PORTUGUESE NATIONALITY
FOR PEOPLE HAVING ANCESTRY IN GOA
History Of The Portuguese State of India
From 1505 until 1961, Portugal ruled a series of colonial outposts known collectively as the Portuguese State of India. The Republic of India eventually reabsorbed all Portuguese India's numerous disparate colonies. The last three territories under Portuguese rule were Goa, Damão, and Diu. The Goa territory, which also contained two of three of the former state's capital cities (Old Goa 1510-1843 and Nova Goa 1843-1961), covered a considerable area along the western coast of India.
Further north, the Damão territory (present-day Daman) included the isolated enclaves of Dadrá and Nagar Haveli. The Diu territory, which included Pani Kota Island, was situated on the southern coast of the Kathiawar Peninsula. The Republic of India claimed these territories, incorporating both the people and lands into their republic. However, Portugal also recognizes the natural right to Portuguese citizenship for people born before the annexation of the colonial territories. Should they wish, their descendants can apply for citizenship.
Portugal ensured citizenship for all individuals born before 1961 in the old Portuguese State of India, per the Portuguese Nationality Law 37/81 and additional legislation. The information presented here is a summary of the basic rules determining who is entitled to citizenship by the Portuguese Nationality Law 37/81. As mentioned above, individuals born in the former Portuguese territories of Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra, and Nagar Haveli are de facto Portuguese citizens. These individuals can reclaim their citizenship even after death if a living descendant applies. This ensures that up to the third generation of descendants of Portuguese colonialists can apply for Portuguese citizenship.
IMPORTANT NOTES
The time required to conclude the Portuguese Nationality Pre 1961 Birth registration process is approximately 2 – 3 years or more from the date of submission of documents to the Conservatoria dos Registos Centrais, Lisbon, Portugal subject to the completion of verification of the Birth and Marriage Teor / Certificate of the applicant and his / her parents by the competent authorities in Portugal.
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The process of internal verification of documents between the Portuguese Government and the Indian Government authorities are confidential, Exact date or time for completion of the process cannot be guaranteed due to various reasons like internal verification of documents, the additional requirement of documents, change in policies or laws in Portugal or India from time to time.
All Births, Marriage & Death Certificates filed in the process are subject to manual verifications if the information cannot be verified on the Official Indian Government Website.
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As per the circular bearing No 8 – 12 – 2017-LD ( Est ) ( Part File -1) / 670 dated 02/06/2017 issued by the Department of Law & Judiciary, Law Division, Government of Goa & Circular No.3/1/2017 – Registration /1001 dated 12/06/2017 issued by the office of the state Registrar cum Head of Notary Services ,Government of Goa, thereby instructing all the Civil Registrar and sub registrar of Goa not to entertain the request from the Portuguese consulate for verifications of Birth / death and Marriage ,under these guidelines all the concerned departments have adhered to the new process.
All such verifications will be routed through the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi. MOEA will forward all such requests to the Ministry of Home affairs and then to the State Registrars & further to the respective Sub-Registrars.
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Further, all documents will move back to the Portuguese Consulate – Goa through the same channels. This is a time-consuming process and hence one must be ready for the stretched timeliness due to such regulations.
Note: General public is hereby informed that Lighthouse Consultancy provides complete assistance in documentation and submission of your process till its completion. The Portuguese Passport is issued only by the Government of Portugal & its Consulates.