Immigration Lawyers Optimistic on Prospects for Jus Soli in Portugal This Year

It’s been nearly two months since the Portuguese Parliament approved an amended citizenship law that would grant birthright citizenship (otherwise known Jus Soli) to children born on Portuguese soil. While children born in Portugal to foreign nationals resident in the territory already do qualify for naturalization, at least one of their parents must have been resident in the country for two or more years. The new law, if promulgated, would reduce that time-frame to one year.

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, however, vetoed the bill on the grounds that the law, as written, could, he indicated, constitute an injustice against those who don’t have children. President Sousa explained his apprehensions in a letter to the President of the Assembly, which read:

“These rules provide for the exemption from the application of the generic regime for couples connected by marriage or de facto union with children in common, children with Portuguese nationality. It seems to me politically unfair, because it is disproportionate, to disadvantage couples without children, as well as, above all, couples with children, endowed with Portuguese nationality, but who do not have children in common.”

Patricia Valadas Coriel of Valadas Coriel & Associados explains that while President de Sousa vetoed the law, it was not the amendment regarding jus solis he objected to.

Read the full story here.  
 

Request for your FREE copy of Joel Nagel's Offshore Assets Crib Sheet

Get ready to live the good life at a great price! When you sign up for the Offshore Club, please claim one of these valuable resources... for FREE.​​​​