# Portuguese Nationality



## nlf4 (Jun 7, 2015)

Hello all,

This seems like a nice community and as I've been confused about the requirements for obtaining nationality, I was hoping someone here could offer advice.

My father is Portuguese by birth (and lives there now). I've been browsing threads here, and if I understand correctly, I am Portuguese and just need to declare this and submit the appropriate documents. My goal is to live and work in Belgium with my boyfriend, but there are not a lot of opportunities to get a work visa as an American without a specialized skill and so on. After a few years of me traveling back and forth between the countries, and working as an au pair, we decided it was worth it to try and go this route so that I can hopefully apply for a European passport and have better access to residency and work opportunities.

What I currently have:
copy of father's birth certificate (apparently long form?...it is handwritten 3 pages)
parents' marriage license
father's application for green card (showing I am a child of both my parents)
my own birth certificate, passport, etc. 

I know that my birth was not registered in Portugal, nor was my parents' marriage.

I have read the consulate website instructions, as well as a few people's experiences on this forum, and they are so different I'm not sure what to expect. The hard part is that I have not been in contact with my father since I was young, so contacting him out the blue for something I need and having him be ok with that is not very likely. Is it at all possible for me to do this without his help? If I really do need originals or copies of his current ID's/passports...I'm not sure he would give them. The consulate mentions a birth certificate issued within the last 6 months WITH parents' marriage endorsed on it. So the marriage would have to be registered there first. 

Is it even possible to request someone else's birth certificate? I am having trouble navigating the site that the consulate refers you to (instituto dos registos e do notariado).

On the other hand, I have read posts here saying it is very simple and they basically walked into the consulate with their parent's birth certificate and their own and within a few weeks had the citizenship. I have dealt with the Belgian embassy and city halls a bit and am aware of how inconsistent these things can be from place to place, or reality versus the website haha.

Sorry for the long post....I would appreciate ANY help you are able to offer at all  I will contact the consulate, but thought to check here first.


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## Naaling (Apr 9, 2015)

Hi

I think you are making this more difficult than it needs to be. From the information you have provided you are entitled to Portuguese citizenship by decent. It is your birthright and cannot be denied. I suggest that you contact your nearest Portuguese embassy or consulate and apply for a passport, using the documents you already have. If you need any other documents they will most probably be able tell tell you how to get them.

Cheers
Fred


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## BodgieMcBodge (Mar 8, 2013)

Because peoples circumstance are different you need to take ALL the information you have, including father's parents names etc. and book an appointment at a Portuguese consulate / embassy, they are the "people" who will assess your application so they are the "people" who can tell you exactly what you need to supply and if any of the paper work you presently have is needed. Try to get the name, position and contact details of the person you see. From experience DON'T use the phrase "I was told on the internet" to them.


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