Guinea-Bissau Citizenship Application: Process, Stages and Documents

This is the procedure as described on the BRIDGES programme page in October 2026, put next to what the Nationality Law says about naturalisation. BRIDGES calls its page a preliminary version, so the stages may still be refined.

The five stages

1. Consultation. You describe your family and your goal, and you learn whether the direction can fit.
2. Stage 1, personal data check. One week, $5,000 net, done remotely. The result shows whether your case goes further.
3. Agreement and budget. The full list of stages, the budget and the payment schedule are fixed in the agreement. No large payments are made before signing.
4. File and submission. Translations, certifications, the source of funds documents and the submission.
5. Decision and passport. The decision on citizenship and the issue of the passport.

Documents for stage 1

BRIDGES names three documents for the first check:

• a valid international passport;
• a birth certificate;
• a police clearance certificate showing no criminal record.

Documents for the main file

For the later stages, BRIDGES mentions translations, certifications and proof of the legal source of funds. The detailed list is still being completed, according to the page itself. I would prepare in advance a marriage certificate for the spouse, birth certificates for the children and an explanation of where the money comes from, but the exact list for Guinea-Bissau has to come in writing.

What the law says about the decision

Under Article 9 of the Nationality Law, naturalisation is granted by Government decree on the proposal of the Minister of Justice. After that, the law requires a few more steps:

• Registration. Article 14 makes registration at the Conservatória dos Registos Centrais mandatory.
• Opposition. Under Articles 12 and 13, the Public Prosecutor can oppose an acquisition within one year before the Supreme Court of Justice, for example for a serious conviction or a manifest lack of any link with the national community.
• Appeals. Under Articles 21 and 22, appeals in nationality matters go to the Supreme Court of Justice.

Timelines

The only fixed timeline is one week for stage 1. The header of the BRIDGES page shows a processing time of 1 to 2 weeks, but the same page says that the final procedure timelines are confirmed on the filing date. I do not treat 1 to 2 weeks as the time to a passport. I would ask for the full timeline in the agreement.

In-person visits

BRIDGES writes that the first stage is remote and that the in-person requirements of the later stages are confirmed before the agreement. If a trip to Guinea-Bissau or to a consulate is needed, you should know it before you sign.

If the check fails

If your case does not pass stage 1, the work stops there. You only pay for the check. For the cost of each stage see the cost guide.