Do I need to surrender my US passport to get Portuguese citizenship?
You have finally started planning your Portuguese citizenship application, and then a friend asks whether you will have to hand your US passport back to the State Department. That question can stall years of planning. This guide explains why US citizens do not have to surrender their American passport to become Portuguese, and how to manage two passports in daily life.
The Short Answer: You Can Keep Your US Passport
I remember sitting in a café in Campo de Ourique, flipping through a stack of residence paperwork. My husband looked up and asked, “Wait, do we lose our American citizenship if this works?” Neither of us knew. It is a reasonable worry. Many countries do make you choose, and the idea of losing the passport you grew up with is enough to make anyone pause.
The good news is that neither Portugal nor the United States requires you to give up your US citizenship or passport when you naturalize as Portuguese. You can hold both nationalities at the same time, legally and permanently.
What Portuguese Nationality Law Says
Portugal has accepted multiple nationality for decades. The Nationality Law, Lei n.º 37/81 as amended, does not require naturalization applicants to renounce any other citizenship. When the IRN, the Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado, grants your nationality, it does not ask for proof that you gave up your American status. It does not send any notice to Washington asking for your US passport to be cancelled.
The newest amendment, Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026, changed several requirements for naturalization, but it did not add a renunciation rule. You will need to make a solemn declaration that you adhere to the fundamental principles of the democratic rule of law. That declaration is a statement of values. It is not an oath renouncing your previous nationality.
What US Law Says
The United States does not formally “endorse” dual nationality, but it fully tolerates it. American citizenship is not lost just because you acquire another one. To lose it, you would have to perform a recognized act of expatriation, such as formally renouncing at a US embassy or consulate, and you would have to do it voluntarily and with the intention of giving up your US citizenship.
Becoming Portuguese does not require that intent, and Portugal does not ask you to express it. Your US passport stays valid, you keep renewing it as usual, and your American citizenship carries on exactly as before.
Comparing the Two Countries’ Positions
| Question | Portugal | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Must you renounce your other citizenship to naturalize? | No | Not applicable, the US does not require it when you gain another nationality |
| Is dual citizenship legally allowed? | Yes | Yes, tolerated in practice |
| Is your US passport cancelled automatically? | No, the IRN does not notify the US | No, only voluntary renunciation ends citizenship |
| Which passport do you use to enter the country? | Portuguese document recommended | US passport required by US law |
| Do tax obligations continue? | Based on Portuguese tax residency | Yes, the US taxes citizens wherever they live |
For a wider look at which nationalities can combine with Portuguese citizenship, see Dual citizenship Portugal: Which countries allow it and which demand renunciation.
Getting to Citizenship First: The Residence Requirement
Before you ever have two passports to juggle, you need to qualify. For most Americans, that means naturalization through legal residence, and the timeline has changed considerably.
Ten Years of Legal Residence
As of October 2026, under Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026, published in the Diário da República on 18 May 2026 and in force since 19 May 2026, naturalization requires at least 10 years of legal residence in Portugal. EU citizens and nationals of Portuguese-speaking CPLP countries need 7 years. US citizens fall into the 10-year category.
There is a transitional rule. Applications filed on or before 18 May 2026 are decided under the previous rules, which required 5 years of legal residence. If you submitted before that date, your file follows the old standard. If you have not filed yet, plan around 10 years. Our full breakdown is in Portuguese Citizenship and Naturalization: The 10-Year Path Explained.
How Your Residence Time Is Counted
This part catches many people off guard emotionally, even if the rule itself is simple. Only time spent legally resident in Portugal under a residence title, visa or permit counts. The time you spend waiting for a residence permit decision is not added to your total. If you lived in Portugal for months while your application sat in the queue, those months do not count toward citizenship.
Separate periods of legal residence, whether continuous or interrupted, can be added together. For nationals of countries outside the EU and CPLP, including the United States, all of those periods must fall within a maximum window of 12 years. EU and CPLP nationals have a 9-year window, and stateless persons have a 6-year window.
Here is a realistic scenario. Imagine Sarah, a retiree from Ohio on a D7 visa. She holds residence permits for six years, returns to the US for two years to care for her mother, then comes back and holds permits for another four years. Her ten years of legal residence add up, and because they all fall within a 12-year span, she can qualify. If her break had stretched long enough to push her total outside that 12-year window, the earliest years would drop out of the count. For a deeper walkthrough, read How to Count Residency Time Toward Portuguese Citizenship.
The Other Naturalization Requirements
Residence time is only one piece. The amended law also requires:
- Proof, through a test or certificate, of sufficient knowledge of the Portuguese language and of Portuguese culture, history and national symbols.
- Sufficient knowledge of the fundamental rights and duties of Portuguese nationality and of the political organisation of the Portuguese state.
- A solemn declaration of adherence to the fundamental principles of the democratic rule of law.
- The means to support yourself.
