According to the newspaper Expresso, more than 500 holders of the residence permit for investment claim that the Portuguese State has failed to comply with the contracts signed, since it increased the timeframes for obtaining nationality.
Until the law was approved by the President of the Republic, António José Seguro, Golden Visa holders could obtain Portuguese nationality in five years. However, the new law delays the possibility of applying for Portuguese nationality. Thus, investors from Portuguese-speaking countries or the European Union can apply for citizenship within 7 years. However, those from other countries will have to wait 10 years.
The newspaper Expresso reports that foreigners holding the residence permit for investment (ARI) have created a WhatsApp group. The next step will be to register as an association, and they will be represented by several law firms. However, no legal action has yet been taken in court, as they are still awaiting final regulations on the law for applications that are already underway.
Most of the citizens involved will be Americans who came to Portugal attracted by investment funds that promised Portuguese nationality. One of the group’s mentors, quoted by the newspaper Expresso, says that they are not “angry,” and describes the group as “an organised group, resident in Portugal, that needs the Portuguese State to fulfil the contracts it has entered into. Our legitimate expectation, when we moved, was to obtain citizenship after five years.” The group’s mentor also adds that they will “exhaust the Portuguese legal system and then assess what legal avenues exist at the European level.”
IRN’s reaction
The Institute of Registries and Notaries (IRN) announced that applications submitted before the new law’s approval will be subject to the old rules.
Therefore, only nationality applications submitted after the approval of the new Nationality Law will be subject to the new rules approved by the President of the Republic, António José Seguro.