FAQ – Sephardic Jews and Portuguese Citizenship
This FAQ – Sephardic Jews and Portuguese citizenship, addresses many issues regarding applying for Portuguese citizenship as a descendant of Sephardic Jews. It also includes links to longer articles on the topic.
This issue has been increasingly addressed in the news, and we will provide details on various topics below.
Why should I apply for Portuguese citizenship?
In 2015, the state of Portugal enacted a new law that gives the descendants of Jews who were expelled from the Iberian Peninsula in the late 15th century the right to claim Portuguese citizenship. Therefore, if you are a descendant of Sephardic Jews you may be eligible for a Portuguese passport. By obtaining citizenship in Portugal, you would be able to live, work, and travel freely anywhere in the European Union. Moreover, Portugal is an appealing destination for both travel and residence. More than 10,000 people of Sephardic descent have already successfully applied. For more information on whether you are eligible for Portuguese citizenship and why you should apply as soon as possible, please see our article: Why You Should Apply for Portuguese Citizenship Now.
What are Sephardic Jews, and what is their connection to Portugal?
“Sephardic Jews” is a term that refers to Jews whose ancestors lived in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) and who were expelled from their homes in the late 15th century (“Sepharad” means Spain in Hebrew.) The Sephardic Jews who were expelled settled in North Africa, the Middle East, and elsewhere, and continued to maintain their unique dialect and traditions. In 2015, in order to make amends for this historical ethnic cleansing, the state of Portugal enacted a law that grants the descendants of the expulsion the right to be naturalized as Portuguese citizens. For more information on the eligibility of Sephardic Jews and their descendants to be naturalized as citizens of Portugal, please see our article: Jews Eligible for Portuguese Citizenship.
What is the Portuguese “Law of Return”?
In March 2015 amendment 30-A/2015 to the Portuguese Law of Nationality came into effect. It grants the right of Portuguese citizenship to the descendants of the victims of the 1492 Alhambra Decree which ordered the expulsion of all Jews from the Iberian peninsula. The applicants must prove that their ancestors have historic ties to a Sephardic community of Portuguese origin. For more information on this amendment and the process of applying for Portuguese citizenship, please see our articles: Portuguese Law of Return and Portugal Passes a Law Offering Portuguese Citizenship to Sephardic Jews.
Do I have to identify as Jewish in order to be eligible for Portuguese citizenship as a person of Sephardic descent?
The law which grants Portuguese citizenship to descendants of Sephardic Jews who were expelled from Portugal does not discriminate based on one’s current religious or ethnic identity. Non-Jews who can clearly show that they have Sephardic Jewish ancestors are also eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship. It is important to first acquire a certificate from the Jewish community in Lisbon or Porto which validates your Sephardic ancestry. For more information on applying for Portuguese citizenship as a non-Jewish person of Sephardic Jewish descent, please see our article: Non-Jews and Sephardic Citizenship.
Are any Ashkenazi (European) Jews eligible for Portuguese citizenship?
In order to be eligible for Portuguese citizenship, you need to show that you have a Sephardic Jewish ancestor, but this does not mean it is irrelevant for Ashkenazi Jews. Jewish communities tended to intermix with each other. Not all Sephardic Jews settled in North Africa and the Middle East after their expulsion. Many settled in Amsterdam, Naples, and other European parts of the Ottoman Empire such as Greece, the Balkans, and even Romania. If you can demonstrate that one of your ancestors was a Sephardic Jew, then you are eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship even if you identify as an Ashkenazi Jew (or even as non-Jewish, for that matter). For more information on applying for a Portuguese passport as an Ashkenazi Jew, please see our article: Portugal Citizenship for Ashkenazi Jews.
Can I apply for a Portuguese passport if I have Israeli citizenship?
If you are an Israeli with Sephardic Jewish ancestry and can demonstrate that some of your ancestors descend from the Jews who were expelled from Spain and Portugal, you are eligible to be naturalized as a Portuguese citizen. Portugal allows for dual citizenship and does not require that you be a resident of Portugal to apply for citizenship as a descendant of Sephardic Jews. Therefore, you can continue to be an Israeli citizen and live in Israel and still enjoy the benefits of Portuguese citizenship as well. For more information on applying for Portuguese citizenship as an Israeli of Sephardi descent, please see our article: Portuguese Citizenship: Your Gateway to Europe.
How do I prove that I have Sephardic ancestry?
