Portugal for Israelis

Entering Europe

Israeli citizens enter the Schengen area without a visa for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Since April 10, 2026, every entry and exit is recorded in the Entry/Exit System (EES). ETIAS, an online travel authorization for visa-exempt travelers, is planned; check its start date only on the official ETIAS website. This exemption covers visits, not living in Europe. Each EU country issues its own national residence visas; the EU Blue Card, for highly qualified work, follows common EU rules.

Living in Portugal

1. Choose your route. D7 for passive income and pensions, D8 for remote work, D2 for entrepreneurs, D3 or the EU Blue Card for qualified work, or the Golden Visa. Compare them in Portugal visas: which one fits you.
2. Gather your Israeli documents. The Israel Police Criminal Information Certificate and Israeli civil records need an apostille, which may be electronic, and documents in Hebrew need a translation into Portuguese when the Portuguese authority requires one. Check how transliterated names are spelled across documents. See apostille and document translation.
3. Get your NIF, usually before the visa application; you need it to lease a home and open a bank account. See Portuguese tax number (NIF).
4. Apply at the Embassy of Portugal in Tel Aviv / VFS, which the MNE visa portal lists for residents of Israel. Book only through official channels.
5. Travel on your residence visa. It is valid for four months and two entries; within that period you apply for your residence permit (Art. 58 of the Foreigners Act).
6. Obtain your residence permit from AIMA. The first permit is valid for two years. See Portugal residence permit.
7. Settle your NIF, SNS and Social Security numbers. The residence visa comes with a provisional NIF, National Health Service (SNS) user number and Portuguese Social Security number, which you then regularize.
8. Renew on time. Renewals are for three years. Absences of six consecutive or eight non-consecutive months without valid reasons may lead to cancellation.
9. Permanent residence and citizenship. After five years you may apply for permanent residence, which requires basic Portuguese. Naturalization requires 10 years of legal residence for Israeli citizens. See Portuguese citizenship by residence.

Sene & Araújo acts directly in Portugal on the visa, AIMA, NIF and citizenship steps and, at your request, coordinates with your Israeli lawyer or accountant. Decisions rest with the Portuguese authorities, and we do not promise results or timelines. Contact us.

On May 18, 2026, Portugal published Organic Law 1/2026 (Lei Orgânica). It amended the Nationality Act (Lei da Nacionalidade, Law 37/81) and took effect the next day. For Israeli citizens, the key changes are:

• End of the Sephardic route: Art. 6(7), which allowed naturalization of descendants of Portuguese Sephardic Jews, was repealed (Art. 5 of Organic Law 1/2026).
• Longer residence requirement: naturalization by residence now requires 10 years of legal residence for nationals of countries that are neither Portuguese-speaking nor EU Member States, which includes Israel. Nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries and EU citizens need seven years (Art. 6(1)(b)).
• New knowledge requirements: applicants must prove, by test or certificate, sufficient knowledge of the Portuguese language and culture, history and national symbols, and of fundamental rights and duties and the political organization of the State. They must also sign a solemn declaration of adherence to the principles of the democratic rule of law (Art. 6(1)(c) to (e)). The presumption that the applicant knows the language applies only to nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries (Art. 6(10)), so Israelis must prove Portuguese language skills.
• Transitional rule: administrative procedures pending on May 19, 2026 are governed by the Nationality Act as it read before the amendment (Art. 7(2)). The Ministry of Justice (Ministério da Justiça) confirmed that pending cases keep the previous wording of the law.

For the full picture of the reform, see our article on Portugal’s new citizenship law.

Portugal introduced the naturalization of descendants of Sephardic Jews of Portuguese origin through Organic Law 1/2013 and put it into operation with Decree-Law 30-A/2015 (Decreto-Lei), which added Art. 24-A to the Portuguese Nationality Regulation (Regulamento da Nacionalidade Portuguesa). The applicant did not have to live in Portugal or speak Portuguese. The route went through three later stages:

