Brazilian citizens were the ones who most acquired Portuguese nationality in 2020

In the 2020 Immigration, Borders and Asylum Report (RIFA), there is a drop in the growing trend of applications for the acquisition of Portuguese nationality.

In 2020, the SEF registered 68 981 requests for the acquisition of Portuguese nationality, representing a decrease of 6.9% compared to the same period in previous years. The report adds that 64 309 opinions were issued, of which 63 494 were positive and 815 were negative.

According to the RIFA, the citizens who most acquired Portuguese nationality in 2020 were the natural citizens of Brazil (20 847), Israel (20 782), Cape Verde (5 049), Angola (2 613), Ukraine (1 960), Guinea-Bissau (1 868) and India (1 547).

The SEF also states that, in relation to the typology of requests for the acquisition of Portuguese nationality, the requests are mostly related to Acquisition by Naturalization (27%), Acquisition by Naturalization (Sephardic Jews) (35%) and Acquisition by Marriage (22%).

Regarding the Acquisition of Nationality through Marriage, the requests were made mainly by citizens of Brazil (7 825), Venezuela (1 241) and Angola (839). It should be noted that 15 269 opinions were issued in this context, of which 15 140 were positive and 129 negative.