My family entered Portugal on a D7 visa, and we plan to apply for citizenship and live there for many years. When our child turns 18, they will have lived in Portugal for less than 5 years, and they will attend university outside of Portugal. Will our child still be eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship if they do not meet the 5-year residency requirement for educational reasons? The rest of the family would remain in Portugal, and my child would return during school breaks.
To apply for Portuguese citizenship, adult children must hold a valid residence permit and prove that they have lived legally in Portugal for 5 years in the previous 15 years. This means that, even if they are not in a position to apply immediately, they can apply later when they return to Portugal after studying abroad.
When applying for Portuguese citizenship, your child must have a valid residence permit. If they do not have one due to studying outside of Portugal, they can still obtain citizenship later. If they return and re-establish residency, the 5 years of residence do not need to be consecutive; they will be counted as long as they fall within the last 15 years.
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