Getting The Portuguese Citizenship For The Sephardic Jews

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Our International Law Firm accompanies you at all stages of the proceedings

On 27 February 2015, the Portuguese Government decided to remedy a so-called “historical” error by promulgating Legislative Decree No. 30-A / 2015 and thereby grant the right of return, through the acquisition of Portuguese nationality, to all the descendants of Sephardic Jews expelled by the King of Portugal in 1496.

This new regulation, based on the legislation adopted on 12 April 2013, by the Portuguese Parliament, now allows an applicant to obtain Portuguese nationality by naturalization by proving its membership of a Sephardic community of Portuguese origin, by the name, language or filiation.

Like the Spanish procedure, the Portuguese law does not expressly require that the applicant resides in the territory, the latter will only be compelled to demonstrate a particular link with Portugal and to have a criminal record without any convictions.

While there are no less than half a million descendants of Jews exiled in the world, for the majority of applicants, the steps involved in any application for granting Portuguese nationality are tedious and time-consuming, especially when this is to bring the first proof of descent or belonging.

Also, it is strongly advised to obtain the services of a law firm competent in this field, to prepare effectively the documents required for the application and to be able to present a complete file to the Portuguese Government.

With recognized expertise, ABITBOL & ASSOCIATES Law Firm is perfectly able to assist you in both preparation and follow-up of the procedure.

Indeed, we purpose to our clients, personalized support on all the diligences to be carried out before the deposit of the file with the Portuguese Conservatory, but also a detailed follow-up of every step since the filing of the file until the delivery of the passport.

As such, our Firm is at your full disposal for all requests for additional information and tariffs.

ABITBOL & ASSOCIATES is a Member of the CCIIF

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Why get Portuguese Citizenship?

Tax benefits

The Portuguese Government has recently introduced a special status called “non-habitual tax resident”, which allows the new resident to benefit from an attractive tax regime for 10 years.

This status is mainly for retirees, who will be exempt from taxes on income from the payment of a foreign pension.

Apart from pensions, some passive income may also be involved, including interest, dividends, property income, and foreign capital gains.

Companies registered in Portugal have a tax rate of 25% and a VAT of 23%. Finally, it is important to note that Portugal does not provide for a levy on wealth.

Administrative advantages

Obtaining Portuguese nationality also means being able to enjoy the fundamental right of free movement within all the countries of the European Union, but also benefiting from easier access to the American territory without being required to present a tourist visa.

Finally, it should be noted that a large number of European universities grant holders of a European passport the right to undertake studies within their school and this is a complete freeway.

FAQ

Answers to recurring questions

Who can apply for Portuguese nationality under the Decree-Law of 27 February 2015?

This request can come from all the descendants of Portuguese Sephardic Jews who justify their belonging by tradition to a Sephardic community of Portuguese origin on the basis of objective criteria attesting their link to Portugal, including their surname, the language spoken in their family, a direct or collateral relationship.

The applicant must be of legal age and have not been the subject of a judgment of the final sentence for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term of not less than three years, under Portuguese law. 

How to prove his quality of descendant of Sephardic Jews ?

All supporting documents may require a specific assessment, as proof of the connection between the applicant’s family and the Portuguese Sephardic community may be direct and indirect. Thus circumstantial evidence can be provided by any means: the use of the Ladino, a Portuguese surname, family records, family trees, community birth records, marriage and death, expert evidence, evidence by testimony or well again the DNA tests.

What is the evidence for obtaining the Certificate of the Portuguese Jewish Community?

All supporting documents may require a specific assessment, as proof of the connection between the applicant’s family and the Portuguese Sephardic community may be direct and indirect. Thus circumstantial evidence can be provided by any means: the use of the Ladino, a Portuguese surname, family records, family trees, community birth records, marriage and death, expert evidence, evidence by testimony or well again the DNA tests.

What is the cost of the Certificate issued by the Portuguese Jewish Community?

To obtain this certificate, it is necessary to proceed upstream with the payment of the service tax for the opening and analysis of the file. This fee is 500 Euros, non-refundable in the case of non-approval.

What are the validity criteria of the birth certificate and the criminal record extract ?

The applicant’s proof of birth must have been issued within the last six months and be translated and certified by the Portuguese Consulate of the country of origin.

Regarding the Criminal Register, the document must come from his country of birth as well as those in which the candidate has lived. This document must have been issued within the last 90 days and certified by the Portuguese Consulate of the country of origin. 

Do the Portuguese authorities require a knowledge test ?

Unlike the procedure for granting Spanish nationality, the Portuguese Government does not require the candidate to have a knowledge test of the Portuguese Constitution or the social and cultural reality of Portugal

Can we proceed to a collective request for the granting of Portuguese nationality ?

It should be noted that each application must be filed individually, in fact, each file will be studied on a case by case basis.

What are the costs to be expected when filing the file ?

After having obtained the certificate of the Jewish Community of Portugal and all the documents required by the Portuguese Government, it will be necessary to address the entire file to the Central Civil Registry and to pay the compulsory amount of 250 euros.

What is the average duration of the procedure?

The duration of the procedure is estimated at 14 months and will depend on the responsiveness of the candidate to provide the required documents as soon as possible.

 

Getting The Portuguese Citizenship For The Sephardic Jews 5

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