Portugal recently made global headlines for granting its migrants full citizenship rights during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Portugal has always been a haven for immigrants hoping for a new life. The 2019 Expat Insider survey crowned Portugal as the most welcoming country for expatriates, with some 36% of expatriates instantly feeling at home!

Understandably, Portugal is experiencing a phenomenon that has been on the rise for four consecutive years. According to SEF 's 2019 RIFA ( Immigration, Border and Asylum Reports), Portugal has witnessed an increase in requests for Portugal citizenships, as well as foreign residents in the past four years- and the applications are at an all-time high since 1976!

As per the reports, the number of immigrants in Portugal increased by roughly 200,000 between 2015 and 2019. In 2019 itself, more than 74,000 foreign citizens applied for Portuguese nationality, the highest value of the last five years.

Furthermore, between 2018 and 2019, there was a net rise of 22.9 per cent of foreign nationals seeking Portuguese citizenship.

While Brazilians remain the leading. International population residing in the country (26 per cent of the total), 2019 noted a 4.9 per cent influx of Indians, in addition to the 17,619 Indians legally currently living in Portugal.

Applications for Portuguese citizenship were mainly connected to naturalization (68.9%), followed by matrimony (13.3%) and substantiation (11%).

Family reconciliation (38,204), professional activity (31,511), and study (13,356) were the most pertinent factors for granting new residency permits.

In 2019, the number of whooping applications for asylum seekers also rose by 45.3%.

When it came to the Indian population, most applications were job-related (67.9%), followed by study permits(9.3%)

Portugal remains one of the top countries to save and retire in the world thanks to its Golden Visa and non-Habitual Residency programme.

Portugal's Golden Visa Program is one of Europe's most successful foreign investment programs, and the first quarter of 2020 saw a spike in applications.

Despite the last state budget ruling to limit both the Golden Visa and Non-Habitual Residency programs, the schemes will still draw wealthy investors from around the world, at least until 2021, owing to the COVID-19 crisis.

Nevertheless, In light of the Ministry of Internal Affairs' (MAI) acknowledgement and a nod to Portugal's popularity among immigrants, the SEF has rolled up its sleeves to make the bureaucracy a little more efficient & simpler.

So, whether you're a wealthy investor investing in a retirement home through the Golden Visa program, or an expatriate seeking a better life, or a person who is applying for Portuguese Citizenship through your ancestors like the goans, Portugal continue to receive you with open arms for years to come.

2019 noted a 4.9 per cent influx of Indians, in addition to the 17,619 Indians legally currently living in Portugal.