The possibility of obtaining Portuguese nationality from a genealogical study is currently being popularized. Since 2015, Portuguese legislation has granted naturalization to those who prove descent from Sephardic Jews. Similarly, also for historical reparation, Spain also grants citizenship to these descendants.
In Brazil, Ceará is the state that concentrates the largest number of Sephardim descendants, Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain) at the end of the 15th century and were persecuted by the State and, later, by the Holy Inquisition. They were forced to convert to Catholicism, under penalty of being expelled from Iberian territory. This fact led to the flight and expulsion of thousands of Jews to several other countries, including Brazil.
Lawyer Renato Martins, from the Portuguese firm Martins Castro, recognizes that it is not a simple process. ”It is about the acquisition of a nationality. This is treated very strictly by the Portuguese government”.
Ceará was the state in Brazil with the first case of recognition of nationality through this law, according to the office. Nertan Ribeiro learned about this right from a genealogist. “My nationality process at the Conservatory (the body responsible for granting the Portuguese birth certificate) took about eight months and it was worth it. It was a way I found to honor my late father and settle down in Portugal”, explains Nertan.
Renato explains the step by step:
Genealogical study based on surname and birthplace information is a requirement. From this, the genealogist can identify whether or not there are chances of offspring. If there is one, he prepares the family tree and a study that proves the Sephardic Jewish origin.
Afterwards, it is necessary for the Israeli Community to prove the veracity of the previous study and issue an official certificate. “In Portugal there are two competent institutions to analyze these requests, the Comunidade Israelita de Lisboa (CIL) and Comunidade Israelita do Porto (CIP)”, says Renato.
Subsequently, the applicant must add other personal documents, such as a passport, birth certificate and criminal certificate and initiate the nationality process before the Portuguese authorities.
“The entire process is carried out through documentary evidence and takes about 12 to 18 months”, concludes the lawyer.
A representative from the Martins Castro office will be in Fortaleza for face-to-face consultations, between April 2nd and 5th, at Câmara Brasil Portugal, with an appointment scheduled at site or by +351 910005398