How to Speed Up Portuguese Citizenship
Waiting years for a response from the IRN (Portuguese Nationality Registry) is frustrating — but there are legal pathways to significantly accelerate the process. Portuguese law establishes maximum deadlines for the Administration to respond, and when those deadlines are exceeded, citizens have the right to demand a decision in court.
What the Law Says
According to the Administrative Procedure Code, the IRN has a maximum deadline to rule on nationality applications. After 120 working days without a substantiated decision, the law allows the applicant to take legal action.
This means years of administrative silence aren't just inconvenient — they're illegal.
The Injunction Action: The Most Effective Path
The injunction for the protection of rights, freedoms and guarantees is the most effective judicial tool to combat administrative delays. Through this action:
- The court sets a concrete deadline for the IRN to decide
- Non-compliance generates State liability
- The proceedings are urgent by nature — they are processed with priority
- The result is binding: the IRN is legally obligated to issue a ruling
On average, our clients obtain a decision from the IRN within 3 to 6 months after filing — regardless of how long they had been waiting before.
When Is the Right Time to Act?
The right question is not "how long have I been waiting", but rather: how many working days have passed since my process entered the decision phase?
If that number has exceeded 120 working days, you already have legal grounds. What you lose by waiting longer:
- More months of uncertainty in your life
- Possible changes in your situation (visa, residency, documents)
- The judicial deadline itself — which continues to run
The Role of Specialized Legal Representation
Not every injunction action yields the same result. The quality of the legal brief, knowledge of case law from Portuguese Administrative Courts, and experience with the specific IRN procedures make a real difference in outcomes.
ND Advocacia works exclusively on Portuguese nationality processes, recognition of foreign judgments, and legal actions against administrative delays. Since 2019, we have helped hundreds of clients transform years of waiting into months of results.
Next Steps
If your process has been stalled for more than 120 working days without a substantiated decision, don't wait any longer. Portuguese bureaucracy doesn't stop — but the law is on your side.
To find out the value and conditions for your process, fill in the form in less than 1 minute and receive all the information by email — no commitment required.