Grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Portuguese citizens: the test applies to you too

The descent route changed in 2026 — and the most overlooked change is this: the knowledge requirement about Portugal now applies to grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Portuguese citizens too. A Portuguese grandparent still opens the door to nationality. There's now a test at that door.

Grandchildren: original nationality, new conditions

Grandchildren apply under article 1 — technically “original nationality”, not naturalisation. Before 2026, proving the family line and ties to the Portuguese community was essentially enough. Organic Law 1/2026 tightened two screws:

• the “effective ties to the national community” requirement now has real substance behind it;
• article 1(3) explicitly applies points c) through h) of article 6 to grandchildren — including knowledge of the language, culture, history, symbols, rights and the organisation of the State.

Practical translation: being “original” no longer spares you from proving you know the country. The legal label barely moved; the real requirement moved a lot.

Great-grandchildren: no waiting period, but a test

For great-grandchildren, the law kept a special naturalisation route (article 6(8)): it waives the 7 or 10-year residence period other applicants face. That's a huge advantage — you can apply without spending years on a residence permit first.

What that route does not waive is the knowledge requirement. Points c) and d) apply in full. A great-grandchild living in Brazil who has never set foot in Portugal will need to prove knowledge of Portuguese history, culture and how the State works — like any other applicant.

What about the Sephardic route?

Gone. The extraordinary regime for descendants of Sephardic Jews (the old article 6(7)) was repealed by this same law. Applications already filed keep running under the old rules; new ones are no longer possible.

The calendar works for you — for now

The test doesn't operationally exist yet: the regulation defining format, fee and administration has a legal deadline of mid-August 2026. Any application filed after 19 May 2026 falls under the new rules — so preparation starts now, not when the regulation drops.

The complete test guide covers what's known so far. And the free 20-question mock shows you in minutes where your gaps are — history and the organisation of the State tend to be the biggest ones for people who grew up outside Portugal.