Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Portugal’s citizenship and immigration laws have changed—and if you’re considering moving abroad, these updates matter. In this episode, immigration lawyer Diogo Capela breaks down the new citizenship timelines, what changed for D7, D8, and Golden Visa holders, how permanent residency works, and what options still exist moving forward. We also discuss legal challenges, family scenarios, residency rights, and whether Portugal is still worth considering as a long-term plan. Whether you already live in Portugal or are exploring your options, this conversation helps make sense of what’s changing and what isn’t.
SurfShark VPN: Get 40% off your subscription here: bit.ly/4hhxDs4
🎙️ Welcome to the ExpatsEverywhere Podcast!
Join us on the journey of learning about Portugal and expat life around the world. Each week, we bring you expert interviews, insightful commentary, and real-life stories to help you navigate your move abroad with confidence.
💼 Green Ocean Global | Financial Advisory for Expats
Schedule a free 15-minute intro call with John, our trusted financial advisor:
calendly.com/johnoceansgreen (Choose the ExpatsEverywhere Intro Call)
🎉 Love what we’re doing? Join the movement.
Be a part of our community on Patreon and get early bonus content, behind-the-scenes updates, and connect with fellow expats moving to and living in Portugal:
👉 patreon.com/expatseverywhere
🌍 About Us
We’re Josh and Kalie, and we’ve been living abroad since 2009. Our expat journey has taken us through Spain, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and now Portugal. We share what we’ve learned to help you move abroad smarter and live abroad better.
📌 Portugal Visa Help
We created two step-by-step courses to help you DIY your D7 or Remote Worker visa for Portugal. Podcast listeners get $10 off any course with code: PODCAST
👉 D7 Visa Course: expatseverywhere.thinkific.com
👉 Remote Worker Visa Course: expatseverywhere.thinkific.com/courses/remote-worker-visa
🛠️ Useful Expat Resources
Here are tools and services we use and recommend. Some links are affiliate links that support our work—thank you!
💸 Transfer Money
Wise (formerly TransferWise): https://transferwise.prf.hn/click/camref:1011lfsFy/ar:channelwide/destination:https%3A%2F%2Ftransferwise.com%2Fc%2Fexpatseverywhere
Spartan FX (speak to a specialist): spartanfx.co.uk/fx-partner.php?sfxtrack=expatseverywhere
📺 Watch Your Shows Abroad
SurfShark VPN – Get 40% off: get.surfshark.net/aff_c?offer_id=6&aff_id=5969
🛡️ Digital Security
Aura – 2-week free trial: aura.com/expatseverywhere
🏦 NIF & Bank Setup in Portugal
Bordr – $10 off NIF and/or bank account: bordr.com/?via=expatseverywhere
🌐 Insurance Abroad
SafetyWing – Travel & expat health insurance: tinyurl.com/ykt5e73w
🗣️ Learn Portuguese
Ling App – Yearly subscription offer: ling-app.com/offer-yearly-subscription/?affiliateId=expatseverywhere
Portuguese with Carla: journey.portuguesewithcarla.com/offer-collab/?ref=7
Mia Esmeriz Academy: school.learn-portuguese.org/courses?affcode=206686_p6olvjck
📬 Mail Forwarding
World Post: worldpost.anytimemailbox.com/signup
💰 Taxes for Expats
Taxes for Expats – Get $25 off: taxesforexpats.com/ref/239
📬 Get in Touch
Email: info@expatseverywhere.com
Website: expatseverywhere.com
Instagram: instagram.com/expatseverywhere
Facebook: facebook.com/expatseverywhere
Twitter: twitter.com/expert_expat
00:00 Intro
00:30 Podcast Sponsor 1
01:43 Weekly Welcome
10:58 Podcast Sponsor 2
12:03 New Citizenship Timelines (7 Years EU / 10 Years Others)
15:02 New Culture & Citizenship Test Requirements
17:40 Legal Challenges Against the New Law
20:02 Could Court Cases Change the Rules?
21:18 How Long Would Legal Action Take?
22:18 Golden Visa Holders vs D7/D8 Impact
23:40 Why Golden Visa Investors Feel Misled
25:10 Permanent Residency After Golden Visa
27:12 D7 & D8 Residency Timeline Explained
28:55 Who Is Grandfathered Into the Old 5-Year Rule?
29:50 Will Permanent Residency Rules Change Too?
33:15 Citizenship by Ancestry vs Naturalization
36:03 Mixed EU / Non-EU Couples Explained
40:23 Will Citizenship Processing Times Improve?
41:25 Parents With Portuguese Children — Does It Help?
45:10 D7 & D8 Residency Rules Today
47:34 Temporary vs Permanent Residency Stay Requirements
49:00 Language Requirements for Permanent Residency
49:58 Rights Under Temporary Residency
54:15 Schengen Travel Rules With Portuguese Residency
01:00:02 Voting Rights for Residents in Portugal
01:03:38 Temporary Residency and Voting Clarified
01:05:58 Who Is Actually Most Affected by the Law?
01:08:16 EU Permanent Residency Explained
01:10:33 Can Americans Apply for EU Permanent Residency?
