Hi, I understand (1) a Portuguese citizen’s child can get Portuguese citizenship by descent, no matter where the child is born, and (2) a Portuguese citizen’s grandchild can also get Portuguese citizenship by descent but would face the additional hurdle of proving connection to Portugal, such as passing a language test. My question is:
Why would anyone take route (2)? I mean, if someone (let’s call them Z) is the grandchild of a Portuguese citizen (let’s call this grandparent X), then by definition, Z’s parent (Y) is a Portuguese citizen’s child, so why can’t Z have Y get Portuguese citizenship via route (1) first, and then Z can also get Portuguese citizenship via route (1)? Why take the two-generation leap at the cost of having to take language test?
Have you considered the circumstances where a 2nd generation immigrant does not claim the citizenship of one of their parent’s birth (ie PT), has children (ie quarter Portuguese but not citizens). Parent passes, 3rd generation immigrant ( ie child) wants to reclaim a grandfather’s heritage?
With emigration & integration overseas in past two generations this is reasonably common…
If X was a Portuguese citizen, then his/her birth would be officially in the National Register of Portuguese citizens. In order for Z to acquire citizenship via ascendance – ie the grandfather/grandmother – then Z’s parent with direct Portuguese lineage would have to be first officially registered within the National Register, in order for the claim of Z to be initiated (let alone upheld). In short, proof would have to be provided for each generation separately, and Z can only initiate the citizenship application once his/her parent is considered Portuguese. The IRN does not skip a generation.
Why route (2)? Could be faster to get the language certificate and show connection to Portugal than to prove the parental link. For example -grandparent not listed on Y’s certificate if born out of wedlock, or parent Y is not listed on Z’s birth certificate for the same reason. Usually mothers are listed, but fathers can be (or used to be) listed as unknown. Often to prevent claims of inheritance, especially where money is/was involved.
There can be considerable problems in acquiring the necessary documentary proof if the Y was born abroad (territórios ultramarinos). And if I recall correctly, children of Portugese nationals born in Angola or Mozambique had to choose between continuing to live there (and giving up Portuguese nationality) or not, in 1974/5.
I see. Thanks! But if grandparent X is not listed on Y’s certificate, then how can Z prove link to grandparent X? What I am trying to say is, in this example where it is hard to prove Y’s link to Z, it is also hard to prove X’s link to Z for precisely the same reason. So how is route (2) superior to route (1) in this case? Thanks!
If one has the documentary proofs for scenario (1) and is prepared to wait until Y is registered before initiation of the application for Z, then scenario (2) does not appear to offer an advantage. I know at least 2 people in Z’s position who have opted for scenario (2) ie would have liked to go route (1) but cannot because they do not have the documentary evidence. In both cases, they have opted to make the application on the basis of residency + language, because of a shorter timeline.
I see. Thanks! By “residency + language”, do you mean they gave up on the descent concept altogether, and simply naturalized like a random person with no Portuguese ancestry (i.e. not even route (2))? Or do you mean they still leveraged the fact that their grandparent is Portuguese (i.e. route (2))? If it’s the latter, what I am curious about is how one can lack documentary for route (1) and yet have the documentary evidence for route (2), given that proving Y is X’s child appears to be a prerequisite for proving Z is X’s grandchild. Thank you so much for your enlightenment!