1. Decree-Law 26/2022, of March 18, 2022: rewrote Art. 24-A of the Regulation for applications filed from September 1, 2022. The applicant needed a certificate from a Jewish community with the status of a religious legal person established in Portugal (in practice, the Jewish communities of Lisbon and Porto). The certificate had to attest to the tradition of belonging to a Sephardic community of Portuguese origin, based on the applicant’s surname, family language, genealogy and family memory. The applicant also had to prove an effective and lasting connection to Portugal, such as rights over real estate or shares in Portuguese companies inherited mortis causa, or regular trips to Portugal throughout life.
2. Organic Law 1/2024, of March 5, 2024 (in force since April 1, 2024): added the requirement of at least three years of legal residence in Portugal, consecutive or not. It also made the community certificate subject to final approval by an evaluation committee appointed by the Minister of Justice. Applications filed between September 1, 2022 and the law’s entry into force were covered by a separate transitional rule (Art. 6). Under that rule, the connection to Portugal could be shown by inherited rights in Portugal, by regular trips to Portugal, or by holding a residence permit for more than one year.
3. Organic Law 1/2026 (in force since May 19, 2026): repealed Art. 6(7) and Art. 6(13). No new Sephardic applications can be filed.

What happens to pending applications

Applications that were already pending on May 19, 2026 continue to be decided under the Nationality Act as it read before Organic Law 1/2026 (Art. 7(2)). The requirements depend on when the application was filed. Applications filed before September 1, 2022 follow the original regime; those filed from September 1, 2022 to March 31, 2024 follow the transitional rule of Organic Law 1/2024; and those filed from April 1, 2024 to May 18, 2026 require the three years of legal residence. The IRN (Institute of Registries and Notary) may still ask for additional documents or clarification. Anyone with a pending file should keep the IRN contact details and the case number up to date and answer any notice within the deadline.

Whether a pending Sephardic application is granted is decided by the Portuguese authorities, and a favorable outcome cannot be assumed. Anyone who did not file before May 19, 2026 should look at the general routes described below.

Descent from a Portuguese citizen

Children of a Portuguese mother or father born abroad are Portuguese by origin if their birth is registered in the Portuguese civil registry or if they declare that they want to be Portuguese (Art. 1(1)(c)). Grandchildren of a Portuguese citizen by origin can also obtain citizenship by origin, but must have effective ties to the Portuguese community. Since May 19, 2026, they must also meet the knowledge and security requirements of Art. 6(1)(c) to (h) (Art. 1(1)(d) and 1(3)). See citizenship for children of Portuguese citizens and citizenship for grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Marriage or de fato union

A foreign national married for more than three years to a Portuguese citizen, or living in a de fato union (união de facto) with one for more than three years and recognized by a Portuguese court, may acquire citizenship by declaration (Art. 3). The law lists grounds for opposing the acquisition (Art. 9(1)), including the lack of effective ties to the Portuguese community. There is no opposition on that ground when the marriage or union has lasted more than six years or the couple has children with Portuguese citizenship (Art. 9(2)). Another ground is having performed non-compulsory military service for a foreign State (Art. 9(1)(c)). Israelis whose military service went beyond compulsory service should have this point reviewed before filing. See citizenship by marriage or de fato union.

Naturalization by residence

For Israeli nationals, naturalization requires 10 years of legal residence in Portugal (Art. 6(1)(b)). The periods of legal residence, consecutive or not, are added up within a maximum interval of 12 years for nationals of countries outside the EU and the Portuguese-speaking world (Art. 15(3)). Time spent waiting for a decision on a residence permit application no longer counts, because Art. 15(4) was repealed. Applicants must also meet the knowledge, declaration, criminal-record, security and self-support requirements of Art. 6(1). See citizenship by residence.

Dual citizenship

Portugal does not require new citizens to give up their previous nationality. Under the Nationality Act, a Portuguese citizen who also holds another nationality loses Portuguese citizenship only by declaring that they do not want to be Portuguese (Art. 8). On the Israeli side, official guidance from Israeli missions addresses Israeli citizens who also hold a foreign passport. One example is the rule that Israeli citizens enter and leave Israel on an Israeli passport, which has been relaxed until December 31, 2026 (Consulate General of Israel in Atlanta). Whether acquiring Portuguese citizenship has any effect under Israeli law, for example for people in public office or security positions, is a question for an Israeli lawyer.

Israel is on the list of nationalities exempt from the short-stay (Schengen) visa (Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MNE) visa portal; Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806). Israeli citizens can therefore visit Portugal and the rest of the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period (Schengen Borders Code, Art. 6).

• A visit is not residence. Tourist stays do not count as legal residence for citizenship, and someone who wants to live in Portugal must, as a rule, obtain a residence visa from the Portuguese consulate before traveling.
• ETIAS: the European Travel Information and Authorisation System will require visa-exempt travelers, such as Israeli citizens, to get an online travel authorization before traveling to the Schengen area. The EU states that ETIAS is not yet in operation and that the start date will be announced in advance (EEAS). Check the official ETIAS website before booking. Only the official EU website and application should be used.
• Israeli residents with other nationalities follow the visa rules for the passport they travel on. For long-stay visas, the MNE assigns applicants to a consular post according to their nationality or country of residence.

