Information on whether Brazilian citizenship confers any automatic citizenship rights in Portugal and on whether a Brazilian citizen can obtain these rights through application after eight years of residence in Portugal [PRT16770.E]

The following information was provided by an official of the embassy of Portugal in Washington, DC (10 Mar. 1994). Brazilian citizenship does not confer any citizenship rights in Portugal. Portugal does not have any special citizenship arrangements with Brazil. No person can become a Portuguese citizen through naturalization. Portuguese nationality can only be obtained inside or outside of Portugal by birth to a Portuguese parent.

A Brazilian citizen could have stayed legally in Portugal for eight years only as a permanent resident, provided she or he was not in the service of a foreign government or organization. The only rights a permanent resident cannot enjoy, compared to a Portuguese citizen, are voting rights. To obtain permanent Portuguese residence status, persons can apply to the nearest Portuguese diplomatic mission. The cost of the application varies according to the country of citizenship of the applicant and the exchange rate at the time of the application. It takes about a year to get a response on an application from the Portuguese immigration services.

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Reference


Embassy of Portugal, Washington, DC. 10 March 1994. Telephone interview with official.