Much has been said about the changes to the Portuguese Nationality Law, but what will change for descendants of Sephardic Jews who wish to apply for Portuguese nationality?
As of September 1, 2022, all descendants of Sephardic Jews will have to prove an effective connection with Portugal. But how?
The Portuguese legislator understands that there is an effective connection in only two situations:
➡ making regular trips to Portugal;
➡ having inherited rightsin rem over real estate located in Portugal, personal rights of enjoyment or shares in commercial or cooperative companies based in Portugal.
This change has been widely criticized by all. On the one hand, for restricting access to citizenship to an elite of citizens who have the financial and time possibilities to be able to come to Portugal regularly; and, on the other hand, for the almost total historical impossibility of having maintained the ownership of rights inherited from ancestors from the 16th century, criticism that we follow at Desk Portugal.
However, nothing indicates that these new rules will undergo a second change until September!
Therefore, we recommend that all those who have not yet started their nationality application process do it with the utmost urgency, under penalty of losing the right!
At Desk Portugal we are available to accompany the process from the genealogical research, to the request for a certificate from the Portuguese Jewish community, to the final approval of the nationality request.