Although you totally have the right to become a Portuguese citizen since your family has lived and suffered so much, it's messed up to see foreigners who were born in Portugal and have lived, worked, and had children in the country their whole life, but still cant get residence here.
Being someone who was born and lives in an EU country, it's such a privilege to be able to travel all around the EU and not have to think twice about if I'll be allowed entry. It makes me sad that many people won't ever have it as easy as I do, but I am SO HAPPY for you!!! Now you no longer have to worry about applying for a visa, which must be a tiring task
Being someone who was born in an EU country, I too was blessed with the privilege you have. Of course, you’ll notice I said that in the past tense, due to the fact that such privilege has been robbed from me against my will. I’ll give you one guess which EU country I was born in … 😔
@@nathanieldrew being a Ukrainian and have the possibility to travel around the EU from 2017 has been a privilege of its own. Hopefully we will be able to travel around the globe with visa free 🙏🏼🇺🇦
I am so jealous. So I was adopted in USA. I do everything to be anywhere but America. I love America, but I never felt American. My adoptive family was abusive. Anyways, I found out three years ago who my father was and where he was from. France. Anyways, I hope and pray my story turns out as well as yours did. Congratulations my friend. Super happy for you.
If you know the language and find a job even remote, it is also comparably quick to get citizenship after 3 or 4 years of living in PT. Or you buy some property for 250.000€ 🤣 for those who are richer
If your biological father was from France, can’t you claim citizenship by descent? If it helps, I never let the country I live in define my values, or my feeling of fitting in. One benefit of living in a diverse and individualist country like the US (at least that’s what I’ve heard about it; I’m not American!) is that you can be what you want, and you don’t have to worry about fitting in. You’ll be an American regardless of your values; you just have different beliefs than others. Every country has various types of people, and personally I do not like the idea of linking a country to its stereotypes (like how Americans are all bbq eating party people or how the French are people who are rude and smoke and strike) unless it’s for something ad trivial as online jokes. Sure, there are many common customs but to think that the personality, beliefs, values of most people are the same is just wrong.
@@forestreee depends because a full adoption erase family of born. In France we have full adoption or simple adoption ( born parents should agree to, don't erase the born parents) Other on, did the father name was on the original birth certificate ? If no, and if he didn't recuse his parental rights, it may be possible.
@@forestreee I am not sure. I am working on it. So, my biological mother didn’t tell him we think. He never told his family, whom I have met my aunt and grandparents. Both of my biological parents died of cancer. But, I did a DNA test and matched my aunt but said it was either my aunt of half sibling. So then my grandparents did it to confirm, and sure enough it came back as 100% they’re my grandparents. That was three years ago and my Grandpa was 92 and passed away. My Grandma is 90 and now cannot remember anything with Alzheimer’s. My aunt is helpful, and says she will do anything to help. But I haven’t found anything legally yet to help me get any recognition by France to apply for anything. I did spend three years in foster care, as the state I am from couldn’t get any information about my Father. But my biological Mom didn’t want me and gave me to the State. I surely hope I have some way to do it. I am actually in the process of changing my surname. I also am trying to get my original birth records but they’re sealed and the state doesn’t want to give them to me. Not sure what to do, but I will do anything required to work through it to become a French citizen.
As a Portuguese I feel very conflicted about this video. I am not a nationalist and I know that a passport does not define my identity… But… Seeing my country’s system being used as a way to live in Europe more easily feels very strange. I wished your video touched more on what defines identity and culture as well as the fact that this kind of process seems to be misused in several ways (for example the Russian side of the story)…
As a portuguese I felt exactly the same... very strange, somehow angry but i don´t know if I'm angry with the goverment or with people that take advantage of the litle quirks of bureaucracy.
A familia do rapaz foi excomungada da Europa, nao acha que isso traz um senso de justica, mesmo sendo gerocoes depois? Sou portugues tambem, do Rio de Janeiro. minha familia veio de uma pequena aldeia perto de Viseu, acho que devemos nos preocupar com as imigracoes ilegais, e nao as legais provadas por documentos e fatos historicos.
I agree with Guilherme. Did you @Silva and @Marta skip the first part of the video in which he said his family was persecuted for their religion for centuries? Nathaniel is legally entitled to this passport by your own government because of previous injustice.