To live in Portugal, the usual path is a residence visa issued by the Portuguese consulate, followed by a residence permit (autorização de residência) from AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum) after arrival. For people residing in Israel, the MNE lists the Embassy of Portugal in Tel Aviv / VFS as the place to lodge national visa applications (where to lodge a visa application; external service providers). The MNE fee for processing a national visa application is €110 (MNE fees). An overview of all visa types is on our page Portugal visas: which one fits you.

• D7 – passive income and retirees: for people living on pensions, rental income, investments or other regular income. Means of subsistence are measured against the Portuguese minimum monthly wage, which is €920 in 2026 (Decree-Law 139/2025). The reference is 100% for the first adult, 50% for each additional adult and 30% for each child (MNE, means of subsistence).
• D8 – remote work: for employees or freelancers working remotely for employers or clients outside Portugal. They must prove average monthly income over the last three months of at least four times the minimum monthly wage, which is €3,680 per month in 2026 (4 × €920), and provide a document attesting their tax residence (MNE, residence visa documents; Regulatory Decree 84/2007 (Decreto Regulamentar), Art. 31-A).
• D2 – entrepreneurs and independent professionals: for those who invest in or set up a business in Portugal, provide services as independent professionals, or join the Start-up Visa program.
• D3 – highly qualified activity: for teaching, research and highly qualified work, including the EU Blue Card, with salary thresholds set by law.

Golden Visa (ARI)

The Residence Permit for Investment Activity (ARI) still exists. Since Law 56/2023 (Lei) took effect on October 7, 2023, it has not accepted new applications based on buying real estate, urban renovation, or a simple capital transfer. The remaining options include creating at least 10 jobs; transferring at least €500,000 to non-real-estate investment funds set up under Portuguese law, to scientific research, or to set up a company headquartered in Portugal that creates five permanent jobs; and transferring at least €250,000 to artistic production or national cultural heritage. The minimum stay is 7 days in the first year and 14 days in each following two-year period. See Golden Visa in Portugal and our article on Golden Visa investment options in 2026.

Holding a residence permit counts as legal residence for naturalization (Nationality Act, Art. 15(1)), but for Israelis the required period is 10 years. For permits, renewals and delays, see residence permit in Portugal and Portuguese citizenship, residence and visas.

Israel is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention (HCCH status table), and Portugal accepts Israeli public documents with an apostille instead of consular legalization.

• Who issues the apostille in Israel: the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs authenticates public documents (gov.il apostille service), and some documents are authenticated through the courts. Which office applies depends on the document, so this should be confirmed in Israel for each document. Israeli missions note that birth, death and marriage certificates, population registry abstracts and police certificates can be ordered online with an electronic apostille through the Israeli government portal (Embassy of Israel in London).
• Police certificate: Portuguese residence visas require a criminal record certificate from the country of nationality, or from any country where the applicant has lived for more than a year, with an apostille (MNE). Nationality applications also require criminal record certificates. In Israel, the Israel Police issues the Criminal Information Certificate, which can be requested with Foreign Ministry authentication (Israeli MFA service page).
• Translations from Hebrew: documents in a foreign language must be translated into Portuguese for Portuguese registries and nationality proceedings, and that includes documents in Hebrew or in English. In Portugal, translations can be certified by notaries and also by lawyers and solicitors registered in the official system, with the same evidentiary value as a notarial certification (Decree-Law 237/2001, Arts. 5 and 6; Decree-Law 76-A/2006, Art. 38).

Names transliterated from Hebrew often appear with different spellings on different documents, and these differences should be checked before filing. See apostille and document translation.

This section only outlines the issues. It is not tax advice, and Israeli tax questions must be reviewed by an Israeli tax professional.

