Portugal Receives More Than 63,000 Citizenship Applications in the First Four Months of 2024
Key Points
1. Over 63,000 Portuguese citizenship applications were submitted in the first four months of 2024.
2. Data from the Institute of Registries and Notaries (IRN) indicates a substantial rise in citizenship applications.
3. The increase in applications has created challenges for authorities in processing these requests.
More than 63,000 applications for Portuguese citizenship have been submitted in the first four months of this year, according to the Institute of Registries and Notaries (IRN).
The statistics show a significant rise compared to last year when 198,000 applications were registered.
The surge in Portuguese citizenship applications has presented new challenges for the country's authorities in managing the processing of these applications.
Tammy Cavaleiro, a partner at Você Europeu, told Mercados y Eventos that due to the high volume of applications, many are experiencing delays.
Despite efforts to increase staff, the rapid rise in citizenship applications is causing a backlog, further lengthening processing times for new applicants.
Tammy Cavaleiro, partner at Você Europeu
Last year, out of approximately 200,000 citizenship applications, only 116,000 were approved.
Cavaleiro noted that demand for Portuguese citizenship is expected to continue growing, mainly due to the stability the country offers.
"In these times of global uncertainty, the benefits of citizenship can be crucial. Applicants need to be aware of potential delays and be prepared to face possible obstacles," Cavaleiro advised.
Over 500,000 Pending Citizenship Applications
As of May this year, there are over 500,000 applications for Portuguese citizenship awaiting processing, with delays of up to two years. The government attributes the delays primarily to high demand.
Portugal Among the Easiest Countries for Citizenship Acquisition
Portugal is considered one of the easiest countries to acquire citizenship. A study by CanadaCIS ranked Portugal fourth among 32 European countries for granting citizenship, with more than three out of every 50 residents from non-EU countries becoming citizens. This accounts for 6.6% of the total.
However, despite the study's conclusion that obtaining Portuguese citizenship is relatively easy, some commenters from the Portugal News disagreed with these findings.