Portuguese citizenship for children and grandchildren
Portuguese citizenship by origin passes from parents to children born abroad when the birth is entered in the Portuguese civil registry or when the child declares the wish to be Portuguese (source). It is the most common case among Portuguese families in the U.S.
Children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren: who can apply
The consulates’ pages still describe the Nationality Law as worded in 2020.
Organic Law no. 1/2026, published in the Diário da República on May 18, 2026 and in force from the next day, changed it: the grandchildren route now requires the conditions of article 6(1)(c) to (h) (knowledge of the Portuguese language and culture, history and national symbols, of rights and duties, a declaration of adherence to the principles of the rule of law, and none of the convictions listed there).
Applications already pending on May 19, 2026 keep the old rules. The law is the newer source; the Government had 90 days to adapt the Nationality Regulation. (sources: 1, 2)
| Tie | Route under the 2026 law | Where it is handled |
|---|---|---|
| Child of a Portuguese parent | Attribution, by registering the birth or by declaration | At the consular office |
| Grandchild of a Portuguese-born grandparent | Attribution, with the article 6(1)(c)-(h) conditions | Central Registry Office, Lisbon (source) |
| Great-grandchild | Naturalization, with five years of legal residence in Portugal | In Portugal |
The great-grandchildren rule is article 6(8) of the republished law: third-degree descendants of Portuguese citizens by origin, with at least five years of legal residence in Portugal (source).
How to apply from the U.S.
For children, Newark warns that if the parents are or were married at the time of the birth, the marriage must be registered in Portugal before the application (source): see marriage, birth and death registration.
For children under one there is an online application on the Portal da Justiça, with the Chave Móvel Digital; Newark’s page lists it as temporarily unavailable (source). Registering the birth of an adult costs €220 ($246.73 in Newark’s November 2026 table), according to the fee table (source).
| Office | How to book |
|---|---|
| Washington | MNE booking platform; next month’s slots released by the 10th (source) |
| Palm Coast | The office’s own online platform (source) |
| Boston | Online booking; also takes walk-ins (source) |
| Newark | Walk-in Monday to Wednesday (up to 50 acts); Thursday by appointment (source) |
| New York | Appointment only; slots open in the last week of the month (source) |
| San Francisco | Appointment only; two months open (source) |
| New Bedford | Walk-in, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., except Wednesdays (source) |
| Providence | Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (source) |
- The applicant’s birth certificate, long form with an apostille
- The birth certificate of the parent who descends from the Portuguese grandparent, also apostilled
- The Portuguese grandparent’s birth certificate
- Criminal record certificates from the countries of birth, nationality and residence after age 16
List from Newark’s grandchildren page (source); under the 2026 law the proof of the article 6 conditions is added.
Since May 19, 2026, being a grandchild is no longer enough: the law also asks for proof of language, culture and the other article 6 conditions.Questions people ask
The real questions people search about this procedure, with the short answer:
How do I get Portuguese citizenship?
Children apply for attribution at the consular office; grandchildren, at the Central Registry Office in Lisbon (source); spouses, by a declaration sent to Lisbon (source).
Can I apply for Portuguese citizenship online?
Only for children under one, on the Portal da Justiça, a service Newark lists as temporarily unavailable (source).