THIS WEEK ABROAD
Another week, another country that . tightening its residency policies.
In today’s newsletter, we dive into Portugal’s new golden visa reforms and what they mean for expats. (To ease the pain a bit, we also compiled a list of countries where Americans can stay long-term with no visa at all.)
We have everything you need to know in this week’s newsletter.👇
Must-Know News
🏛️PORTUGAL ELIMINATES MAJOR EXPAT PERK
For years, Portugal has offered one of the easiest and most popular pathways to EU citizenship. Now, it appears to be going away forever.
Last week, the Portuguese parliament voted to overhaul the process for obtaining citizenship. Once finalized, these new reforms will significantly lengthen the time needed to obtain a Portuguese passport.
Portugal’s Golden Visa: The (Former) Fast Lane for Citizenship
For American and other non-European expats, Portugal’s golden visa represented a straightforward backdoor to EU citizenship. For a minimum €250,000 property investment, foreigners can obtain permanent residency in Portugal.
Under the old rules, permit holders could apply for full citizenship after just five years (and a lax physical presence requirement). Most other European nations impose a minimum wait of ten years, which made Portugal a popular option for Americans seeking a second passport.
What’s New
However, the new requirements will double the waiting period from five years to ten years. Additionally, the residency countdown will now begin from the date your received residency rather than when you applied, which adds at least another few months to the timeline.
And that’s only the start. Aside from the golden visa changes, Portugal’s parliament significantly tightened the naturalization process in general, with new requirements and restrictions:
Applicants must demonstrate civil and cultural knowledge of Portugal, including the Portuguese language.
Broadened list of criminal convictions that could disqualify applicants from naturalization.
For citizenship by descent applicants, at least one parent must have been a legal resident of Portugal for five years before the child’s birth. Grandchildren of Portuguese citizens must demonstrate knowledge of Portuguese language and culture
Phase-out of special naturalization route for descendants of Sephardic Jews.
Going Forward
Although the proposed changes could still be vetoed by Portugal’s president, it appears more likely that they will go through and become law in as little as a month. (Note that citizenship applications in process will still go through under the old rules.)
For expats and digital nomads, this underscores the urgency of getting into countries that are tightening residency programs — before they go away completely.
Video of the Week
12 COUNTRIES WITH VISA-FREE STAYS FOR AMERICANS
Being an American abroad comes with its perks, including the ability to stay long-term without a visa.
At Savvy Nomad, we compiled a list of countries that make it easy for Americans to move on a dime.
Some allow for stays of up to a year, while others grant 180 days of visa-free access. Then there are the special cases (the tiny Pacific nation of the Marshall Islands does not enforce any limit).
For Americans wanting to stay longer in a new country, there are fantastic options that allow you to take full advantage of long-term leases, which often start at a six-month minimum.
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