The most western state in continental Europe is Portugal. Many people like its culture, lifestyle, traditions. And some have the opportunity to find a job here. However, all of them are interested in such a topic as Portuguese citizenship. How to get it and what conditions for this must be observed?
Training
Portuguese citizenship can be acquired in several stages. The first is the most important. It is necessary, while still in Russia, to prepare all the documents for a visa and submit them to the embassy. The passport must remain valid for 3 more months after the end of the stay. And, of course, a person needs to have a sufficient amount that will go to his residence in the country.
A visa must be issued not ordinary, but resident. With it, a person will be allowed to stay in the country for up to four months. And during this time he will have to submit documents already for obtaining a residence permit. But the fact that a person has a stamp of a resident visa in their passport does not guarantee the issuance of a residence permit. In addition, he will have to wait about 60 days for a decision.
Occupation
Residence permit and Portuguese citizenship are not issued to everyone. The government should know that a person is of a certain value. So he will have to decide on the type of activity. The best option is a job search in Portugal. And with a labor contract on hand, a visa will be issued without any problems. Just to get settled, you need to be a worthy specialist of interest to an organization. Then she will invite a foreigner to the post.
Another option is to organize your own business in Portugal. A visa is often issued to private entrepreneurs. But you will have to provide data about your business and documents confirming the necessary qualifications. This is the case if a person within the framework of the case plans to provide services privately.
By the way, there is one absolutely guaranteed option, using which you can definitely get Portuguese citizenship. Invest a million euros in the country's economy. That is, take a chance to invest. The same thing if a person opens an enterprise in the country with thirty jobs. And you can also purchase housing for at least 500,000 euros. All three of these options are a golden visa. They are aimed at "revitalizing" the economic situation in the country. Over the past year, for example, a thousand such visas have been issued. So the event has paid off.
Who else can get a Portuguese passport?
In the state in question there is the so-called Citizenship Law. Here he explains in great detail how and who can get a Portuguese passport.
The right to acquire this document has children who were born in this state by foreigners who have legally lived here for 10 years. And also a child who was born outside of Portugal (anything can happen) among the citizens of this country. Children adopted by citizens of this state will also be Portuguese.
But this is not all cases. Emigration to Portugal for permanent residence is as simple as possible for a person who decides to bond himself with a citizen of this country. Only the union must last more than three years. After that, a foreigner can apply for a Portuguese passport.
By the way, there will still be just people who already have a residence permit. In Portugal, there is such a law: if a foreigner has lived there for 5 years and went through the naturalization procedure, he will be issued a passport. In neighboring Spain, for a minute, this period is 10 years.
Important Nuances
A residence permit is what a person needs after a visa if he needs to move to permanent residence. Portugal issues this document for a year. After the expiration of the need to do extension. And it’s better to think about it in advance, since the procedure takes some time, and illegal stay in Portugal is punished. Often denial of citizenship.
Each Portuguese Visa Application Center will confirm that the application for a national passport is considered only after six years of legal residence in the country.
A person will have to pass an exam on knowledge of the Portuguese language, prove his “purity” before the law with a certificate of no criminal record and confirm his financial condition. Having a personal home is a huge advantage.
Documents
To obtain citizenship, you will need to present some more documents, in addition to the above. You need a personal statement, a Russian passport and a “foreign passport”, and a birth certificate. And also what will confirm the fact of residence in the territory of Portugal for the prescribed period (visa stamps, residence permit, labor contracts, etc.).
It is important to remember that each document must be executed in the state language. And everything needs to be certified by a notary. Each document must be marked with an apostille stamp.
Visa center services
In short, I would like to note the topic of organizations of this type. Portugal Visa Application Center is not able to help a person in obtaining a residence permit. In fact, these organizations were created in order to offload the work of the consulate and embassy. And make it easier for the client. They help to collect and execute documents, but for this, in addition to the consular fee, they also take payment. And rather big. Therefore, if you want to save money, it is better to do everything yourself.
Other nuances
Portugal is a very attractive country for many people. With loyal legislation. Here, even preferential taxation is provided to foreigners. The list of priority professions includes scientists, artists, doctors, as well as people from many other specializations with a constant source of income outside of Portugal. And for pensioners, benefits also apply. Those social benefits that are accrued by the fund of their home country are not taxed.
Portugal is also good because it allows a foreigner to have dual citizenship. A vivid example is the USA. You can obtain citizenship there only by abandoning the previous one and swearing allegiance to America.
Finally, I would like to say a few words about such a phenomenon as naturalization, as it was mentioned above. Every person applying for citizenship in Portugal must go through this procedure. And it represents a change in the constitutional legal status of one who is a foreigner. If we turn to the original meaning of the word, then naturalization is translated as the acquisition of natural rights. For a person to become a citizen of Portugal, he must feel himself from the inside.
In general, as you can see, the requirements for foreigners are not very high. Even without a knowledge of the language, you can get a job here - try yourself in the construction, fishing or agricultural industries. But before you decide to move, you need to think carefully about everything. After all, a serious step.