on July 1, 2025

Overwhelmed registry offices: 700,000 nationality applications await analysis

on July 1, 2025

Conservatórias sobrecarregadas: 700 mil pedidos de nacionalidade aguardam análise

With the indication of changes in the Nationality Law, the number of requests for length of residence is expected to increase even further in the coming weeks.

The estimate is from the president of the Union of Registry and Notary Workers, Arménio Maximino, who also points out the existence of around 700 thousand pending Portuguese nationality processes currently. For him, the increase in demand, combined with the lack of personnel and the low attractiveness of the positions, led to the exhaustion of the IRN's response capacity. Read the full article on here.

According to Maximino, more than 2.200 new professionals to handle the overload. Recent competitions have not solved the problem: some of those approved are still in training and many have not even taken up their positions. Meanwhile, there are people who have been waiting for more than four years for the citizenship process to be completed. The insufficient structure and the lack of effective measures on the part of the government contribute to the scenario of uncertainty and slowness.

One of Martins Castro's initiatives in the search for answers and a solution to this case is the collective petition. Click here to sign.

If you are entitled to Portuguese nationality, don't wait for changes to happen. Martins Castro offers a free evaluation of your case. Get started while there’s still time.