AhlulBayt News Agency: Thousands of Jews lined up outside the Portuguese Embassy in Tel Aviv on Saturday to apply for Portuguese citizenship or renew their passports, according to the Times of Israel. The embassy organized a special “return to the old days” in-person appointment day to ease congestion in its overwhelmed online booking system.
Portugal’s 2015 law grants Sephardic Jews—expelled or persecuted during the Inquisition—the right to apply for citizenship. The program has proven popular, offering access to European Union mobility, lower living costs, and European universities. In 2023, however, Portugal tightened requirements, saying the law’s original purpose had been fulfilled.
On Saturday, long queues stretched from the embassy entrance into an underground parking area, with applicants seeking either new citizenship or passport renewals. Interest in Portuguese citizenship has surged since the Israeli regime’s war on Gaza in October 2023, which prompted tens of thousands of Jews to leave the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Observers note that the demand reflects growing anxiety among Israelis seeking a second passport amid political instability and regional conflict. Portuguese citizenship is increasingly viewed as a gateway to broader opportunities and security in Europe.
Analysts say the program, originally designed as a historical remedy, has now become a lifeline for many Jews searching for alternatives abroad.
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