Frequently asked questions about Portuguese Nationality by Sephardic origin

Decree-Lei No. 30-A / 2015, of February 27, which allows applications for Portuguese nationality by Sephardic origin to be submitted, has an indefinite period of duration, there is no expiration date, so applications can be submitted at any time .

However, it is necessary to comment that the Portuguese Government has the power to indicate a completion period in the future or to include variations in the requirements.

The first step will be to obtain the Sephardic certificate of the Jewish Communities of Portugal. This process can take between 3 and 9 months.

Once the application with all the documentation has been submitted to the Ministry of Justice, it will take about 2 years to obtain nationality.

Only those over 18 can apply for Portuguese nationality. In the case of Minors may request it in some cases, once their parents have obtained it, in accordance with the provisions of ordinary civil regulations governing the acquisition of Portuguese nationality.

The main requirement is the accreditation of the condition of Sephardic originating from the Iberian Peninsula, (Spain or Portugal) and be over 18 years old.

The Law is open to Jews of Sephardic origin and to those who are not Jews today, as long as they can prove that they are ethnically descended from those who were expelled or forced to convert to the Catholic religion after 1492.

To prove Sephardic origin, an official certificate from one of the Jewish Communities of Portugal, Porto or Lisbon must be obtained.

There are several ways to prove origin. A genealogical report made by a specialized genealogist, the rabbinical certificate of your Synagogue, the contribution of a Sephardic certificate of relatives ....

Lhe Portuguese law on nationality by Sephardic origin does not require the renouncement of the previous nationality and therefore would have dual nationality. However, it is important to consult the regulations of the country of origin since there are States that do not allow dual nationality.

There is no official list of Sephardic surnames. However, we can find family lines with common surnames that have been able to demonstrate Sephardic origin and are admitted to the Jewish Communities of Portugal. These surnames are usually linked to specific areas where it can be shown that Sephardic Jews emigrated to settle.

Portugal is a fully-fledged country of the European Union, this means having free movement, work or residence throughout Europe.

Furthermore, Portuguese is one of the most powerful passports in the world.