Source: cafeprees.co.uk
Still discussing case by case who is entitled to the Portuguese citizenship, today we will talk about the grandchildren of the Portuguese citizens.
The Article 6,4 of the Nationality Act establishes that the grandchildren, with at least one Portuguese grandparent, can apply for the Portuguese citizenship through naturalisation, without the need of living in Portugal, as long as his/her Portuguese grandparent has not lost the citizenship.
But opposite to the children of Portuguese citizens, whose the fact of having Portuguese parents is enough to justify their application, the grandchildren must meet further requirements, besides having a Portuguese grandparent, under the terms of Article 22,1 of the Nationality Statute, which are:
- Being over 18: this means that underage grandchildren cannot apply for the naturalisation, not even represented by their parents;
- Having enough knowledge of the Portuguese idiom;
- Not having been found guilty of a crime whose penalty, in Portugal, is of imprisonment of three or more years;
- Have never served the Army or worked for the government of any foreign country.
This procedure is only advised in the situation in which the parent of the grandchild, who is the child of the Portuguese citizen, has passed away before obtaining the Portuguese citizenship for himself/herself.
Summing up:
Case: grandchildren with at least one Portuguese grandparent, born abroad;
Type of citizenship: Derivative Citizenship.
Procedure: Acquisition of citizenship through naturalisation.
Documents to instruct the application: Birth Certificate of the grandchild; ID of the grandchild; Birth Certificate of the Portuguese grandparent; Birth Certificate of parent who is child of the Portuguese citizen; Document proving the knowledge of Portuguese of the applicant; Criminal clearance of the applicant.
Larissa Bona
