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Originally Posted By medicmandan: I had AI run me a "what if" on this one last night and it looks like I am eligible. It wouldn't take me long to gather the documents to prove this one. They don't even want the originals and they don't have to be apostilled. Yes, which is really flexible. For Irish citizenship, I had to mail my grandparent's, my parent's, and my original birth, marriage, and (as relevant) death certificates to Dublin, and other parts of the application had to be certified copies witnessed by someone from a narrow list of professions. They then have them for about a year. After approval, they mail them all back along with an FBR citizenship certificate, but then for a passport, you have to turn around and mail it back to Dublin, along with some other original docs and items certified by an even narrower list of approved professions. They then call that person on a random day 2 or 3 months later on what has to be a hard line (not a cell phone) that is also listed on that person's business card. Seriously, who still has business cards and a hard line? Your witness, that's who. And if that witness didn't answer when they called, you were done. Have fun doing it again. The Canadian requirements are cake in comparrison. |
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Originally Posted By kc-coyote: OP - How much do you estimate it will end up costing you to get Portuguese citizenship when everything is said and done? We're using an attorney for my mother's application to address some name discrepancies. My GF unofficially changed his name when he came to the US (very common) so his baptismal record does not match my mother's BC. Their services, plus the application fee, plus the couple of documents and apostilles and I'm at around €1750. I will not need to use an attorney for my application and can file directly through the consulate which is €175. If I have the attorney handle it that adds €1500. |
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Originally Posted By scuba_steve: Yes, which is really flexible. For Irish citizenship, I had to mail my grandparent's, my parent's, and my original birth, marriage, and (as relevant) death certificates to Dublin, and other parts of the application had to be certified copies witnessed by someone from a narrow list of professions. They then have them for about a year. After approval, they mail them all back along with an FBR citizenship certificate a year later, but then for a passport, you have to turn around and mail it back to Dublin, along with some other original docs and items certified by an even narrower list of approved professions. They then called that person on a random day 2 or 3 months later on what had to be a hard line (not a cell phone) that was also listed on that person's business card. Seriously, who still has business cards and a hard line? Your witness, that's who. And if that witness didn't answer when they called, you were done. Have fun doing it again. The Canadian requirements are cake in comparrison. Portugal is pretty easy too. My grandfather's official Portuguese baptismal record (€30) and my mother's official BC (with apostille). We'll see what happens with the name discrepencies though. Italy was a mess. I toyed with that for two years before they closed the door (which could still change). If names are different they expect you to go to court and get an amended document. Some states don't allow that. In those cases you need something from the judge essentially verifying both names are the same person and attesting that the jurisdiction does not amend vital records. The bonus to exploring this is I was introduced to Portugal's vital records archives which are incredible. They are digital back to the 1500s. Most list grandparents which really helped me expand my tree. |
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Originally Posted By medicmandan: We're using an attorney for my mother's application to address some name discrepancies. My GF unofficially changed his name when he came to the US (very common) so his baptismal record does not match my mother's BC. Their services, plus the application fee, plus the couple of documents and apostilles and I'm at around €1750. I will not need to use an attorney for my application and can file directly through the consulate which is €175. If I have the attorney handle it that adds €1500. Thanks for the insight. It isn't as expensive as I thought it would be. |
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Spent our honeymoon in Portugal (the Algarve), gone back twice on vacation and I did a two week TDY on the Azores. Great people, beautiful country, but...anecdotal accounts say a lot of Americans have migrated there (AI says 20,000), and a very large number of those are liberal Californians who sold out of their family homes for big money and immigrated to "escape" Trump. The ones who didn't move to Portugal seem to have settled here lately in Coeur d'Alene and the surrounding area. I can account for that movement firsthand, and they brought the politics that ruined California with them. Some friends and I have formed a drum circle, and we're praying to the indigenous peoples gods for a massive snowfall. That seems to be the only proven method for driving out an infestation of Californus Libasshatus. |
Je suis prest
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Originally Posted By Triggerstuck: Good luck OP. I’ve always wanted to go to Portugal, especially for the seafood. I’d like to have a dual with Scotland. I can prove my Scottish lineage back to the 14th century, there’s even a town with my last name connected to that lineage, but because I don’t have a grandparent/parent, they say no. My wife just got her UK passport; she qualified because her dad was born in Scotland (came to the US when he was 5). She had to get some paperwork together, such as his birth certificate, marriage certificate, wife's birth certificate, etc., and mail it all off to London with her US passport. Couple weeks later they mailed it all back with her new UK passport. It was very much a "Hey, if I can do it, why not?" kind of thing. Certainly never going to move there but she did get through customs in Ireland a lot faster than I did when we were there in July. |
I don't know what will happen, or if anything will happen. But if something does, I'd rather be the guy with a gun than the guy without one.
