Portugal faces an overwhelming backlog of over half a million citizenship applications yet to be addressed
In the realm of immigration, Portugal has witnessed a significant shift in recent years, with Brazilians, Cape Verdeans, and Ukrainians topping the list of foreigners who have obtained Portuguese passports in 2023.
According to the latest data from the Justice Portal, nearly 92,000 nationality applications were accepted this year, while approximately 3,700 were rejected. The number of requests to be resolved continues to increase year after year, with over 120,000 new applications submitted in 2023 alone.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs has denied allegations that the Government is taking a stance against immigration, stating that the process remains open and fair. This assertion is supported by the fact that Portugal's overall favourable economic outlook, low unemployment, and steady growth in foreign resident numbers have contributed to the continuing upward trend in nationality applications from these groups.
Brazil, Cape Verde, and Ukraine have consistently been among the countries with the most applicants for Portuguese nationality. Despite a net decrease in the Brazilian population residing in Portugal between 2011 and 2016, over 26,000 Brazilians successfully acquired Portuguese citizenship during that period, indicating a strong desire for integration.
While the exact figures for Cape Verdean and Ukrainian nationality applications are not detailed in the sources, the growing immigrant communities from African countries and the impact of recent geopolitical events in Ukraine suggest that these communities are likely contributing to the increasing number of nationality applications due to economic migration driving population growth.
The Institute of Registries and Notary currently has over 515,000 cases pending in the first six months of the year, a record high. This trend of increasing cases has been steady, with the peak in applications occurring in 2022. It is worth noting that the last nationality data survey was conducted in 2016.
The Portuguese Parliament recently debated changes to the immigration and nationality law, with proposals aimed at limiting the entry of immigrants and the acquisition of Portuguese nationality. However, the specifics of these proposed changes and their potential impact on the trend of increasing nationality applications remain to be seen.
As Portugal continues to attract immigrants from various parts of the world, the country's approach to immigration and nationality will undoubtedly shape its future demographic landscape and economic growth.
- The increasing number of nationality applications from Brazilians, Cape Verdeans, and Ukrainians is a testament to the significant shift in Portugal's immigration policy-and-legislation, reflecting the country's politics and general-news.
- As the Portuguese Parliament debates changes to the immigration and nationality law, the future of the country's immigration landscape and economic growth will likely be influenced by the policies and legislation resulting from these debates and their impact on foreigners seeking Portuguese citizenship.
