"The service, launched on February 17, exclusively for professionals, allows for the delivery of applications for nationality together with mandatory documentation, make payments, the monitoring of your status, complete and correct information without the need to go to a registry counter," reads the statement of the Ministry of Justice (MJ).

The application, available to legal representatives registered with the Bar Association or the Order of Solicitors and Enforcement Agents, can be submitted through the Justice Portal.

"In the initial phase, the service covers applications of citizens over 18 years of age who wish to obtain Portuguese nationality through legal residence in Portugal for at least five years or through marriage with a person of Portuguese nationality. Progressively, until March 17, the service will be extended to all types of nationality applications", explained the MJ in a statement.

According to the Government, the functionality available since February 17 aims to make the process easier.

Applications for nationality "also pass and benefit from a tool of automatic validation of the authenticity of documents using artificial intelligence", which "will contribute to increasing the responsiveness of services and speeding up one of the most time-consuming steps of these processes", reducing face-to-face service and reducing the volume of paper "maintaining the security and rigor of the process".

Lawyers and solicitors must authenticate on the digital platform with the professional order certificate and digital signature.

"Citizens who do not have a representative at this stage must submit the application for Portuguese nationality and the necessary documentation with a registration service with a nationality desk. Alternatively, they will be able to send the documents by mail", explained the MJ.