Both Jews and non-Jews who have Sephardic ancestry are eligible for Portuguese citizenship. You can establish your Sephardic ancestry by demonstrating that you or your ancestor had Sephardic surnames, that they spoke Ladino at home, or with certificates that prove that your ancestors were connected to a Sephardic synagogue. You must first obtain a certificate from the Jewish community of Porto or Lisbon that acknowledges your Sephardic ancestry, and only then should you send your application to the Portuguese authorities. For more information on proving one’s Sephardic ancestry, please see our article: How to Prove Sephardic Ancestry.
If I or a direct ancestor have a Sephardic family name, do I qualify for Portuguese citizenship?
Proving that your ancestors had Sephardic surnames can be very helpful, thought not necessarily sufficient, in obtaining a certificate from the Jewish community of Porto or Lisbon which recognizes your Sephardic heritage. You can then apply for Portuguese citizenship as a descendant of Jews expelled from the Iberian Peninsula. For more information on Sephardic family names and Portuguese citizenship, please see our article: List of Sephardic Last Names.
How long does it take to obtain Portuguese citizenship?
The entire process of proving one’s Sephardic ancestry and successfully applying for Portuguese citizenship takes approximately two years (assuming that all the required documents are submitted properly). For more detailed information on the expected length of the process, please see our article: How Long It Takes to Get Jewish Portuguese Citizenship.
What documents do I need to provide in order to apply for Portuguese citizenship?
In order to apply for Portuguese citizenship as the descendant of Sephardi Jews, you must provide your birth certificate with an apostille, a copy of the first three pages of your passport(s), a criminal record certificate from all the countries in which you have been a resident, and importantly, a certificate from a recognized Jewish community in Portugal that confirms your Sephardi heritage. For more information on the documents you will need to provide, please see our article: Portugal citizenship requirements for Sephardi Jews.
Can my spouse and children also get Portuguese citizenship even if my spouse does not have Sephardic Jewish ancestry?
The children of an applicant who receives Portuguese citizenship can also receive citizenship if they are minors. Your adult children should apply for Portuguese citizenship independently as descendants of Sephardic Jews. In order to apply for citizenship through marriage, the spouse needs to have been married to the applicant for at least six years (or if they have children together, for at least three years). For more information on applying for Portuguese citizenship for a non-Sephardic spouse, please see our article Jewish Portuguese Citizenship for Spouses and Children.
How much does it cost to obtain Portuguese citizenship?
The registration tax for a person applying for Portuguese citizenship is 250 Euro. If your spouse and children are applying as well, you will need to pay an additional 250 euros for each person. Part of the process of applying for citizenship through marriage is registering that marriage in Portugal, which costs 120 euros. Moreover, you should factor in the cost of apostilles, notary translations, legal counsel, etc. For more information on the costs involved in the process, please see our article: Cost for Jewish Descendants to Obtain Portuguese Citizenship.
What should I do if I have multiple names and I want to apply for Portuguese citizenship?
If your name, or the name of an ancestor, appears differently on different documents because the name was changed at some point, you will need to attach clear documentation of the name change in order to prove your identity and your ancestry. For more information on applying for Portuguese citizenship as a person with multiple names, please see our article: Multiple Names When Applying for Jewish Portuguese Citizenship.
What should I do if I had multiple countries of residence prior to applying for Portuguese citizenship?
If you have been a resident of multiple countries, then in addition to the normal documentation that you are required to provide to the Portuguese authorities, you must also provide a criminal record certificate from each of the countries in which you have resided. Moreover, it is very important that you attach an apostille to each of these documents. For more information on applying for Portuguese citizenship as a person who has resided in multiple different countries, please see our article: Multiple Residences Prior to Portuguese Citizenship.
Can I apply for Portuguese citizenship even if I have a criminal record?
Generally speaking, the Portuguese authorities have been very lenient with Sephardic Jews seeking Portuguese naturalization. However, a criminal record can certainly be grounds for the denial of your application. Nonetheless, if the crime on your record is not considered a crime in Portugal, or if it is a minor crime with a maximum sentence of fewer than three years in Portugal, you may still be able to successfully apply for citizenship. For more information on applications for Portuguese citizenship when one has a criminal record, please see our article: Applying for Jewish Portuguese Citizenship with a Criminal Record.
Contact Us
If you seek legal assistance in the process of proving your Sephardic heritage and applying for Portuguese citizenship, please contact us. Our law office specializes in immigration law, among other legal fields, and has extensive experience in helping the descendants of Sephardic Jews to successfully receive Portuguese citizenship.
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