Sephardic Jews
Portuguese nationality via Sephardic route: how to apply in 2024
Portuguese nationality through the Sephardic route offers descendants of Sephardic Jews the opportunity to acquire Portuguese citizenship.
Discover the Customer Portal: intelligent online service channel
The Customer Portal is an evolution of Martins Castro's communication systems with its customers.
Updates to the Customer Portal are reinforced at a decisive moment
Our teams are working hard to ensure that all our customers have ensured the protocol of their processes.
New Change in Nationality Law for Sephardic Descendants
Assembly of the Republic resumes debate on Portuguese nationality for Sephardic descendants and signals with positive changes
Doubts about changes in the regulation of Portuguese nationality for Sephardim
Deadlines, validity, certificates, CIL, CIP... We have selected some of the main doubts about the recent changes in the regulation.
Changes in the regulation of Portuguese nationality law for Sephardic descendants
Follow here all the updates on the recent changes to the regulation
Note of clarification: Portuguese nationality by the Sephardim
If the text amending the regulation has not undergone major changes, there will be a standardization of the certification process, which will bring more clarity and transparency.
The urgent request in the process of Portuguese nationality
In this text, our lawyers have listed some of the reasons that could justify these requests.
8 benefits of Portuguese citizenship
In a super connected world and in constant change, more and more people are able to achieve double citizenship and a second passport.
Portuguese citizenship is the most sought after in Brazil
In 2020 alone, even with the pandemic, the total number of favorable opinions to Brazilians seeking Portuguese citizenship was over 20,000.
Attention! Special operation of CIL and CIP en septiembre
Following the Jewish tradition, the Israeli communities of Lisbon and Porto have changed their functioning, respecting the days of celebration.
Anita Garibaldi: the revolutionary descendant of the Sephardim
Anita Garibaldi was born in Brazil and died in Italy fighting for her ideas. She had in her genealogy 3 Sephardic Ascendants.
Portuguese citizenship by the Sephardim and the genealogical study
Sites such as Family Search and MyHeritage may make searching easier, but they do not guarantee the veracity of all data.
White Castle
It is believed that, for a long period, since the 13th century, the surname was linked to tradition and nobility.
Branca Dias, a story of resistance and faith
The trajectory of the Portuguese Branca Dias inspired books, plays, films, comic books and documentaries.
eBook: Portuguese citizenship through the Sephardim
Portugal, through Decree-Law 30-A/2015, grants Portuguese nationality, by naturalization, to the descendants of Sephardic Jews.
Paula Leite Barros' family
The history of Paula Leite de Barros' family in Brazil begins with Pedro Vaz de Barros, a New Christian from Lisbon who migrated to Brazil at the end of the 16th century.
Luciano Dias Cardoso Vargas: Abraham of Jaguaribe
Luciano Dias Cardoso Vargas, known as Abraão do Jaguaribe, has his Sephardic connection through the New Christian Dinis Bravo.
Nogueira da Gama family
The Nogueira da Gama are descendants of a large and prominent family that, in colonial times in Brazil, received honors and titles of nobility.
Who are Sephardic Jews and New Christians
Do New Christians and Sephardic Christians have the same meaning or have nothing to do with each other?
Joaquina do Pompéu and her Sephardic descent in Minas Gerais
In addition to being a farmer and a businesswoman, Dona Joaquina de Pompéu is the matriarch of thousands of Sephardic descendants who are entitled to Portuguese citizenship.
3 tips to begin your search for a Sephardic ancestor
More and more people have turned to genealogical research to document ties to Jewish ancestors in order to secure approval of the process.
Sephardic descent in Minas Gerais
These descendants saw in the region's development an opportunity to settle down and develop their economic activities.
Antunes Maciel family
The Antunes Maciel family, quite numerous in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, has its origins on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
Interview: Written by Lira Neto, biography of Sephardic Jews should hit bookstores soon
The work will be dedicated to all the disinherited, exiles and refugees, people essentially marked by intolerance.
Genealogical study reveals surprises on the biggest scorer in world football history
A Brazilian researcher found that Cristiano Ronaldo, Portuguese star and greatest scorer in world football history, has Sephardic ancestry.
5 common mistakes when designing a genealogical study
The process begins with a genealogical study that aims to prove the parental connection with some Sephardic Jew.
