sherbert

I've been following the Brexit news and am starting to get a little worried:Rush for dual-nationality passports as EU migrants fear Brexit | Politics | The Guardian

I'm a UK citizen married to a Portuguese citizen. We've never lived together in Portugal or the UK. We spent many years in other EU countries and are now currently not living in Europe.

I want to go back to Europe at some point in the future and wonder if I should start preparing in case my fellow countrymen do something stupid in the referendum.

So, Can a British Citizen apply for a Portuguese passport through marriage (without giving up their UK passport) even if they have never lived in Portugal?

Brexit: Rush for dual-nationality passports as EU migrants fear Brexit | Politics | The Guardian

Pulaski

Even if the UK exits the EU, your spouse with a Portuguese passport will still be able to "exercise their treaty rights" to get a family permit for you in any country that remains in the EU.

sherbert

Good God Pulaski. Do you have a life ?

Pulaski

Yes, thx. ..... I spent yesterday afternoon on the bonus room roof.

BritInParis

The UK would need to exit both the EU and the EEA before that might become an issue.

To answer your question the spouse of a Portuguese citizen can apply for Portuguese citizenship after three years of marriage providing they were married after 3 October 1981. There is no requirement to renounce your British citizenship to do so.

Red Eric

The spouse of a Portuguese citizen doesn't need to apply for Portuguese citizenship in order to obtain the right to permanent residency - they have identical rights here to citizens of other EU member states, no matter what their nationality.

BritInParis

Perhaps but that wasn't the question being asked by the OP.

Red Eric

Quite so, BIP and my apologies for quoting you in my response.

To the OP - It wasn't your question but the information I gave might be both relevant and useful and it comes from impeccable sources (which I'll quote if you like).