Everyone please read this carefully. Eric802 is correct. - DK-Prof, 1/27/15
Everyone please read this carefully. Eric802 is correct. - DK-Prof, 1/27/15
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Originally Posted By Eric802: My wife just got her UK passport; she qualified because her dad was born in Scotland (came to the US when he was 5). She had to get some paperwork together, such as his birth certificate, marriage certificate, wife's birth certificate, etc., and mail it all off to London with her US passport. Couple weeks later they mailed it all back with her new UK passport. It was very much a "Hey, if I can do it, why not?" kind of thing. Certainly never going to move there but she did get through customs in Ireland a lot faster than I did when we were there in July. If you are not planning to move to one of these countries ease of travel is the biggest benefit. There are some other benefits. If I needed emergency healthcare while visiting Portugal it would be free as a citizen (maybe some minor copays). |
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My wife and I just went to Portugal. We have looked into moving there. Its still a poor country and very socialist. But tons of cheap land. I can only get citizenship in Hungary or Mexico through family. I am staying American. |
"Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn't be there. Eighty are just targets. Nine are the real fighters, and we are glad to have them. For they make the battle. Ah! But THE one! The One is a WARRIOR, and he will bring the others home." -Heraclitus
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Originally Posted By NN300BLK: I can’t go through family because my grandfather never applied. However, learning Portuguese is a lot like learning Spanish or Italian. I hope so. I'm learning Italian at the moment. I don't think my brain can process learning two languages at once. |
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Originally Posted By medicmandan: If you are not planning to move to one of these countries ease of travel is the biggest benefit. There are some other benefits. If I needed emergency healthcare while visiting Portugal it would be free as a citizen (maybe some minor copays). The potential downside is that as a dual citizen of another nation, the US Department of State may limit consular services while you are abroad, especially when you are in that other country. They will certainly issue a US passport if you lose yours abroad since federal law requires you to renter the US using a US passport if you are a US citizen, regardless of any other citizenship you hold, but other services could be limited. The local government might also deny you access to US consular services if you are a citizen of that nation and find yourself in some legal trouble, especially if you entered their country using that passport. It's all fun and games until you get caught with a dead hooker. |
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Originally Posted By scuba_steve: The potential downside is that as a dual citizen of another nation, the US Department of State may limit consular services while you are abroad, especially when you are in that other country. They will certainly issue a US passport if you lose yours abroad since federal law requires you to renter the US using a US passport if you are a US citizen, regardless of any other citizenship you hold, but other services could be limited. The local government might also deny you access to US consular services if you are a citizen of that nation and find yourself in some legal trouble, especially if you entered their country using that passport. It's all fun and games until you get caught with a dead hooker.  Unless I shouldn't laugh, because you're sharing a painful personal experience with us.  |
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Originally Posted By scuba_steve: It's a pretty traumatic experience, but on the positive side, the second hour is free. Originally Posted By scuba_steve: Originally Posted By medicmandan: Unless I shouldn't laugh, because you're sharing a painful personal experience with us. It's a pretty traumatic experience, but on the positive side, the second hour is free. 
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Kick Ass.
Take Names.
Repeat As Necessary.
Take Names.
Repeat As Necessary.
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Originally Posted By Fushaw: The Golden Visa is largely shut down. But foreigners can still own a house in Portugal if you want and a mortgage there just requires a 30-40% down payment +7.5% foreign transfer fee. Mortgage rates are pretty low over there at under 4% for fixed rate. You can also stay there for 90 days every 180 days on just a US passport so even with citizenship excluded, you could do it only on a passport. Just FYI.. the Golden Visa program is still running. What changed in 2023 was the removal of the real estate option, largely due to local pushback from the rising real estate prices. So, if you're inclined and have the resources, the qualifying action now resides around putting 500K Euro into a regulated investment or VC fund. Of course, you'll need to wait to meet the residency requirements. I guess this is why the parent/grandparent thing is so attractive for people of that lineage since they skip the residency requirements. From what I've heard, the wait times went crazy once all the Brazilians applied when the parent/grandparent rules were changed in 2020. |