“Ten days of thousands of Sephardic Argentineans could gain access to Portuguese nationality”
In Argentina it is estimated that there are more than 50 thousand people who can access this benefit.
Founding partner and lawyer of Martins Castro will be in Argentina
With the aim of reporting on this issue and narrowing down the local community, Renato Martins travels to Buenos Aires between 8 and 11 December
Myths about Portuguese citizenship through the Sephardic way
Portuguese citizenship through the Sephardic way is one of those topics that arouse curiosity, but also a lot of mistrust and misinformation.
Teixeira Family
The first members of the Teixeira family arrived in Brazil at the end of the 18th century in different places.
Portuguese nationality via Sephardic: the Conservatory approved, what now?
You become Portuguese from the signing of this document, and not from your birth.
Castro e Silva Family
The Castro and Silva left their mark on political history and vast descent, spread throughout Brazil, especially in Ceará.
The 4 main requirements for Portuguese nationality by Sephardim
Contrary to what some people still believe, it takes more than having Sephardic surnames or Jewish customs in the family.
Israeli certification for Portuguese nationality by Sephardic
The certificate is an indispensable document for all people who want to achieve this type of Portuguese citizenship.
5 types of important documents to prove the Sephardic bond
There are a number of important historical documents to prove Sephardic descent that are available for research.
Family Medeiros
Many believe that the Medeiros brothers fled to Brazil due to the persecution imposed by the Inquisition.
5 reasons why people seek Portuguese nationality by Sephardic
Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, United States Turkey and Israel are just a few examples of countries that seek this type of nationality.
The Bicudos, members of the Portuguese court
The history of the Bicudo family begins on the beautiful São Miguel Island, the largest in the Azores archipelago, Portugal.
Know where to start your genealogical study
Read this post carefully and at the end of the reading you can start your study immediately.
Almeida Coelho Family
The Sephardic bond occurs with the marriage of Ambrósio de Almeida Coelho with Maria Augusta do Sacramento, descendant of the Azorean Antonio Fernandes.
Oliveira Ledo Family: from brick making to the colonization of Paraíba
The family gave rise to one of the most traditional families in the Northeast, especially in Cariri in Paraíba.
Changes in Portuguese nationality law
We separated the 4 main aspects of these changes: descendants of Sephardic Jews, children of foreigners, grandchildren and spouses.
Ribeiro do Vale Family
Many descendants of Portuguese noble families were attracted by the promise of wealth in Brazilian lands during the colonial period.
Victory of the world Sephardic community: law change proposal retreats
PS withdraws proposal and sends the nationality regulation to the Executive Branch by Sephardic way
Portuguese law paves the way for Brazilian families to discover their Jewish origins
Since 2015 the Portuguese government started to grant Portuguese nationality to the descendants of Sephardic Jews.
Aguiar Family: Northeast and South Brazil
Evidence points that the Aguiar family would have arisen from the Guedes and D. Pedro Mendes de Aguiar would have been their patriarch.
Carneiro da Fontoura, military by tradition
The surname is inscribed in the history of the conquest of the territory that today makes up the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
Timeline: proposal to change the “Law of Nationality through Sephardic way”
Follow the updates of the proposal that wants to change the Portuguese law that grants citizenship to Sephardic descendants.
The Linhares, from the Portuguese mountains to the northeastern heat
The first inhabitants of the Serra da Estrela region, in the upper Minho, in Portugal, gave rise to this Sephardic family.
Resende Costa Family, the inconfidentes
The Resende Costa family recorded its name in the history of Brazil, especially after the participation of some of its members in Inconfidência Mineira.
Homonyms: how to overcome this challenge of genealogy
Homonyms are a great challenge for those who are in genealogical research, whether professional or not.
Toledo Pizza, centuries of history
One of the most traditional families present in southeastern Brazil, the Toledo Piza's history goes back centuries.
Israeli Community of Lisbon launches new procedures
CIL started to make a new system available on its website for filling out an online form to submit the entire process.
The Inquisition and the persecution of the Sephardim: a moving summary
Created in the Middle Ages, in the 13th century, the Inquisition was an institution composed of several courts run by the Catholic Church.
Find out how to find documents for your grandparents and great-grandparents
Here we have prepared some guidelines on the most important documents of your grandparents and great-grandparents and where you can find them.
