Portugal Grants 1 Category of Foreigners 2-Year Residence Permits, Announces Work Conditions
- Portugal signed a new law on August 7, 2026, creating a formal procedure to identify and protect stateless people in the country
- Stateless persons recognised under the new framework will receive renewable two-year residence permits with full rights to work and access public services
- UNHCR welcomed the legislation, saying it will help dozens of people who have been living without a legal nationality in Portugal for years or decades
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Portugal has enacted a law establishing a formal procedure for identifying and protecting stateless persons, granting them renewable two-year residence permits that allow them to work legally and access public services including education and healthcare.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) welcomed the development in a statement published on August 10, 2026, describing the legislation as a major step forward for efforts to end statelessness within the European Union.
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The law was signed by the Portuguese President on August 7, 2026.
Portuguese citizenship: Who the law protects
The legislation targets people who have been living without any recognised nationality in Portugal, some for many years or even decades.
Among those expected to benefit are individuals affected by historical decolonisation processes who have been unable to establish or prove their entitlement to a nationality due to documentation gaps.
Under the new framework, stateless persons formally recognised by the authorities will receive a renewable residence permit valid for two years, along with the right to travel documents.
Those whose applications are still being processed will receive temporary residence permits, protecting them from removal while their cases are under review.
During this period, applicants will be able to work, access vocational training, education, and healthcare under the same conditions as asylum-seekers.
Pathway to Portuguese citizenship
The law also creates a route to full citizenship. Under 2025 amendments to the Portuguese Nationality Act, anyone formally recognised as stateless will be eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship after four years of regular residence in the country.
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UNHCR said the framework was developed by members of Parliament in consultation with relevant public authorities, the UN agency itself, and civil society organisations.
The agency has been pushing for such a procedure since it published its "Statelessness Mapping in Portugal" report in 2018, and has since worked with authorities to build national capacity to identify and address statelessness.
The agency said it is ready to support the Portuguese government in putting the new Statelessness Determination Procedure into practice.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that Portugal raised its citizenship wait period to 10 years for citizens of certain countries.
Portugal's residency condition for citizenship
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Portugal shared how long foreigners must reside in the country before seeking citizenship.
The residency timeline varies considerably depending on where an applicant comes from.
According to the Portuguese government, citizens of Portuguese-speaking countries and European Union member states must complete a minimum of seven years of legal residence in Portugal before they can apply.
Source: Legit.ng