The format of the test is set by the Regulamento da Nacionalidade, which the government had to amend within 90 days of the new law. Check the IRN’s current list of accepted tests and certificates before you book anything, because the language certificate you may have heard about from friends might not cover the culture and civic knowledge components on its own. CPLP nationals are presumed to meet the language part unless their lack of Portuguese is obvious, but that presumption does not apply to Americans.
Other routes exist too. If you are married to a Portuguese citizen, see Marriage to a Portuguese Citizen: The Timeline for Acquiring Nationality. If you have Portuguese ancestry, Citizenship by Descent: Claiming Portuguese Nationality Through Grandparents may offer a shorter road. None of these routes require you to give up your US passport either.
Living With Two Passports: Practical Realities
Once your Portuguese nationality is registered, you have two passports in your drawer. Holding both is easy. Using them correctly takes a little discipline.
Which Passport to Use at the Border
US law requires American citizens to enter and leave the United States on a US passport. Do not try to board a flight to New York showing only your Portuguese passport. You may run into trouble with the airline or with Customs and Border Protection.
When you arrive in Portugal or anywhere in the Schengen Area, present your Portuguese passport or Cartão de Cidadão. As a Portuguese citizen, you are an EU citizen, which means no Schengen day counting and access to EU lanes. A simple routine works well:
- At check-in in the US, show your US passport to the airline, and mention you also hold a Portuguese passport if they ask about your onward status in Europe.
- When you leave the US, your US passport is what counts.
- On arrival at Lisbon, Porto or Faro, present your Portuguese document at passport control.
- When you fly back to the US, show your Portuguese document to exit Schengen and your US passport to the airline and on arrival in the US.
Keep both passports valid at all times. An expired US passport can trap you abroad just as easily as no passport at all. Your Cartão de Cidadão also works as an ID across the EU, much like the residence card did before, which Using your Portuguese residence card as a valid ID across the European Union explains in detail.
Tax and Reporting Obligations Do Not Disappear
This is where I gently burst a bubble. Gaining Portuguese citizenship does not end your US tax obligations. The United States taxes its citizens based on citizenship, not residence, so you keep filing US returns and foreign account reports regardless of how Portuguese you become. Portuguese banks will also continue to identify you as a US person for FATCA purposes.
On the Portuguese side, your tax obligations depend on residency, not passport. Getting your affairs organized early saves a lot of stress later. If you still need a NIF, a service like Bordr can handle the request remotely while you are still in the US. For the cross-border tax picture, see US Expats in Portugal: FATCA, FBAR, and Avoiding Double Taxation.
Why Some Americans Still Choose to Renounce
A small number of dual nationals do decide to give up US citizenship, usually because of the ongoing tax filings or difficulty opening bank or investment accounts. That is a voluntary personal choice, made at a US embassy or consulate with formal paperwork and a government fee. It is permanent and very hard to reverse.
Portugal will never ask you to do this. If you are considering it, speak to a US tax professional and an immigration lawyer first, because renouncing can carry tax consequences and affect your ability to live or work in the US in future.
Preparing Your Paperwork as an American Applicant
Even without any renunciation step, a US applicant’s file needs care. Most rejections and delays come down to documents, not eligibility.
Birth Certificates, Apostilles, and Translations
You will need a birth certificate, typically a certified long-form copy, with an apostille from the issuing state. Most documents not in Portuguese also need a certified translation. RushTranslate is one option many Americans use for certified translations of birth and marriage certificates, though you should confirm that the format meets the IRN’s requirements before you order. Our guides How to Apostille US Documents for Portugal and Translating and Certifying Documents for Portuguese Immigration walk you through the process.
You will also need criminal record certificates. For the US side, that usually means an FBI background check with an apostille, covered in Preparing the FBI Criminal Record Check and Apostille for Portugal Visas. Pay attention to how recent each document needs to be, and check the IRN’s current guidance so nothing expires before you submit.
Keeping Your Records Consistent
The details matter. If you changed your address or marital status during your years of residence, make sure your NIF, residence permits and citizenship application all show matching information. A name that appears one way on your US passport and another way on your residence card can cause awkward back-and-forth with the IRN.
Health coverage also counts across your residence years. Many Americans keep international insurance through providers like Cigna Global during the early years, before switching to the SNS or a local plan. Keeping continuous coverage and clean records helps show you have the means to support yourself when the time comes.
Filing Your Application
When you finally reach the residence threshold and have your language and civic knowledge certificates, you can file with the IRN, either directly or through a lawyer or solicitor. Expect a long processing time and check the IRN’s portal for updates. Our step-by-step guide, How to Apply for Portuguese Citizenship After Ten Years, covers the submission itself.
When your nationality is registered, you request your Cartão de Cidadão and Portuguese passport. Your US passport stays in your drawer, fully valid. You do not have to choose one country over the other.
Disclaimer
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Laws, prices and regulations vary by location and change over time. Consult a qualified professional for guidance on your specific situation.
