However, after doing a lot of research and submitting so much paperwork, I was granted citizenship in Poland and Portugal before ever setting foot in either country.
Most countries require original documents issued in that country, such as a birth certificate or baptismal certificate, to successfully apply for citizenship.
It was worth it for me to look into alternative paths to citizenship, tooThere was a temporary law that helped me gain Portuguese citizenship.
AdvertisementI was able to get Portuguese citizenship by proving I am a descendant of Sephardic Jews who were expelled from the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th Century.
I didn't get Portuguese citizenship until nearly three years after I applied.
Persons:
—, Steve Ballmer, isn't, Jamie Davis Smith, didn't
Organizations:
Service
Locations:
Poland, Portugal, United States, America, Spain, Franco, Austria, Germany