Do you want to apply for Portuguese citizenship due to Sephardic Jewish ancestry? A law passed in Portugal says that people of Sephardic Jewish ancestry (meaning ancestors from Spain and Portugal only) are eligible to apply for Portuguese nationality. You need to prove ancestry in a Sephardic Jewish diaspora community, but do not need to supply records back to 1492.

The video shows the application process. The key part is obtaining the necessary evidence of Sephardic heritage. This can include civil birth, marriage and death certificates, equivalent synagogue records and other documents. DNA tests and family photos do not count as evidence. “Sephardic surnames” are a recent invention. Without a context, not Iberian surname can be considered Jewish. For example, a Mendoza in 17th Century Madrid is almost certainly Catholic. A Mendoza in 17th Century London, where there was an established Sephardi congregation, may be Jewish.

Historically there are three Sephardic sub-groups: the Megorashim of northern Morocco; the Eastern Sephardim of the Ottoman Empire (main communities included Istanbul, Izmir, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Corfu, Alexandria); Western Sephardim (main communities include Amsterdam, London, Livorno, New York, Philadelphia, Jamaica). Of course, Jews are mobile and Sephardim travelled all over the world.

I am a professional genealogist, but not qualified to offer legal or immigration advice. If you want your Sephardic ancestry professionally researched for a Portuguese passport application, contact me through the email address at the end of the video.

Spain had a similar law to Portugal, but the application deadline has now passed (excepting for certain families with Greek and Egyptian ancestry). The Portuguese process is much simpler. Many applicants do not use a lawyer. If you decide to use a solicitor, it is a good idea to asked your country’s embassy in Portugal for a recommendation rather than find one on the Internet.

Facebook:

Twitter:

Instagram:

Website:

Blog:

source