Portugal’s Parliament approved a sweeping overhaul of immigration legislation on 16 July, tightening entry, residency and naturalisation rules after a surge in foreign arrivals. The package doubles the minimum period of legal residence required for most foreigners to apply for citizenship to 10 years and sets a seven-year threshold for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries, including Brazil. The legislation also restricts family reunification, obliging legal residents to wait two years and demonstrate prior cohabitation before bringing spouses or adult dependants to Portugal. Job-seeker visas will be available only to applicants deemed highly qualified, ending a pathway that allowed many newcomers to regularise their status after entering as tourists. A National Unit of Foreigners and Borders will be created within the police to monitor borders and enforce deportations, and naturalised citizens convicted of serious crimes risk losing Portuguese nationality. The bill passed with the support of the governing Social Democratic–CDS alliance and the far-right Chega party, while Iniciativa Liberal abstained and all left-wing parties voted against. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who has signalled he will scrutinise the text for constitutional issues, has 30 days to enact or return the measure, or to refer it to the Constitutional Court. Backers say tougher rules are needed after foreign residents rose to roughly 1.5 million—about 15% of Portugal’s population—driven largely by Brazilians, who number more than 450 000. Opponents warn the clampdown could deepen labour shortages and undermine family unity. Last month the government ordered about 34 000 migrants whose residence requests were denied, including 5 400 Brazilians, to leave the country voluntarily, underscoring the political pressure to curb immigration.