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Portuguese Citizenship Applications: Addressing the 2025 Backlog
The Portuguese government announces measures to address citizenship application backlogs, with new processing targets and digital workflow improvements.
The Conservatória dos Registos Centrais (Central Registry) has announced new measures to address the significant backlog of Portuguese citizenship applications accumulated over recent years.
Current Situation
The backlog has grown due to:
- Increased demand following 2020 nationality law reforms
- Popular citizenship-by-descent programs for children and grandchildren of Portuguese nationals
- Sephardic citizenship applications (though now with stricter requirements)
Government Response
Key initiatives include:
- Additional Staff Hiring: Significant recruitment of new case officers and administrative personnel
- Digital Workflow Improvements: Enhanced document management systems to speed processing
- Processing Targets: Commitment to reduce average wait times from 24+ months to under 18 months
Applicant Guidance
While waiting for processing:
- Applications are processed roughly in order of submission
- Status updates may be requested through the official portal
- All applicants with pending applications maintain their place in queue
- No additional documentation should be submitted unless specifically requested
Patience remains essential as the government works to clear the backlog while maintaining thorough vetting of all applications.