• Portuguese tax residence: a person is resident in Portugal for a given year if they spend more than 183 days there, consecutive or not, in any 12-month period beginning or ending in that year. A person is also resident if, having stayed less, they have a home in Portugal in conditions suggesting the intention to keep and occupy it as their habitual residence (Portuguese Personal Income Tax Code (Código do IRS), Art. 16). A Golden Visa or a residence permit does not by itself make anyone tax resident.
• IFICI: the former Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) regime has been replaced by the tax incentive for scientific research and innovation (IFICI). It applies to people who become tax resident in Portugal, were not resident in any of the previous five years, and carry out specific qualifying activities. Eligible income from those activities is taxed at a special 20% rate for 10 consecutive years (Tax Benefits Statute (Estatuto dos Benefícios Fiscais), Art. 58-A). Remote work for a foreign employer does not qualify on its own.
• Israel–Portugal tax treaty: Portugal and Israel have a convention to avoid double taxation and prevent tax evasion with respect to taxes on income, in force since February 18, 2008 (Tax Authority treaty table; treaty text). It covers taxes on income only. There is no Israel–Portugal treaty on inheritance or gift taxes.
• Israeli side: how Israel treats a move to Portugal, income earned in Portugal, or Portuguese assets is a matter of Israeli tax law. The firm does not advise on it. We coordinate with your Israeli accountant or tax lawyer so that the Portuguese steps match the Israeli plan.

See also Portuguese tax number (NIF).

Which law governs the estate

Portugal applies the EU Succession Regulation (Regulation (EU) 650/2012) to estates of people who died on or after August 17, 2015. As a rule, the law of the State where the deceased had their habitual residence at the time of death governs the whole estate (Art. 21). The law designated applies even if it is the law of a non-EU State such as Israel (Art. 20). A person may instead choose, in a will, the law of their nationality to govern the whole succession, and someone with more than one nationality may choose any of them (Art. 22). An Israeli who also holds Portuguese citizenship could therefore choose Israeli or Portuguese law. How Israel treats that choice is a question for an Israeli lawyer.

Forced heirship (legítima)

If Portuguese law governs the estate, the spouse, descendants and ascendants are forced heirs (herdeiros legitimários). Their reserved share (legítima) ranges from one-third to two-thirds of the estate, depending on who survives (Portuguese Civil Code (Código Civil), Arts. 2156 to 2161). With a spouse and children, for example, the reserved share is two-thirds, and the person can freely dispose of only one-third.

Portuguese Stamp Duty on inheritance

Gratuitous transfers, including inheritance, of assets located in Portugal are subject to Stamp Duty (Imposto do Selo) at 10%. The surviving spouse or de fato partner, descendants and ascendants are exempt (Stamp Duty Code (Código do Imposto do Selo), Arts. 4 and 6(1)(e), and item 1.2 of the General Table). Even when an exemption applies, the death and the assets must be reported to the Tax Authority by the end of the third month after the death (Art. 26).

In practice: one procedure per country

Assets in Portugal, such as real estate, bank accounts or company shares, are transferred through Portuguese procedures, such as the declaration of heirs (habilitação de herdeiros) and the partition of the estate. Assets in Israel are transferred through Israeli procedures, such as an inheritance order or a probate order, which are handled by an Israeli lawyer. Planning ahead with coordinated wills avoids contradictory documents. See international succession, wills and assets and succession in other countries.

Israelis can buy property in Portugal as foreign nationals, but since October 7, 2023 a property purchase no longer qualifies for a new Golden Visa (Law 56/2023). Before buying, you need a Portuguese tax number (NIF). Once you own property, you will have tax and reporting obligations in Portugal, and the property will be subject to Portuguese succession procedures after death. We review the title and registry situation, the contracts and the deed, and coordinate the purchase with your estate planning. See buying property in Portugal and NIF.

Sene & Araújo has lawyers admitted to the Portuguese Bar Association (Ordem dos Advogados) and the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB), with offices in Albufeira (Algarve) and São Paulo.

1. Direct handling in Portugal: we file and follow nationality applications with the IRN, residence matters with AIMA and the consular visa process. We also act in property transactions, estate procedures and Tax Authority matters in Portugal, and before the Portuguese administrative courts when there is undue delay or a refusal.
2. Online meetings: most of the work can be done remotely, with video meetings scheduled to suit the time difference. Israel is usually two hours ahead of mainland Portugal.
3. Coordination with Israeli advisers: the firm does not practice Israeli law. Israeli tax, estate and succession matters, including inheritance and probate orders in Israel, are handled by your Israeli lawyer or accountant. At your request, we coordinate with them so that the Portuguese and Israeli steps are consistent.
4. Documents: we tell you which Israeli documents, apostilles and certified translations each Portuguese procedure requires.

Decisions belong to the Portuguese authorities, and no outcome or timeline can be promised. Each case depends on a review of the documents. Meet our team or contact us for an initial review.