12 de May, 2026
Many descendants of Portuguese citizens believe that great-grandchildren are not eligible for Portuguese citizenship. However, there are currently different possible pathways — including cases where the Portuguese grandparent has already passed away. Although Portuguese law does not allow “skipping two generations” directly, citizenship recognition may occur through family transmission — in two stages — or, in some cases, through legal residence in Portugal and the strengthening of ties with the Portuguese community, according to the changes to the Portuguese Nationality Law approved in May 2026.
In this article, we explain in an updated and practical way how Portuguese citizenship for great-grandchildren works. See what has changed and which pathways are currently the most viable.
Read also our article about Portuguese citizenship for grandchildren.
Realizing your goal of living in Europe or obtaining European citizenship can be simpler than you think. We offer personalized support to make the immigration process more accessible and uncomplicated.
Not directly. Portuguese legislation only provides for the direct recognition of Portuguese nationality for children and grandchildren of Portuguese citizens. Therefore, simply having a Portuguese great-grandparent does not automatically guarantee the right to Portuguese citizenship. However, this does not mean that great-grandchildren are prevented from obtaining it. There are possible pathways, as explained below.
| Aspect | Route 1 — Family Transmission | Route 2 — Residence in Portugal |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Citizenship application made “step by step” through living relatives | Citizenship based on legal residence |
| Requires a living ascendant? | Yes | No |
| Type of nationality | Original nationality | Derived/naturalized nationality |
| Estimated time | 5 to 8 years | 5 years of residence + approximately 16 months for citizenship approval |
| Need to live in Portugal? | No | Yes |
| Advantages | Original nationality; application can be made from the country of origin | Does not depend on living relatives |
| Disadvantages | Requires living relatives in the family line; multiple processes may increase waiting time | Need to relocate to Portugal; visa and adaptation required |
In practice, many great-grandchildren obtain citizenship through family transmission between living generations. This is because direct citizenship applications are only possible up to the second generation (grandchildren of Portuguese citizens). In other words, it is not possible to “skip” two generations.
This means that a parent or grandparent in the Portuguese line of descent first obtains citizenship and subsequently transmits that right to the following descendants. However, it is important to emphasize that the applicant must be alive. It is not possible to apply for citizenship on behalf of a deceased relative. This may limit the feasibility of citizenship for some great-grandchildren.
The nationality transmitted in these cases will be considered original nationality.
An important detail: it is necessary to verify how the grandparent originally obtained Portuguese nationality. If it was acquired as a grandchild before the 2015 legal amendment — when nationality was still considered derived — it may first be necessary to convert the grandparent’s nationality status before proceeding with the next generation’s application.
To better explain how citizenship can be passed down generation by generation, let’s consider the following family:
In this scenario, Sara (the great-granddaughter of a Portuguese citizen) wishes to obtain Portuguese citizenship.
Beto and Ricardo, respectively the child and grandchild of the Portuguese citizen, are alive and wish to obtain Portuguese nationality:
Therefore, Sara did not obtain nationality because she was a great-granddaughter, but because she became the child of a Portuguese citizen.
Beto, the child of the Portuguese citizen, has passed away. However, Ricardo, the grandchild of the Portuguese citizen, is alive, speaks Portuguese fluently (he is Brazilian), and wishes to acquire nationality:
Again, Sara did not obtain nationality because she was a great-granddaughter, but because she became the child of a Portuguese citizen.
Beto, the child of the Portuguese citizen, is alive and wishes to acquire nationality. However, Ricardo, the grandchild of the Portuguese citizen, has passed away. In addition, Sara, the great-granddaughter, is fluent in Portuguese:
In this case, Sara obtained nationality not because she was a great-granddaughter, but because she became the grandchild of a Portuguese citizen.
In scenarios 2 and 3 above, the number of nationality applications is reduced to two. At first glance, this may seem to shorten the total processing time for the great-grandchild’s citizenship. However, this is usually not the case. The reason is that applications submitted by grandchildren of Portuguese citizens generally take considerably longer to process at Portuguese Registry Offices and Consulates than applications submitted by children of Portuguese citizens (as in scenario 1).
See also our article about how long it takes to obtain Portuguese citizenship.
The same reasoning applied to great-grandchildren also applies to great-great-grandchildren. However, the chances are naturally reduced due to the higher probability that their ascendants (the child or grandchild of the Portuguese citizen) may already be deceased. It is important to remember that Portuguese law does not allow skipping two generations.
The main difficulty faced by third-generation descendants — great-grandchildren — is that many cannot rely on previous generations to transmit nationality step by step, as explained above. This may happen because parents or grandparents have already passed away, or simply because they do not wish to initiate the process.
For these situations, the new Portuguese Nationality Law of 2026 presents a potentially interesting alternative for descendants who wish to live in the land of their ancestors. From now on, great-grandchildren of Portuguese citizens who decide to reside in Portugal may apply for naturalization after 5 years of legal residence.
In this case, the nationality obtained will be derived nationality.
IMPORTANT:
Legal residence means that this period of stay presupposes a prior visa application for entry into Portugal, as well as obtaining and renewing a residence permit for the minimum legally required period.
Proof of effective ties with Portugal is essential for great-grandchildren applying for citizenship. This includes demonstrating knowledge of the Portuguese language (A1 level). This requirement applies both to applicants using Route 1 (family transmission) and Route 2 (residence).
Since 2020, knowledge of the Portuguese language at A1 level has been interpreted as sufficient proof of effective ties with Portugal.
Therefore, for individuals born in CPLP countries (Community of Portuguese Language Countries) — including Brazilians — obtaining Portuguese citizenship as grandchildren has become easier. Consequently, this also benefits great-grandchildren.
For those who do not speak Portuguese, the most viable alternative remains obtaining citizenship as a child of a Portuguese citizen and transmitting it generation by generation until reaching the great-grandchild. This is because children of Portuguese citizens are not required to prove linguistic ties or pass a Portuguese language test.
All citizenship applications based on residence require knowledge of the Portuguese language.
In May 2026, the Portuguese government introduced a new integration requirement for nationality applications. In addition to proving Portuguese language proficiency, applicants will also need to demonstrate knowledge of Portuguese culture, history, national symbols, and the political organization of the State.
The criteria for this new assessment are still being defined by the government, but both grandchildren and residents applying for citizenship will be subject to it.
The possibility of transmitting Portuguese nationality to future generations will depend on how the great-grandchild obtained citizenship.
For great-grandchildren who obtain original nationality through family transmission, the succession line remains fully preserved, allowing transmission both to minor and adult children, as well as to grandchildren.
However, for great-grandchildren who obtain derived nationality through naturalization, transmission is generally restricted to minor children only.
Obtaining Portuguese citizenship may seem simple on paper, but in practice, every case involves details that can directly impact the timeline, viability, and even the outcome of the application. Cases involving grandchildren and great-grandchildren require a careful analysis of the family line, how ascendants obtained nationality, the available documentation, and even the most appropriate strategy for presenting the application.
In many cases, knowing which Portuguese Registry Office has a more efficient workflow — or which legal pathway offers the greatest advantages — can help avoid years of unnecessary waiting.
Every family has a different reality, which is precisely why there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
The Atlantic Bridge team strategically analyzes your family history to identify the safest, fastest, and most advantageous path for your case, guiding you through every stage of the process with specialized legal support.
Schedule a free consultation and discover the best strategy to obtain your Portuguese citizenship.
Author:
Atlantic Bridge
