UNHCR Welcomes Portuguese Law to Strengthen Protection for Stateless Persons

LISBON – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, welcomes the entry into force of a new law in Portugal establishing a Statelessness Determination Procedure, marking a major step towards identifying and protecting stateless people and advancing efforts to end statelessness in the country.

The legislation provides a framework for the legal recognition and protection of stateless persons, helping to ensure that their rights can be effectively enjoyed in practice. It also provides a pathway to Portuguese citizenship.

Signed by the Portuguese President on 7 August, the legislation will help protect dozens of people who have been living in legal limbo in Portugal, some of them for many years or even decades. Among them are individuals affected by decolonisation processes who have been unable to establish or acquire a nationality due to gaps in documentation or difficulties in proving their entitlement to nationality.

Under the new framework, people recognized as stateless will receive a renewable two-year residence permit that allows them to work legally and benefit from access to public services, including education and health care. Stateless persons will also be granted the right to travel documents. Those applying for statelessness status will receive temporary residence permits while their applications are being assessed, protecting them from removal to countries where they may have resided or transited in the past. During the application process, they will be able to work and access vocational training, education and health care under the same conditions as asylum-seekers.

The legislation also offers a pathway to naturalization. Under the 2025 amendments to the Portuguese Nationality Act, people formally recognized as stateless will be eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship after four years of regular residence.

The framework represents a landmark advancement in strengthening the legal protection of stateless people in Portugal and positively contributes to efforts to address statelessness across the European Union. 

It was developed by members of Parliament following consultation with relevant public authorities, UNHCR, and civil society organizations.

Since publishing its “Statelessness Mapping in Portugal” in 2018, UNHCR has advocated for the establishment of a fair and efficient procedure to identify and protect stateless people in Portugal. The organization has also worked closely with authorities and civil society organizations to increase awareness and strengthen national capacity to identify, prevent and address statelessness.

UNHCR stands ready to support the Government of Portugal in implementing the new Statelessness Determination Procedure.

For further information contact:

Jenny Barchfield, [email protected]