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Portuguese citizenship

Thousands of people wait in line to schedule an appointment at the Portuguese Embassy in Israel, in central Israel, November 28, 2025. (Tal Gal/Flash90)
November 29, 2025, 5:41 pm
Thousands of Israelis line up for appointment to obtain Portuguese citizenship
Walk-in day event led by Portuguese embassy draws massive crowds as demand among Israelis surges for EU passports
By ToI Staff
Illustrative: Congregants praying at the Kadoorie – Mekor Haim synagogue in Porto, Portugal, May 2014. (Courtesy of the Jewish Community of Porto)
September 2, 2023, 12:26 am
Portugal says nearly 21,000 Israelis applied for citizenship last year
Israel leads as country with most applicants for 2nd year running, after Portuguese government began allowing descendants of Sephardic Jews to seek passports
By Shira Li Bartov
Leaders and members of the Jewish Community of Porto posing at the Portuguese city's Boeira Hotel on May 16, 2023. (Canaan Lidor/Times of Israel)
May 16, 2023, 3:32 am
European Jewish leaders gather in Portugal’s Porto to observe community’s revival
The number of Jews living in the northern Portuguese city has tripled in recent years thanks to new citizenship law and the arrival of hundreds of French-Jewish medical students
By Canaan Lidor
Illustrative: The Kadoorie Mekor Haim Synagogue in Porto, Portugal, on September 2, 2016. (AFP Photo/ Miguel Riopa)
September 29, 2022, 11:14 pm
Restrictions lifted from Porto rabbi as Portuguese citizenship fraud case continues
Lisbon court says no ‘single fact’ shows Rabbi Daniel Litvak gave priority to requests of Jews for Portuguese citizenship, in investigation tied to oligarch Roman Abramovich
By PHILISSA CRAMER
Congregants praying at the Kadoorie Synagogue in Porto, Portugal, May 2014. (Courtesy of the Jewish community of Porto/JTA)
June 27, 2022, 6:44 am
Porto Jewish community denounces citizenship probe as a ‘Holocaust against families’
Head of community rails at Portuguese authorities over investigation into its role in vetting Roman Abramovich, others for Sephardic ancestry
By Cnaan Liphshiz
Roman Abramovich, former owner of Chelsea, smiles following the team's victory during the UEFA Champions League in Porto, Portugal, on May 29, 2021. (Alexander Hassenstein/UEFA/Getty Images via JTA)
April 2, 2022, 11:55 am
Documents linked to Abramovich’s controversial Portuguese citizenship leak online
Russian-Israeli billionaire’s naturalization has become symbol for suspected abuse of Portuguese law; surfaced documents include testimonies from rabbis, copy of Israeli passport
By Cnaan Liphshiz
Illustrative: Jewish prayer shawls are stored on a shelf at the entrance of the Jewish synagogue in Lisbon, May 5, 2015. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
March 16, 2022, 3:20 pm
Abramovich row prompts Portugal to tighten rules for Jewish citizenship application
Lisbon amends law amid questions into naturalization of Israeli-Russian billionaire, who is facing harsh sanctions over his ties to Russian leader Putin
By ToI Staff
The owner of England's Chelsea Football Club, Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich, as he leaves court in London, October 4, 2011. (AP/File)
March 12, 2022, 6:08 am
Rabbi said detained in inquiry into how Roman Abramovich got Portuguese citizenship
Report says investigators probing if ‘influence peddling, active corruption, forgery of documents, money laundering’ or other crimes played a role
By Cnaan Liphshiz
Chelsea's Russian owner Roman Abramovich applauds his players after they defeated Arsenal 6-0, in an English Premier League soccer match at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, on March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
January 15, 2022, 6:28 pm
Portugal probes granting of citizenship to Russian-Israeli oligarch
Portuguese authorities say inquiry meant to determine if ‘there was any kind of irregularity’ after Roman Abramovich’s claim of Sephardic descent, Jewish ancestry law face scrutiny
By ToI Staff
Chelsea soccer club owner Roman Abramovich attends the UEFA Women's Champions League final soccer match against FC Barcelona in Gothenburg, Sweden, on May 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
December 30, 2021, 5:19 am
Abramovich claim of Sephardic descent to get Portuguese citizenship draws scrutiny
Questions raised after Russian-Israeli billionaire uses law that repatriates descendants of Sephardic Jews expelled during the Inquisition; officials say criticism ‘unjustified’
By Cnaan Liphshiz
Spain's King Juan Carlos, left, speaks with chairperson of the governing Sephardic Community of Jerusalem Abraham Haim before a meeting in the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, Spain, March 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Abraham Caro Marin)
August 27, 2021, 12:02 pm
Why is Spain suddenly turning down many Jews who apply for citizenship?
In the last quarter, thousands of applications have been rejected due to fear of fraud and what some experts call retroactively implemented bureaucratic standards
By Orge Castellano
PROMOTED CONTENT
April 28, 2021, 8:57 am
Portuguese Law: Sephardic descendants eligible to obtain Portuguese Citizenship
By Avigail Greenberg and Sasha Kishko
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