permanent residence is generally available after five years of legal residence with A2 Portuguese. Citizenship requires a qualifying residence period that a 2026 reform increased beyond the previous five years.
Permanent residence (autorização de residência permanente) generally requires five years of continuous legal temporary residence, plus proof of Portuguese at A2 level. Citizenship by naturalisation also requires a qualifying period of legal residence with language and integration requirements; note that a 2026 reform of the Nationality Law increased that period beyond the previous five years for applications filed after it took effect, with the exact period depending on nationality and transitional rules protecting earlier applications. Because these rules have changed recently, verify your situation on the official gov.pt and AIMA pages.
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Guidance only, not legal advice. ACME is an independent consultancy, not affiliated with any government. Rules change, confirm details with official sources.