To apply for Portuguese nationality based on ancestry, it is essential to conduct detailed research on Portuguese ancestors.
This process can be conducted by a specialized lawyer, who will seek the necessary records from parish archives, municipal archives, and civil registries. These records, which mainly include baptisms, marriages, and deaths, are fundamental sources for proving Portuguese lineage.
The lawyer will begin the search in the parish registers, where they may find documents that attest to the presence of ancestors in Portuguese territory. These records are maintained by the churches and contain valuable information about the vital events of the ancestors. Locating these documents requires patience and precision, as it may involve analysing old documents, sometimes in archaic Portuguese.
In more complex cases, where parish registers do not provide all the necessary information or when documents are difficult to locate, it may be necessary to hire a professional genealogist. The genealogist has the expertise to thoroughly investigate the family history, using a wide range of sources and advanced genealogical research techniques.
The combination of the lawyer’s work, who has the legal knowledge to conduct the nationality process, with the thorough and well-documented research of Portuguese ancestors, is essential for meeting legal requirements and significantly increases the chances of success in the Portuguese nationality application.
Therefore, if you are seeking to obtain Portuguese nationality through descent, considering the hiring of a lawyer can be a crucial step to ensure the effectiveness and accuracy of your process.
Nationality Department
Ana Santos Fontes | Maria Moura Fonseca | Ana Luíza Fronczak
