Karoline Nielsen

Dear EMMELY FERNANDES, We would like to explore the possibility of obtaining either citizenship or a residence permit in Portugal, and specifically what this would require. I am a Danish citizen, and my partner (Jonas) holds an alien’s passport (without any citizenship), but he has a temporary residence permit in Denmark, renewed every 2–3 years. He is originally from Afghanistan but has lived in Denmark for approximately 28 years. As it currently stands, he is not eligible for permanent residence or Danish citizenship. He runs his own car dealership, which he has operated for approximately 5–6 years, and he owns a house in Denmark. We recently had a son, who is now 3 months old. He automatically received Danish citizenship. Integration rules in Denmark are becoming increasingly strict, and my partner fears that he may one day risk being expelled to Afghanistan, as he does not have citizenship or permanent residence. Therefore, we would like to understand what opportunities exist for him to obtain permanent residence in Portugal, or ideally Portuguese citizenship, and what this would require from us. For example, would family reunification be an option, or are there other possibilities? Our main goal is for my partner to secure either citizenship or permanent residence. We intend to continue living primarily in Denmark if possible, provided it does not conflict with the requirements. We would greatly appreciate the opportunity to discuss this over the phone or to provide additional information if needed to answer our inquiry. Thank you very much for your time and assistance. Best regards, Jonas & Karoline