{"id":10133,"date":"2017-03-06T12:00:49","date_gmt":"2017-03-06T17:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/?p=10133"},"modified":"2020-10-05T09:40:35","modified_gmt":"2020-10-05T14:40:35","slug":"sephardic-jews-portugal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/blog\/sephardic-jews-portugal\/","title":{"rendered":"Sephardic Jews in Portugal"},"content":{"rendered":"
Following the 2008 economic crisis, and an increase in demographic aging, European countries adopted a series of policy decisions that were focused on attracting not only potential investors, but also qualified immigrants that would provide a healthy contribution to the European economy.<\/span><\/p>\n Among those measures, although not related in terms of motivation, Portugal<\/a> and Spain have passed legislation allowing the naturalization of descendants of Sephardi Jews, also known as Sephardic Jews or simply Sephardim. This new regime intends to do its best to repair the mass expulsion and forced conversion into Christianity of Jews during the Inquisition period. <\/span><\/p>\n Contrary to the worldwide phenomenon of \u201cinvestor\u2019s residence permit\u201d that is only available for those willing and able to invest a substantial amount of money, this regime does not require any financial investment, as it is solely focused on the descendants of those affected by a decision taken centuries ago.<\/span><\/p>\n Although many years have passed since their exile, despite the persecution and expulsion from their home countries, many Sephardic Jews of Portuguese and Spanish origin kept their traditional rites, surnames, and documents proving their Portuguese or Spanish origin. Some of them still speak Ladino, a romance language derived from old Castilian.<\/span><\/p>\n This connection may come into play because, among other requirements that significantly differ between the two countries, applicants may wish to produce proof that his\/her family maintained a strong link to Portugal or Spain throughout the years.<\/span><\/p>\n During exile, many Sephardic Jews of Portuguese and Spanish origin relocated to some regions of the Mediterranean, the Ottoman Empire, Northern Europe, the Caribbean, Brazil, and the United States, among others. This diaspora potentially allows approximately 3.5 million descendants who settled across the world to apply for dual citizenship. <\/span><\/p>\n Considering that both Portugal and Spain have attractive tax regimes for newcomers, and taken into account the recent economic, social, and political climate in some of these countries, many of these descendants are now eager to benefit from the right to obtain citizenship from two of the safest countries in the world, as a way to not only pay tribute to their ancestors, but to also secure a safer future for their descendants.<\/span><\/p>\n