If you are the child or grandchild of a Portuguese citizen, the Nationality Law guarantees your right to obtain Portuguese citizenship by attribution — a recognition that confirms you have been Portuguese since birth. Turn your family heritage into a lasting legacy of opportunity for you and future generations.
Portuguese citizenship for descendants — whether for children or grandchildren of Portuguese nationals — is granted by attribution. This is the most valuable form of nationality because it is original: under the law, you are considered Portuguese from birth. This status allows you to pass citizenship on to your children, regardless of their age, ensuring that Portuguese nationality remains alive within your family. It is an opportunity that brings together history, identity, and future.
Documentation requirements and procedural steps vary depending on the degree of kinship with the Portuguese ancestor.
You have a Portuguese parent (born in Portugal or already recognized as a Portuguese citizen).
This is the most straightforward pathway. You must prove filiation through birth certificates and ensure that your Portuguese parent’s civil registration is properly recorded and up to date in Portugal.
Typically a faster process with fewer requirements related to ties to Portugal, as direct filiation already establishes the legal connection.
You have a Portuguese grandparent and wish to reclaim a right that was not transmitted to the next generation.
Today, Portuguese nationality law is highly favorable to grandchildren. “Effective ties to the national community” are now presumed through knowledge of the Portuguese language — especially for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries such as Brazil.
It is essential that your Portuguese grandparent did not lose Portuguese nationality during their lifetime and that all certificates are fully consistent and free of discrepancies.
A single error in a name or date can trigger formal requests and delay your process by months. We audit every certificate before submission.
We work with teams and partners to locate baptismal or birth records in Portuguese Civil Registries and District Archives.
When discrepancies exist between Brazilian and Portuguese documents, we guide and carry out the necessary corrections.
Submitting the application is only the beginning. We actively monitor your case within the Portuguese justice system and respond promptly to any official requests.
How the Portuguese citizenship process for descendants works
We analyze your family tree to confirm eligibility and define the best strategy — whether as a child or grandchild of a Portuguese citizen.
We gather full-form certificates, handle legalizations (Hague Apostille), and prepare the official application forms.
We submit your application directly in Portugal (Central Civil Registry or Nationality Desk), ensuring greater security and procedural accuracy.
We track each stage of the process — often represented by the well-known “status circles” — until your Portuguese birth registration is finalized.
Don’t let your family’s right fade with time. Speak with specialists in Portuguese citizenship for children and grandchildren and begin today the attribution process that can transform your future — and your family’s.
Yes. You may apply directly as a grandchild. The process skips one generation.
Not directly. However, if your grandparent (child of the Portuguese citizen) or your parent (grandchild of the Portuguese citizen) is still alive, we can complete their process first. Once they become Portuguese citizens, they can transmit the right to you as their child — this is known as a “cascade process.”
