Issuing a Portuguese passport without an attorney
If your last name appears in the records of the new citizenship law in Portugal, you may be able to obtain citizenship from the state and then issue a foreign passport which is a European passport in every respect. From the moment Spain announced a change in the Citizenship Act to correct the injustice caused to Jews expelled from the country in 1492, Portugal did not sit too far on the fence, and also changed the law to allow the descendants of Spanish and Portuguese deportees to receive citizenship from the state.
For many Israelis, this is an excellent opportunity to receive a European passport that offers many advantages. The process of obtaining Portuguese citizenship is considered more comfortable and faster, so many choose this route. Some try to save costs and act alone. Most people find that this is a complicated process that requires extensive knowledge and experience.
Is it worthwhile to deal alone with the process of obtaining Portuguese citizenship?
In order to obtain a Portuguese passport, a request must be submitted to the heads of the Jewish communities in Portugal. They were authorized by the leaders of the government to examine the applications and documents to check whether the applicant meets the requirements of the law and is entitled to receive citizenship from the state. It is important to note that anyone can check whether he meets the requirements of the new Citizenship Law in Portugal, for example, whether his last name appears in the records specified in the law, whether he has a direct connection with the descendants of those expelled from Spain and Portugal.
After the initial examination, all documents relevant to the submission of the application, including the translation of birth, ketubah, marriage certificates, and other documents, can be collected. The documents must be signed by a competent notary approved by the immigration authorities in Portugal. In purpose to save costs, there are Israelis who try to cope alone with the lengthy and complicated procedure. It is worth knowing that a Portuguese passport without a lawyer is possible as long as the language is mastered and are ready to fly to Lisbon to deal with the relevant authorities in the state and the Jewish community.
It is possible to work alone to cut costs. When you fly to Lisbon, you can also enjoy a romantic vacation in the beautiful and impressive city, but most people do not have the time, the ability and the desire to deal with a complex issue in a foreign country with a different culture and language that is not understood. And even if they do, they do not always succeed in ending the process of obtaining citizenship, and in the end, some of them turn to a professional company that will help them move forward, which can lead to more financial expenses.
The recommended solution for most people is to submit an organized application through a professional company with extensive experience in the field. The company accompanies the applicant all along the way, conducts genealogical research and operates an extensive network of contacts to locate documents, translate them according to the requirements of the law, and work with all parties involved to improve the chances of obtaining a Portuguese passport. Although the service has to be paid, the profit is enormous for the applicant since an experienced team operates on its behalf in Portugal, Portugal, and other countries.
It is important to remember that the costs of obtaining Portuguese citizenship are cheap compared to the cost required to obtain a Spanish passport. You must pay for fees, translation expenses, apostille stamps, postage, attorney's fees, and more. If so, citizenship and a Portuguese passport can be obtained alone, but most of those who tried to act independently eventually turned to an experienced lawyer because of the complexity of the issue.