Legal Services

Portuguese nationality for Sephardic Jews

The procedure for obtaining Portuguese nationality for the descendants of those Sephardim expelled from the Iberian Peninsula has the following differences and advantages with respect to the Spanish one:

• It does not require knowledge of the Portuguese language.
• It does not require having a special personal connection with Portugal.
• It does not require taking exams or knowledge tests.
• It does not require travelling to Portugal at all.
• The Portuguese regulation is valid for a non-definite term.
• The process to obtain nationality is less expensive than the Spanish one. 
• For tax purposes Portugal is, at present, very attractive. 

The presence of Jewish communities in the Iberian Peninsula commenced several centuries ago, even before the foundation of the Christian Iberian kingdoms. After the Alhambra Edict of 1492, these Jewish communities began to be persecuted by the Spanish Inquisition and many of their members took refuge in Portugal. However, King D. Manuel, who had initially enacted a law that guaranteed them protection, ordered on 1496 the expulsion of all Sephardic Jews (also known as Marranos) who did not adopt Catholicism through baptism. Therefore, a large number of Sephardic Jews were expelled from Portugal in the late 15^th and early 16^th centuries.

Our Firm carries out the advice and full study of each case, its legal direction, and the complete follow-up of all the files until the final Portuguese passport is obtained.

The obtaining of the Portuguese nationality for Sephardic jews and/or their direct descendants must be carried out through two different procedures:

1. Procedure before the Israeli Community of Lisbon to request the certification of the Sephardic origin of the person concerned.

2. Procedure to formally apply for Portuguese Nationality before the Portuguese Ministry of Justice.

Once the Portuguese nationality has been obtained, this implies that the person has obtained the citizenship of the European Union for all purposes.

This type of procedures requires solid knowledge of Portuguese Administrative, Notarial, Civil and Registry Law, and a detailed analysis of the extensive documentation involved, as well as experience in handling similar files. For this legal procedure, Larrauri & Martí has partnered with the Portuguese Law Firm of Carina Vicente Correia, in Lisbon, which has successfully managed hundreds of similar cases before the Portuguese administration.

Access to the Regulation:

Portuguese Decree (Decreto-Lei n.o 30-A/2015)

Access to the Jewish Communities in Portugal:

1. Lisbon

2. Oporto

Our partners in Portugal: