New Portuguese Nationality Service Center โฃOpens in Lisbon Amidst โขBacklog &โฃ Law Changes
Lisbon, Portugal – โA new face-to-face service center for Portuguese nationality requests opened today, โSeptember 1st, consolidating services previously offered at the Central Registry Office and Espaรงo Regisas da Expo in Lisbon. The Ministry of Justice (MJ) stated the new location “will receive allโ the face-to-face service that has so far been โคprovided” at those prior locations.The center, located at โฃAlameda do Oceano, No. 67-L, Parque das Naรงรตes, 1990-208 Lisbon, will operate from 9:00 โto 16:00 with both scheduled and walk-in appointments. Fromโฃ 16:00 โto 19:00, service will be exclusivelyโ for individualsโ withโฃ prior appointments. Those with โขexisting appointments at the former locations will be โคcontacted to โconfirm details and the new โaddress.
While the new center aims to โฃimprove accessibility, the Institute ofโข Registrations and Notaries (IRN) isโข encouraging applicants toโ utilize online and mail-inโ submission options, โwith the online portal currently limited to lawyers and โคsolicitors.โ
Applicants can monitor the status of their applications online via a manual available at http://justica.gov.pt/Servicos/Consultar-estado-do-processo-de-nacionalidade or by calling 211 950 500 (option 1) between 9:00 andโข 17:00, Monday through Friday.The opening โขcoincides with ongoing efforts to address a significant backlog of applications. According to the Registry and Notary Workers Union (STRN), approximately 700,000 requests are currently under review.โ In response,the government is proposing legislative changes to increase the โrequired residency period for citizenship eligibility.โ A proposal to be voted on in Parliament this September would extend the residency requirement to seven years for citizens of the community of Portuguese-Speaking โคCountries (CPLP) and ten years for citizens of other nations, up from theโ current fiveโข years.Secretary of State of Justice, Ana Luisa Machado, is scheduled to visit the new facilities on Monday. The government states โฃthe reorganization aims to “offer more space, better facilities,โข greater convenience in โservice and greater accessibility, seeking to raise the quality ofโ service providedโฃ to citizens.”