Portugal citizenship test: when, where and how much (status tracker)
Date, place, price, format and pass mark of the knowledge test in Portugal's new Nationality Law: what has been published, what is still missing, and where each piece of information comes from. This page is updated by hand and dated.
Status as of : regulation not yet published, according to the direct check of the Diário da República (below) and the other sources consulted up to this date. The 90-day legal deadline ended around 16 August 2026.
Direct check, on , of the consolidated Nationality Regulation (Decree-Law 237-A/2006) on diariodarepublica.pt: no amendment in 2026 (the last recorded change is Constitutional Court Ruling 522/2025, published 23 July 2025). A separate new act (for example a ministerial order, portaria) cannot be fully ruled out by this check.
30-second summary
| Question | Status | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| When is the test? | Not set No date. Depends on the regulation. | Organic Law 1/2026, Art. 4 | |
| Where (Portugal, consulates, online)? | Not set The law does not say. | Law 37/81, Art. 6(1)(c) | |
| How much does it cost? | Not set The law sets no fee. | — | |
| What format? | The law says “test or certificate”. Details: Not set | Art. 6(1)(c) | |
| Pass mark? | Not set | — | |
| Who is exempt? | Only what the law already says (Art. 6(9); language presumption in Art. 6(10)). Anything else: Not set | Art. 6(9) and (10) | |
| Is there an official question bank? | Not set None has been published. | — |
“Not set” means we found no published rule on that point. We do not forecast dates, places or prices.
Timeline
- Law approved by the Assembly of the Republic.
- Law promulgated by the President of the Republic.
- Published in the Diário da República: Organic Law 1/2026.
- Entry into force (Art. 8). Applications pending on this date follow the previous law (Art. 7(2)).
- End of the 90-day period for the Government to amend the Nationality Regulation (Art. 4).
- Press reports that the regulation has still not been issued (DN Brasil, in Portuguese).
- Latest update of this page: nothing published on the test format (direct check of the Diário da República and other sources).
Known vs unknown
| Item | Status | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Proof of culture, history and symbols required | Set | Art. 6(1)(c) |
| Knowledge of rights, duties and political organisation | Set | Art. 6(1)(d) |
| Language presumption for Portuguese-speaking countries | Set | Art. 6(10) |
| Applies to grandchildren | Set | Art. 1(3) |
| Format (written, online, oral) and number of questions | Unknown | Regulation |
| Pass mark | Unknown | Regulation |
| Who runs it, cost and locations (including abroad) | Unknown | Regulation |
| Certificates accepted instead of the test | Unknown | Regulation |
| Official question bank | Unknown | — |
Precedent: how long regulation took before
The law set 90 days, but regulatory deadlines are not always met. After earlier amendments to the Nationality Law, regulation also took much longer than planned: the 2018 and 2020 amendments (Organic Laws 2/2018 of 5 July and 2/2020 of 10 November) were only reflected in the Regulation by Decree-Law 26/2022 of 18 March, roughly 44 and 16 months later. This is a precedent, not a prediction. And after the regulation, running the test may need further organisation. We do not forecast dates.
What this status is based on
- Portuguese and Brazilian press coverage and other secondary sources on the regulation, up to the date shown.
- Public Government and IRN announcements, as reported.
- Direct check of the Diário da República (amendments to the Portuguese Nationality Regulation, Decree-Law 237-A/2006): done on 5 October 2026.
Not finding a report of a publication does not prove it does not exist. Always check the official source. If you have seen something official that is not listed here, email [email protected]. See also our editorial policy.
Changelog
- Page reorganised to answer “when, where and how much” (summary table with check dates, and precedents). New search of press and secondary sources on this date: no report that the amendment to the Nationality Regulation has been published. Direct check of the Diário da República (consolidated Regulation, Decree-Law 237-A/2006): no amendment in 2026; the last recorded change is Constitutional Court Ruling 522/2025 (23 July 2025). A separate new act, such as a portaria, cannot be fully ruled out. Status: not published (according to the sources consulted).
- Page created. Based on press coverage and secondary sources (up to this date), there is no report of a decree-law or ministerial order (portaria) amending the Nationality Regulation to set up the knowledge test. Direct check of the Diário da República: pending. Status: not published (according to the sources consulted).