Portugal, Camões and Portuguese Communities Day
The date started to have the current symbolism and be considered a holiday, called the Day of Portugal, Camões and the Portuguese Communities.
Three precautions to avoid delays in naturalization by the Sephardic route
The process of Portuguese naturalization through the Sephardic way, depending on the care with the documentation presented, can be more or less agile.
Leão family, Sephardic people spread throughout Brazil
Studies show that descendants of one of the branches of the family spread across southeastern Brazil, especially Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais.
Proença Coelho Family
It is possible that, in order to be able to embark for Brazil fleeing the persecutions of the Inquisition, members of the Cohen family would have adopted the surname Coelho.
Portuguese nationality for minor children of Sephardic descendants
This type of naturalization serves children who are minors, whose father or mother has become Portuguese after their birth.
Vaz de Barros, high positions in the colony
One of the most traditional families to settle in São Paulo, the Vaz de Barros have a considerable participation in Brazilian history.
Aspects of the proposed amendment to the “Law of Nationality through the Sephardic way”
A proposal to change the so-called “Portuguese Nationality Law by the Sephardic way” was recently made public
Leme Family
The family originated in the city of Bruges, currently the capital of the province of West Flanders, Belgium.
The revival of genealogy and its new horizons
The ease of access to the collections thanks to digitalization allowed anyone to search the origins of the families.
The massacre of New Christians and the Law of Naturalization of Sephardic descendants
In 2020, five years will pass since the approval of Decree-Law no. 30-A-2015, which allows Portuguese citizenship to Sephardic descendants.
Family Days
More than one million Brazilians currently sign with the surname Dias, however, not all of them necessarily have the same origin.
Henrique de Carvalho family, the heritage of southern Brazil
The small village of Penamacor, in Portugal, was where the surnames Henriques and Carvalho joined.
The Bezerras, survivors of the Inquisition
The first Bezerra known in the Portuguese court was D. Afonso de Melo Bezerra, the loyal squire of Queen Izabel.
The Holandas, a strong presence in Brazil
It is one of the most traditional families in Brazil and many of its members are well known: Sérgio Buarque de Holanda and his musician children, for example.
Why more and more Brazilians seek Portuguese citizenship through the Sephardic way
From the dream of migrating to the desire to study and work in the European Union, thousands of Brazilians have discovered that they are descendants of Sephardic people.
The Pereiras, numerous Sephardic descendants
A common surname in Brazil, as well as quite traditional in Ceará, present in practically all regions of the state.
The Ximenes, from the Iberian Peninsula to the world
The Spanish city of Segovia was the birthplace of the Sephardic patriarch Abrahan Senior, who gave birth to the large Ximenes family.
The Fernandes, born in the Douro
The Fernandes Family, from Rio Grande do Norte, was one of those that already managed to prove Sephardic descent.
Martins Castro holds event in Mexico
The city of Monterrey, Mexico, will host another edition of the Sefardí Meeting, an event that clarifies doubts about the Portuguese citizenship process through the Sephardic way.
5 tips for choosing a consultancy to take care of Portuguese citizenship
We have selected 5 tips that will help in your decision to hire a consultancy to take care of your Portuguese citizenship process.
Why hire a genealogical study?
The starting point for Portuguese citizenship through the Sephardic way is the genealogical study. It is through this study that the genealogist identifies the Sephardic ancestor.
Brazilians can help Portugal in the problem of demographic reduction
In view of the population decrease, the European country has adopted measures that favor Brazilians.
Citizen Card: what it is and how to apply
This is the face-to-face identification document of the Portuguese citizen, by birth or by assignment, and replaces the identity card since 2010.
Know the difference between tree and genealogical study
The whole process of Portuguese citizenship through Sephardic Jews is based on documentary evidence of genealogical ties.
4 common mistakes in Portuguese citizenship processes at CIL
This process can be rejected by the institution. Knowing this, we have listed some of the most common mistakes at this stage.
Brazilians prove Sephardic descent and obtain Portuguese citizenship
Direct is provided for in art. 6th, nº. 7 of the Nationality Law (Law 37/81).
Step by step to find your Sephardic ancestor: the Torre do Tombo archive
The Torre do Tombo archive is one of the main ways to elaborate your genealogy and to find your Sephardic ancestor.