Residency for Descendants of Sephardic Jews

Until early 2024, descendants of Sephardic Jews could still apply for Portuguese nationality solely by proving their descendency. However, the Portuguese Justice Minister proposed a new bill in October 2023 that reverted this possibility. The Portuguese government believes that the law, which was in place for nearly ten years, has served its purpose and its duty of historical reparation to all the Jews whose ancestors were expelled from Portuguese territory in the 15th century.

This does not mean that a Sephardic Jew cannot request Portuguese residency; it is only that the particular law that granted it to people who could simply demonstrate a tradition of belonging to a Sephardic community of Portuguese origin no longer applies. The descendants of these communities who seek to request Portuguese residency must now follow the general rules that apply to any foreign individual, which will be covered further below in this article.

Who can be Considered Sephardic Jews?

The term’ Sephardic Jews’ carries a profound historical significance. It refers to the descendants of the traditional Jewish communities that resided in the Iberian Peninsula (Sefarad was the Hebrew denomination for the region, hence the name), composed of Portugal and Spain. 

These Jews, renowned for their rich cultural heritage and significant contributions to Iberian society, lived in the region for several centuries, shaping both its political and economic landscape. They were not just residents but essential contributors to the formation of the Iberian Christian kingdoms, namely Portugal until they were tragically expelled in 1496 by King Manuel I. 

The order was simple: all Jews who chose not to convert to Catholicism should leave the country. The ones who didn’t follow the new law would suffer and perish at the hands of anti-New Christian groups and the Portuguese Inquisition.

Many who fled the territory kept the Portuguese language, ancient traditional rites, surnames, objects, and documents that proved their origin. Considering this solid historical heritage that was, most times, passed along through generations and generations, the Portuguese government amended the Portuguese Citizenship Act to allow the grant of Portuguese citizenship to those able to prove their descendency from these ancient Jews who, half a century ago, lived in Portugal.

As mentioned above, this law was revoked in January 2024, meaning that today, a Sephardic Jew must follow the general rules of Portuguese citizenship to apply for residency.

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How can Sephardic Jews Apply for Portuguese residency?

If you are a Sephardic Jew descendant, there are a few requirements you need to meet in order to apply for Portuguese citizenship by naturalization, and these include: 

• You need to have a legal residence in Portugal for at least three years at the date of the application; 
• You must prove they know the Portuguese language; 
• You must not be under any restrictive measures determined by the European Union or the United Nations; 
• You must provide access to your biometric data during the application process, including photographs, fingertips, and height;
• You must not have been convicted of a crime punishable by Portuguese law with one year or more of prison time.

The requirements mentioned above are not specific to Sephardic Jews and are the general roles in place for any citizen applying for Portuguese citizenship.

What can Prevent you From Getting the Portuguese Residency as a Sephardic Jew?

If you do not meet the above-mentioned requirements as a Sephardic Jew applicant, your Portuguese residency request might be revoked. 

Additionally, other points might lead the Public Prosecutor’s Office to oppose the granting of Portuguese citizenship, and those are: 

• You lack an effective link to the Portuguese community and culture; 
• You have exercised public functions in a foreign state or were dismissed from the non-compulsory military service set at said state;
• You have been involved in activities related to terrorism, violence, or organized crime that can threaten Portuguese security or defense. 

If you are a Sephardic Jew descendant living in the US who plans to come back to the routes of your ancient family, the process in place is now the same as for any other US citizen. There are many ways to apply for Portuguese residency, and we cover those in a few additional articles on this website. For more information on how to get your Portuguese citizenship, you can access one of the below links: 

– Naturalization Process for Portuguese Citizenship – covers the standard roles that any person must follow to apply for Portuguese Citizenship and Naturalization

– Residency through Marriage to a Portuguese Citizen – details how an individual can gain Portuguese citizenship through marriage with a Portuguese national 

– D2 Visa for Entrepreneurs – delves into how entrepreneurs can request a Portuguese residency visa 

– Portuguese Golden Visa – lists the necessary conditions you must meet to apply for a Portuguese Golden Visa

Portugal Visas & Immigration
We Can Help!

[email protected]

#1  Contact us to get a free quote, or
#2 Schedule a Consultation now.

Frequent Questions

1. What was the Portuguese law regarding Sephardic Jews? The Portuguese law allowed descendants of Sephardic Jews to apply for Portuguese nationality solely by proving their descendancy.

2. When was the law regarding Sephardic Jewish citizenship repealed? The law was repealed in January 2024.

3. What did the Portuguese Justice Minister propose in October 2023? The Justice Minister proposed a bill that reverted the possibility for descendants of Sephardic Jews to apply for Portuguese nationality solely by proving their descendancy.

4. Why did the Portuguese government repeal the law? The government believed that the law had served its purpose of historical reparation for Jews whose ancestors were expelled from Portugal in the 15th century.

5. Can Sephardic Jews still request Portuguese residency? Yes, they can still request residency, but they must follow the general rules that apply to any foreign individual.

6. What is the historical significance of Sephardic Jews? Sephardic Jews are descendants of Jewish communities that resided in the Iberian Peninsula, contributing significantly to its cultural, political, and economic landscape until their expulsion in 1496.

7. What happened to Jews who did not convert to Catholicism in 1496? They were expelled from Portugal, and those who did not comply faced persecution by anti-New Christian groups and the Portuguese Inquisition.

8. What did many expelled Jews retain from their Portuguese heritage? Many retained the Portuguese language, traditional rites, surnames, objects, and documents proving their origin.

9. What did the Portuguese Citizenship Act amendment allow? It allowed the grant of Portuguese citizenship to those able to prove their descent from the ancient Jews who lived in Portugal.

10. What are the general requirements for Portuguese citizenship by naturalization? Applicants must have legal residence in Portugal for at least three years, prove knowledge of the Portuguese language, not be under restrictive measures by the EU or UN, provide biometric data, and not have been convicted of a crime punishable by one year or more of prison.

11. Are there specific requirements for Sephardic Jews applying for Portuguese residency? No, the requirements are the same as for any other foreign individual applying for Portuguese citizenship.

12. What can prevent a Sephardic Jew from obtaining Portuguese residency? Failing to meet the general requirements or lacking an effective link to the Portuguese community and culture, among other factors.

13. What activities can lead to the revocation of a Portuguese residency request? Involvement in terrorism, violence, organized crime, or activities that threaten Portuguese security or defense.

14. Can Sephardic Jews from the US apply for Portuguese residency under the same conditions as other US citizens? Yes, they must follow the same general rules as any other US citizen.

15. What alternative routes to Portuguese residency are available? Options include the naturalization process, residency through marriage to a Portuguese citizen, the D2 Visa for entrepreneurs, and the Portuguese Golden Visa.

16. What is the naturalization process for Portuguese citizenship? It covers the standard roles any person must follow to apply for Portuguese citizenship and naturalization.

17. How can one gain Portuguese citizenship through marriage? By marrying a Portuguese national and meeting the specific conditions outlined in the relevant laws.

18. What is the D2 Visa for entrepreneurs? It is a visa for entrepreneurs who wish to request Portuguese residency.

19. What is the Portuguese Golden Visa? A visa program that lists the necessary conditions for individuals to apply for Portuguese residency through investment.

20. Where can I find more information about Portuguese residency and citizenship? Further information can be accessed through links detailing the naturalization process, residency through marriage, the D2 Visa for entrepreneurs, and the Portuguese Golden Visa on relevant websites.