---------------------------------------------------------- Archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/goa-net/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Goanet2003/ ----------------------------------------------------------
Good Luck, I say! You can have all the documents in the world but to actually obtain a Portuguese Passport is almost impossible. Regards Damian ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dsouza, Alex" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2003 3:51 PM Subject: Re: [GOANET] Requirements for Portuguese Passport > ---------------------------------------------------------- > Archives: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/goa-net/ > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Goanet2003/ > ---------------------------------------------------------- > > > Dear John > > Thanks a lot for this valuable information. A lot of people will benefit from this. > > Regards > > alex > >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 01/13/03 11:17PM >>> > ---------------------------------------------------------- > Archives: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/goa-net/ > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Goanet2003/ > ---------------------------------------------------------- > > Dear Pascoal/All, > > Below is a list of requirements to apply for Portuguese > Citizenship/Eligibility. Mr. Bruno Gomindes of Jet International, Margao, > and Mr. Lucas Campos, Portugal, provide services in regard to the subject. > > We, at Goan Overseas Association, Qatar are assisting Goans to apply for > Portuguese Citizenship through the services of Mr. Gomindes and Campos. You > may contact them for further info/services. > > Mr. BRUNO GOMINDES > JET INTERNATIONAL TRAVELS & TOURS > 375, BORDA, MARGAO > GOA 403 602 > > TEL: 703553, 703081, 734915/16 > FAX: 734917 > EMAIL: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Mr. Lucas Campos > Alameda Fernão Lopes, 25, 7-B, > Miraflores, 1495 Alges, > Portugal > Fax No.00-351-21-412-0824 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > From: "Vaz, Pascoal" [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To: "'[EMAIL PROTECTED]'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2003 11:26:55 +0400 > > Dear All, > Could anyone tell me the documents required and procedures for acquiring > Portuguese passport. > thanks > Pascoal R. Vaz > > S.I.O.L (Shell Iran Offshore Ltd.) > P.O BOX 62997 > Dubai, UAE > Mobile: 00971504923975 > Fax : 0097143370725 > Mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > LIST OF DOCUMENTS REQUIRED > > For all those who were born before 18/12/1961 > > A. Documents to be obtained from Registrar/Sub-Registrar/Archives/Panchayat > > 1. Registo de Nascimento/Teor/Birth Certificate of the applicant > a. Name : > b. Date of Birth : > c. Place of Birth : > > 2. Registo de Nascimento/Teor/Birth Certificate of the spouse if married > > 3. Registo de Casamento/Teor/Marriage Certificate if married > a. Date of Marriage : > b. Place of Marriage : > > B. Indian passport in original of applicant and spouse. (If not available > then bring 16 photographs, ration card, birth certificate, marriage > certificate we will assist you in doing your fresh passport). > > C. Residence certificate to be obtained from Mamlatdar/Panchayat specifying > the period of stay including period 01/01/1974 to 31/12/1975 (you may bring > a letterhead if possible we shall prepare the draft in English or Portuguese > and give back for signature and seal of authority). > > D. Complimentary certificate from the church/Mosque/Temple/School/Work > specifying the period of stay including period 01/01/1974 to 31/12/1975 (you > may bring a letterhead if possible we shall prepare the draft in English or > Portuguese and give back for signature and seal of authority). > > E. Death certificate if deceased > ____________________________________________________________________________ > ___________ > > LIST OF DOCUMENTS REQUIRED > > A. Documents to be obtained from Registrar/Sub-Registrar/Archives/Panchayat > > For all those who were born after 18/12/1961 > > 1. Registo de Nascimento/Teor/Birth Certificate of Parents > a. Name of Father : > b. Date of Birth of Father : > c. Place of Birth of Father : > > d. Name of Mother : > e. Date of birth of Mother : > f. Place of birth of Mother : > > 2. Registo de Casamento/ Teor/ Marriage certificate of Parents > g. Date of Marriage : > h. Place of Marriage : > > B. Indian passport in original of parents. (If not available then bring 16 > photographs, ration card, birth certificate, marriage certificate we will > assist you in doing your fresh passport). > > C. Residence certificate to be obtained from Mamlatdar/Panchayat specifying > the period of stay including period 01/01/1974 to 31/12/1975 (you may bring > a letterhead if possible we shall prepare the draft in English or Portuguese > and give back for signature and seal of authority). > > D. Complimentary certificate from the church/Mosque/Temple/School/Work > specifying the period of stay including period 01/01/1974 to 31/12/1975. > (you may bring a letterhead if possible we shall prepare the draft in > English or Portuguese and give back for signature and seal of authority). > > E. Death certificate if deceased > > > 1. If incase you need any further assistance in obtaining your documents we > have people who will assist you in obtaining your documents from the > respective Registrar/Sub-Registrar/Archives/Panchayat on chargeable basis. > > 2. We prefer to have all the documents in Portuguese, incase you are unable > we can assist you in giving you the draft in Portuguese which you can > authorities to type on their letter head with the photograph and seal > affixed. > > 3. If in case you want us to get your documents than the following > information is required. > > A. Name of the applicant > Date of Birth > Place of Birth > Place of Registration > > B. Name of