# Portuguese Nationality Help



## Paulalu (Mar 23, 2011)

Hello!

My son is over 18 and is currently stateless even though I am a Portuguese National, the only problem is that when he was born I did not have him registered in the Portuguese Consulate in France (where he was born). I then travelled to Britain where I currently reside, he was allowed entry being only 6 months old at the time just with his Birth Certificate. When I tried to get him registered in the consulate over here (UK), I was told that I would not be able to do it without his father's signature.

So as a result he has no ID apart from his Birth Certificate. Even though I know that he is entitled to apply for the Portuguese Nationality today, having downloaded the application form, on the documents required section it states that he would also have to have a residence card for the country where he is resident, which he can not obtain as he has no Nationality, this leaves us in a 'catch 22' situation and I do not know where to go from here.

Help please?

I should mention that the Portuguese Consulate in London is of no help, as anyone that has had dealings with them must know.


----------



## silvers (Sep 22, 2008)

Dear Paula,
Have you sat in the Consulate in London? I know it can be a painful experience but I have witnessed the power of actually looking them in the face and asking the questions that need answering. They helped my family when no-one else would but I had to drive from Manchester and spend a full day sat in that dreary, sweaty waiting room. We jumped through all the hoops they placed in front of us and at the end of the day, we got there.


----------



## -mia- (Dec 23, 2009)

I wonder if it would be possible for you to travel to Portugal to register him. If you don't get anywhere at the London Consulate as Silvers says looking them in the eye, you might want to try your luck going to the RC in PT and looking them in the eye and explaining your (his) problem. (well, or at least call directly to the RC in PT. 
Portal do Cidadão - Página Inicial


----------



## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

For your sons sake, I would seek some proffesional help, being stateless is a serious problem in 2011, or is it that you or he wants to register his dual Nationality.
Wouldn't he have first been a French citizen by birth?


----------



## silvers (Sep 22, 2008)

The child would now take the nationality of the parents. My sis-in-law and her hubby (both Portuguese) had a child in the UK, she was refused British nationality and had to eb registered as Portuguese.


----------