Yes I watched the whole video, and I agree he is legally entitled to this passport. But it still gives me a strange sensation because let’s admit this is also driven by other interests. Nathaniel chose to have the passport with a special interest. And if the Italian would make their process easier maybe he would not consider Portugal…
@@guilhermepimentel6951 Considerando que isso foi há mais de 500 anos (meio milénio!!!), que os ancestrais dele que foram expulsos foram no melhor dos cenários 12th Great-Grandparents e que a nacionalidade portuguesa está a virar um negócio, sim acho que essa lei é um absurdo. Sabe quantos 12th Great-Grandparents uma pessoa tem? 16384!! Acha normal que uma pessoa consiga obter uma nacionalidade só porque um ou dois (se for um casal) dos 16384 12th GGP foram expulsos de um país há meio milénio?? Eu não acho, assim como muitos portugueses não o acham. Mas a culpa não é do Nathaniel ou das outras pessoas que também obtém a nossa nacionalidade desta forma. Aliás, o Nathaniel até se esforça para aprender sobre a cultura e os costumes de Portugal. A culpa está em quem manda, e definitivamente que não é o povo que manda.
This is pretty well known in Europe. A lot of Russian millionaires claim a Portuguese citizenship due to some Jewish connections in order to get a EU passport and other benefits. Roman Abramovich, until recently owner of Chelsea London, is a prominent example.
Also some european countries grants citizenship as "gold passport", you need to invest there to become citizen. I believe for Portugal it's 100,000 euro
@@khalilahd. Cyprus and Malta do golden passports a lot too. In my country, the UK, it’s been a way for rich Russians and Chinese to live here, as prior to Brexit, all EU passports could live anywhere in the UK and since then they’ve all got settled status.
Yeah. Abramovich also made a ‘little donation’ to the Jewish community of Porto, only in his case it probably meant a large donation to the corrupt Rabbi who’s being investigated...
The ancient safardite portugueses citizenship program has been a dissaster, it should be suspended immediately. the rabi conducting most of those "Jewish ancestry certifications" was extremely corrupt and he sold citizenship to Russians who never had any safardite ancestry (some had abskanazi ancestry), there are rumors of a Chinese citizen getting one of those passports. another big problem is the fact that many jews migrated out of Portugal before the persecution begun and others converted to Christianity, remained in Portugal for generations after the end of the persecution, then their descendants migrated and now they are trying to get special citizenship rights... If your family left Portugal in the early 19th century and you were Jewish, the reason for leaving Portugal was certainly not religious persecution. so, this is all a big scam.
Got my Polish citizenship after an almost yearlong process. Since I did not have my late Polish mother's original birth certificate readily available, the immigration attorney's staff was able to search the national archives in Poland. Not only did they find her birth certificate but they also found a ton of other government records and mailed me colour photocopies upon confirming my Polish citizenship.
Antisemitic comment. In Poland all descendants with a Polish parent may apply. Are you jealous that Spain and Portugal murdered, robbed their Jews and forced them to flee or convert?
Great....this is just great to see foreigners using Portugal as a way to come to EU...I have a friend who spent 20 years in Portugal and still is waiting for her citizenship. She makes minimum wage so I guess thats why.
Ye, kinda my thoughts. My wife is Argentine, her grandparents were Spanish but obviously she has no right to reside in Spain (let alone obtain the Spanish citizenship); she's to an extent Mapuche, which is a native American tribe inhabiting Argentina and Chile - the Spanish have actually commited genocides against them and discriminated them in every form for centuries. But well, in this world there's only justice for rich people, ergo Usonians. Guess should've been born Yank and/or Jewish. Not to blame Nathaniel; it's the fault of the deeply rooted systematic racism troubling this world, which is not his fault. If there's a loophole to exploit, why not? Would've done the same if I could.
He apply via ancestry, it is not easy to get your citizenship he had to provide huge amount of documentation, same of you are ungry because you did not get the citizenship. Let me know tell you, I been living in uk for more than 30 years from 1986, I don't have the British citizenship. I am Romanian citizen living uk and have the Indefinite Live To Remain (ILR) before România enter in the EU 2007. I am privileged to be resident in uk. I was a refugee when I arrive in uk with a 2 years old child and a widow, I had to get through the painful birocratic and hostile symptoms in uk to get my permanent residency 13 years. To get the British citizenship is a privilege not a right acording to the Home Office. You have to pay huge amount of money and to pass a stupid test a test not even the native can't passed. I don't bother to apply at all. After Brexit. GB return to the "Old sick man of Europe" similar with 1973 when joined the EU. GB they think they are not even European Continent. That attitude and colonial attitude will make GB to pay a huge price. The native are emigrating 3000 British citizen living in Romania Romania. For the last 15 years same of them longer. So for the people who coment and their are bitter please understand each of us we have different stories of our lives. Golden visa in uk is been stopped from 2019. Abramovichi been trying to get his residency or citizenship form other countries like Portugal, unfortunately his citizenship is being revoked. And the person who did help him lost his job and he is under investigation.
