Jakarta, hitclubapk3 Indonesia
—
Thousands of Jews
Israel
on Friday (28/11) people flocked to register to become citizens
Portugal
,
as well as extending the validity period of a Portuguese passport.
The queue snaked from the entrance of the complex to the basement parking structure of the Cinema City Glilot building in Tel Aviv, after the Portuguese Embassy in Israel announced the opening of citizenship registration in December and January.
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Last month, the Portuguese Embassy announced that it would hold a “The Past Is Back” program, where Israeli citizens can apply to become citizens of the European country without needing to make an appointment.
Word about this opportunity spread quickly, attracting more people than the building itself could accommodate.
According to a post on its official Facebook page, the Portuguese Embassy said the program helped “thousands” of citizens.
So why is Portugal the choice of thousands of Israeli Jews to get passports?
The surge in the number of applicants for Portuguese citizenship from Israel began after Portugal passed the “law of return” in 2015.
The law allows descendants of Portuguese Sephardi Jews affected by the inquisition in the 16th century to apply for citizenship.
The country also announced that starting May 2026, Portuguese passports will be extended from 5 years to 10 years.
Portuguese citizenship has great appeal for Israelis, as it gives freedom of movement to anyone holding an EU passport.
Portugal is also a country with lower taxes and living costs than Israel, although its income level is also proportionally lower.
Some Israelis are also attracted by looser acceptance fees at public universities in Europe, and lower tuition fees for European Union citizens.
Israel is a country that adheres to dual citizenship.
This demand has also increased since Israel’s aggression into Gaza in 2023, which forced many Israelis to seek a “second passport” for additional security amid increasing instability.
(dna/bac)
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