Spouse > Date of Birth > Place of Birth > Place of Registration > > C. Marriage Details > Date of Marriage > Place of Marriage > Place of Registration > > D. Name of Father > Date of Birth > Place of Birth > Place of Registration > > E. Name of Mother > Date of Birth > Place of Birth > Place of Registration > > F. Marriage details of Parents > Date of Marriage > Place of Marriage > Place of Registration > > G. Name and place of the Parish in Goa > > H. Name of the Panchayat/Mamlatdar in Goa > > I. Residence Address in Goa > Telephone No. in Goa > Email address > > G. Present address overseas > Telephone No. overseas > Email address > > J. Name of the person available in Goa to assist in documentation and follow > up if any. > > Note: It is very important that the names on the Indian passport of the > Applicant, Parents and spouse should be exactly as per their original birth > i.e. as per their Registo de Nascimento. Even if there is a single error on > the passport which differs from the original birth than the passport will > have to be re-issued/corrected. > > Our Activities: > Once the file is ready we submit the documents directly to Conservatoria dos > Registos Centrais in Lisboa, Portugal and we follow up the case with the > Registos Centrais till the process is completed which takes approximately > one and half year. > > Important: > It is important that one of your parents have to be born and/or registered > in Goa on or before 18/12/1961. > OR > If you are born on or before 18/12/1961 than we can submit your papers > directly in Portugal. > > If incase you are born and registered in Goa after 18/12/1961 we will have > to transcribe the birth and marriage of your parents in Portugal i.e. obtain > the nationality for one of your parent's first and then you are eligible to > submit the Nationality documents to the respective Consulate wherever you > reside. > > For any further information you are free to contact us at the following > address > > Mr. BRUNO GOMINDES > JET INTERNATIONAL TRAVELS & TOURS > 375, BORDA, MARGAO > GOA 403 602 > > TEL: 703553, 703081, 734915/16 > FAX: 734917 > EMAIL: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > PORTUGUESE NATIONALITY LAW > by Paulo Colaco Dias (London) Email:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Historical Background > Around 1757, the Prime Minister Marquês de Pombal and the King of Portugal, > D. > José I, signed a Royal decree granting all Portuguese Indians (Goa, Damão > and Diu) Portuguese citizenship and equal status and rights under the law > with the Metropolitan Portuguese. Neither the British, nor French, nor > Dutch, had ever granted such a status to their Asian subjects. In that > respect, Portugal was indeed unique. Perhaps this is the reason why so many > Goans consider themselves different from the rest of the Indians and can > integrate easily in the western societies. In the British and Portuguese > African colonies, the distinction was quite visible. However, the reality > today is different and the majority of Goans born in Goa after 1961 > naturally identify themselves with India. > > In 1926, Portugal ended more than a century of liberalism and 48 years of > authoritarianism began with a military dictatorship under President General > Oscar Carmona. Prof. Dr. Oliveira Salazar became a dictator in 1930 and in > that very year passed the racist Colonial Act differentiating Indians in the > colonies from the Metropolitan Portuguese. This discriminatory Act was > repealed only in 1950, thanks to the efforts of Prof. Dr. Froilano de > Mello, a brilliant Goan doctor representing Goa in the Portuguese > Parliament. He openly and successfully fought for the rights of > Portuguese Indians. From 1950, Goans recouped their status and were treated > again just like any other Portuguese citizens from the metropolis. > > On 18th December 1961, the Indian Army invaded Portuguese India and the > Portuguese forces surrendered without a fight. Many Goans left Goa at that > time and > were welcomed in Portugal. Portugal however did not recognise the takeover. > It was only in 1975 that Dr. Mario Soares, representing a new Democratic > Portugal, > recognised the annexation of Goa, Damão and Diu and re-opened diplomatic > relations with the Republic of India. In Portugal, Goans are fully > integrated in all fields of the Portuguese Society and refuse to identify > themselves as a minority group and indeed > they are not officially recognised as such. The total number of people of > Indian origin living in Portugal today exceeds 100,000 (Catholics, Hindus > and Muslims). They form the second largest Indian Community in Europe (after > the UK). The majority of these 100,000 people are of Goan origin making them > the largest Goan community in the world living outside Goa. Yet curiously, > one hardly hears about the Goans resident in Portugal. > > Antigo Estado da India > It is important to note that after 1975, the Antigo Estado da India (the > legal term for Goa, Damão, Diu e Dadrá e Nagar Avelí before 19 December > 1961) was assigned a special status under the Portuguese Nationality Law. > Decreto-Lei n. 308-A/1975, 24th June > - "Lei da Nacionalidade Portuguesa" - Article 1º. clause (e), clearly says > that all those born in the Antigo Estado da India who declare their > intention to retain their Portuguese Nationality are entitled to do so. > Other ex-Portuguese colonial citizens were given a > period of time to decide if they wanted to remain as Portuguese citizens or > to adopt the nationality of the new independent countries like Angola or > Mozambique. > Only the citizens from Antigo Estado da India were not given a time limit to > decide if they wanted to continue being Portuguese citizens. They are still > entitled to declare today their wish to continue as Portuguese citizens. > > In the euphoria that followed Goa's takeover by India in 1961, many Goans > burnt their Portuguese passports in public demonstrations organised