Grandchildren of Portuguese citizens: the test applies 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 apply through original nationality; great-grandchildren, through a special naturalisation route with no residence period. Both now require the knowledge test.
- The Sephardic route is gone — anyone with a file already submitted keeps the old rules, but there are no new applications through it.
- The test regulation is still unpublished, with no new deadline in sight — that widens your preparation time rather than removing it.
| Grandchildren | Great-grandchildren | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Attribution (original nationality) | Special naturalisation |
| Residence period | Does not apply | Waived — no need to wait for a residence permit |
| Knowledge test required? | Yes, since 2026 | Yes, unchanged |
Grandchildren: original nationality, new conditions
Grandchildren apply under the attribution route — 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 — and now with no deadline in sight
The test doesn't operationally exist yet: the regulation defining format, fee and administration had a legal deadline of 16 August 2026, and that date went by with nothing published and no replacement announced. That widens the slack rather than removing it — any application filed after 19 May 2026 falls under the new rules, and the regulation can land at any moment, so preparation starts now, not when it 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.
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