# Portuguese Nationality



## jamesoko (Mar 11, 2016)

Hello expats,

My friend applied for portuguese nationality sometime last year around early April.
He waited for some months after which he was asked to supply some additional information within 20 working days. He promptly provided the information.

Then he waited for another 3 or 4 months and then he went to the office where he submitted the application. He was told he has been "attributed Portuguese nationality" that he should wait for the letter(birth certificate). However, since then now 7 months he hasn't heard anything. He went again some weeks ago, he was told to write a letter asking the "conservatoria dos registos centrais" to send his portuguese birth certificate to his address to allow him apply for the citizenship card(cartao cidadao). He promptly did but till date he hasn't received any communication, what do you think is going on?


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

You don't say where he applied to or where he's based but if he applied to the Embassy/High Commission in Pretoria or Cape Town or if he lives in RSA, I'd say there's a good possibility the letter has got 'lost' in the post.


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## jamesoko (Mar 11, 2016)

He applied in Porto, Portugal in the CNAI office. He is still in Porto.


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

In that case, I'd suggest he return there & if he can't get a satisfactory answer that he ask for & fill in the complaints book.

PT bureaucracy is notoriously slow but that time span is more like South Africa than Europe.


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## jamesoko (Mar 11, 2016)

travelling-man said:


> In that case, I'd suggest he return there & if he can't get a satisfactory answer that he ask for & fill in the complaints book.
> 
> PT bureaucracy is notoriously slow but that time span is more like South Africa than Europe.


Thank you travelling-man. He called them, they told him he must go to the conversatoria registo civil to apply for the birth certificate. But this new information is strange because normally they send this letter when application has been approved. He is confused because he has no official prove except the verbal information he was given at the office where he applied that he has been approved as portuguese citizen since last year. You have any explanation?


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

In that case, I'd suggest he do as they told him and "go to the conversatoria registo civil to apply for the birth certificate" and if it's not available then he complete the complaints book and await further outcome. 

The complaints book system is usually very effective and often just asking for it achieves the desired result.


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