by > freedom fighters. (Freedom fighters were held in high regard and earned all > sorts of privileges.) Others launched > diatribes against Portuguese rule in the local media. Former Portuguese > passport holders seemed content with their new Indian status until 1986. In > that year, Portugal joined the European Community and the old and "poor" > country was becoming transformed: modernized and much more European. As a > result, many of the very individuals who had reviled Portugal suddenly > detected a doorway to enter Europe, an opportunity too good to > forego. Thus began the clamour for a return of their Portuguese citizenship. > > Bogus Applicants > The number of applications increased exponentially after 1986 and Portugal > was pressured by the European Community to tighten up Portuguese Nationality > law. > However, everything remains unchanged so far. Unfortunately, a large number > of bogus applications came to light. Indians outside the former Portuguese > territories were also claiming Portuguese citizenship. Sorting out the mass > of applications became difficult > with each passing day, and today there is a very strict and lengthy process > to check the veracity of all submitted documents. It is no longer unusual > today for people of Indian origin to hold a Portuguese passport. In fact, > many of these people (other than Goans) have acquired one because they had > lived and worked in the former African colonies. The Hindu community in > Lisbon is large and most of them came from Angola and Mozambique. > > Lately, many other Indians have succeeded in acquiring false Portuguese > passports. There are people ready to pay large sums of money for one. I > have personally met > Gujeratis in Paris who have bought such bogus documents. I found them > happily selling French souvenirs by the roadsides of Paris and apparently > doing good business. Some of them had entered Europe through Poland and > Germany using false Portuguese > passports. > > Recently the Portuguese press reported that Masood Azhar, the well known > Islamic Kashmir leader (whose release was demanded by Indian Airlines > hijackers in December 1999), was in possession of a false Portuguese > passport when he was arrested in 1994 in India. > > The Portuguese Nationality Law also grants citizenship to descendants of > Portuguese citizens. Therefore, a person born only yesterday but who had a > grandfather born in Portuguese India before 1961, can apply for Portuguese > nationality. Applications for Portuguese citizenship have to be submitted to > the nearest Portuguese Consulate. The list of requirements may be found at > the web site: http://www.geocities.com/paulocd/PortNatLaw.htm Supporting > documents include birth and marriage certificates (if applicable), legal > identification documents and certificate of residency during the period > 1970 - 1980. All documents issued in Goa are required to be certified by a > Public Notary, the Collector and Under Secretary (Home). Consult your > nearest Portuguese Consulate for details. > > FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions: > > Q1. Under what law can the descendants of former Portuguese Citizens claim > Portuguese citizenship? The 1975 legislation refers to a person born in the > Antigo Estado da India. Does it cover the children or grandchildren who may > have been born elsewhere? > > A1: If you were born after 1961 (anywhere in the world) or born before 1961 > but outside the Antigo Estado da India, it is necessary for you to prove > that your parents/grandparents were born in the Antigo Estado da India. Once > you have proved that, you need to register your parents/grandparents as > Portuguese Citizens in Lisbon (even if they are already dead) and only then > you can apply for Portuguese citizenship based on the fact that you are the > descendent of a Portuguese citizen fully registered in Lisbon, Portugal . > > Q2: Is the birth of a person in Antigo Estado da India sufficient > requirement? > > A2: No. In addition, you need to prove that you were not residing in the > Ex-Portuguese African colonies during 1974-1976. This is because those that > were residing in the ex-Portuguese African colonies were given a short > period of time to decide if they wanted > to remain Portuguese citizens. So, if you were residing during the 1970's in > the Ex-Portuguese African colonies given independence in 1975 (Angola, > Mozambique, Guiné-Bissau, Cabo Verde, São Tomé e Principe), the chances are > that your application will not be accepted. > > Q3: Did the parents/grandparents (born in Antigo Estado da India) have to > hold a Portuguese passport at all? What evidence has to be submitted by the > child or grandchild? > > A3: No. A Portuguese passport was never a requirement for citizenship. A > birth certificate of your parent/grandparent is necessary along with a > detailed list of other requirements that can be found at the following site: > http://www.geocities.com/paulocd/PortNatLaw.htm > > Q4: What if the person switched passport to Indian or British, Canadian, > American, etc? > > A4: Not at all. Portugal allows dual Nationality and according to the > Portuguese law, you can keep your second and other nationalities. The only > restriction is that you will not be able to claim Portuguese protection if > you require help in the country of your other nationality. > > Some countries do not allow dual nationality (example: India). According to > the Indian Law, it is a serious offence to keep your Indian > Nationality/passport if you have acquired another nationality. > > Q5: Do I have to travel to Lisbon to apply? > > A5: No. You should contact your nearest Portuguese Consulate and refer to > the Portuguese Nationality Law. If they fail to give you information or if > they do not > know enough about it (which is the case sometimes), then you should contact > a Portuguese lawyer (there are several experts in Portuguese Nationality > Law) and > request help. > > > >