01:12:58 Final Thoughts & Outro
#ExpatsEverywhere #MoveAbroad #portugalpodcast
Portugal’s citizenship and immigration laws have changed—and if you’re considering moving abroad, these updates matter. In this episode, immigration lawyer Diogo Capela breaks down the new citizenship timelines, what changed for D7, D8, and Golden Visa holders, how permanent residency works, and what options still exist moving forward. We also discuss legal challenges, family scenarios, residency rights, and whether Portugal is still worth considering as a long-term plan. Whether you already live in Portugal or are exploring your options, this conversation helps make sense of what’s changing and what isn’t.
SurfShark VPN: Get 40% off your subscription here: bit.ly/4hhxDs4
🎙️ Welcome to the ExpatsEverywhere Podcast!
Join us on the journey of learning about Portugal and expat life around the world. Each week, we bring you expert interviews, insightful commentary, and real-life stories to help you navigate your move abroad with confidence.
💼 Green Ocean Global | Financial Advisory for Expats
Schedule a free 15-minute intro call with John, our trusted financial advisor:
calendly.com/johnoceansgreen (Choose the ExpatsEverywhere Intro Call)
🎉 Love what we’re doing? Join the movement.
Be a part of our community on Patreon and get early bonus content, behind-the-scenes updates, and connect with fellow expats moving to and living in Portugal:
👉 patreon.com/expatseverywhere
🌍 About Us
We’re Josh and Kalie, and we’ve been living abroad since 2009. Our expat journey has taken us through Spain, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and now Portugal. We share what we’ve learned to help you move abroad smarter and live abroad better.
📌 Portugal Visa Help
We created two step-by-step courses to help you DIY your D7 or Remote Worker visa for Portugal. Podcast listeners get $10 off any course with code: PODCAST
👉 D7 Visa Course: expatseverywhere.thinkific.com
👉 Remote Worker Visa Course: expatseverywhere.thinkific.com/courses/remote-worker-visa
🛠️ Useful Expat Resources
Here are tools and services we use and recommend. Some links are affiliate links that support our work—thank you!
💸 Transfer Money
Wise (formerly TransferWise): https://transferwise.prf.hn/click/camref:1011lfsFy/ar:channelwide/destination:https%3A%2F%2Ftransferwise.com%2Fc%2Fexpatseverywhere
Spartan FX (speak to a specialist): spartanfx.co.uk/fx-partner.php?sfxtrack=expatseverywhere
📺 Watch Your Shows Abroad
SurfShark VPN – Get 40% off: get.surfshark.net/aff_c?offer_id=6&aff_id=5969
🛡️ Digital Security
Aura – 2-week free trial: aura.com/expatseverywhere
🏦 NIF & Bank Setup in Portugal
Bordr – $10 off NIF and/or bank account: bordr.com/?via=expatseverywhere
🌐 Insurance Abroad
SafetyWing – Travel & expat health insurance: tinyurl.com/ykt5e73w
🗣️ Learn Portuguese
Ling App – Yearly subscription offer: ling-app.com/offer-yearly-subscription/?affiliateId=expatseverywhere
Portuguese with Carla: journey.portuguesewithcarla.com/offer-collab/?ref=7
Mia Esmeriz Academy: school.learn-portuguese.org/courses?affcode=206686_p6olvjck
📬 Mail Forwarding
World Post: worldpost.anytimemailbox.com/signup
💰 Taxes for Expats
Taxes for Expats – Get $25 off: taxesforexpats.com/ref/239
📬 Get in Touch
Email: info@expatseverywhere.com
Website: expatseverywhere.com
Instagram: instagram.com/expatseverywhere
Facebook: facebook.com/expatseverywhere
Twitter: twitter.com/expert_expat
00:00 Intro
00:30 Podcast Sponsor 1
01:43 Weekly Welcome
10:58 Podcast Sponsor 2
12:03 New Citizenship Timelines (7 Years EU / 10 Years Others)
15:02 New Culture & Citizenship Test Requirements
17:40 Legal Challenges Against the New Law
20:02 Could Court Cases Change the Rules?
21:18 How Long Would Legal Action Take?
22:18 Golden Visa Holders vs D7/D8 Impact
23:40 Why Golden Visa Investors Feel Misled
25:10 Permanent Residency After Golden Visa
27:12 D7 & D8 Residency Timeline Explained
28:55 Who Is Grandfathered Into the Old 5-Year Rule?
29:50 Will Permanent Residency Rules Change Too?
33:15 Citizenship by Ancestry vs Naturalization
36:03 Mixed EU / Non-EU Couples Explained
40:23 Will Citizenship Processing Times Improve?
41:25 Parents With Portuguese Children — Does It Help?
45:10 D7 & D8 Residency Rules Today
47:34 Temporary vs Permanent Residency Stay Requirements
49:00 Language Requirements for Permanent Residency
49:58 Rights Under Temporary Residency
54:15 Schengen Travel Rules With Portuguese Residency
01:00:02 Voting Rights for Residents in Portugal
01:03:38 Temporary Residency and Voting Clarified
01:05:58 Who Is Actually Most Affected by the Law?
01:08:16 EU Permanent Residency Explained
01:10:33 Can Americans Apply for EU Permanent Residency?
01:12:58 Final Thoughts & Outro
#ExpatsEverywhere #MoveAbroad #portugalpodcast