@@mihaelafilipescu5818 Your story is unfortunate yes but has nothing to do with Portugal or this situation. I've lived many years in UK as well, I know how dumb the system is. Most of us are agreeing with you thought. The system is against the poor. And I'm glad he got his citenzinship.. but like.. he is exploiting our system (which is allowed because of corrupt politicians). This person can now vote in a portuguese election but has no knowledge of our culture, politics, daily life because he lives in france and apparently is going to continue. It's not fair for someone who is not even in the country to be able to get this so easily while others that have been here for years and actually contributing for the countries' economy don't get anything. It's not fair. I hope he gets french citizenship.
@@pawemaojo1229 have you actually read the Spanish Civil Code … 10 years for anyone, 5 of EU citizens, but 3 for anyone from the former Spanish Empire … & there is also a way for grandchildren & children of Spanish citizens SO you are so wrong … Oh, & the Mapuche were one of our most interesting enemies, as the Guarani were one of our most interesting allies … & indulging in self hatred for a portion of your wife’s ancestors while calling a portion of her ancestors that literally kick out asses every summer & we jointly call a truce every winter for 300+ years is the height of self indulgent victimhood & stupidity … but go right ahead … it took the modern Chilean army to actually call it a win & the Mapuche never call it a lost BUT perhaps the Mapuche on the Argentinian side were just a tad less successful, except that the historical record doesn’t think so … And do check when your wife’s grandparents arrived in Argentina … as there are two routes in the civil code of Spain for grandchildren … & no, it’s not easy just like his process was not easy either …
@@pawemaojo1229 Sorry but this complete bullshit. If she does have verifiable Spanish ancestry then she has the right to claim the citizenship, no matter what other roots she may have or how much money she makes. In fact, most citizens of Spanish-speaking Latin American can benefit from a treaty between Spain and those countries which allows them to become officially Spanish through a quicker bureaucratic process and with many advantages, such as not having to renounce their other nationality. Just look it up. 'She makes minimum wage so I guess thats why' is simply a uninformed statement. I wonder if this story you're telling is true or you just wanted to make your dumb point..
I'm from Denmark, but honestly Portugal is my favourite country I've ever visited. I've been to Madeira many times and looking forward to travel to Lisbon in the future! 🇩🇰🇵🇹
Hey Chris do you think Portugal is a good option to settle down ? Austra vs Germany vs Australia vs Denmark vs Portugal - which one would you pick and why
I also feel conflicted about this video. I am left feeling that it's a huge privilege to gain citizenship and it almost seems like it was given "too easily" and to someone who doesn't seem that interested in the country. Maybe I have misinterpreted what was presented in the video? If you choose to gain citizenship in another country someone should learn everything possible about the country, live there for at least some of the time, and be immersed in the culture. A passport should be more than symbolic, don't you think. I don't know, there is something kind of arrogant or offensive about how easy and trivial it seems to have obtained this and hey, it's just another passport with little interest in the country. That was my take on what was said and I accept I may have misunderstood.
So happy for you! I have a similar story, I was born in Brazil and have been in the process of getting the portuguese citizenship for the last two years, since my great grandfather was born in Portugal. Four years ago I moved to Germany and have been going through this visa process what it feels like all the time, gathering documents, proving I can live here. I am still waiting for the portuguese passport (which should come until the end of this year) and I am so excited about it! It opens a whole new world of possibilities of places to live and explore :)
Really great story, and congrats! This brought me back to the excitement I felt when I first got my Italian Citizenship (through jure sanguinis) and passport 10 years ago! And next week I am submitting the documents for my daughter so I can pass this gift onto her.
Wow I remember in your Portuguese language learning video that you wanted to eventually be in Portugal for a bit so it’s nice to see that law gave you the opportunity to become a citizen of such a beautiful country. Congratulations! 🥳
Congrats. I am really happy too as I was given indefinite leave to remain in UK even though I am Brazilian and I am also really proud of myself. I am pretty sure you will love staying in Portugal and I hope you learn Portuguese, it is a lovely language. Also enjoy the Portuguese food, it is awesome.
Oh brother! Talk about the timing of life! When I was considering not doing college, you posted a video about that. I was just talking this week about how I want to move to Portugal and become a citizen like my grandmother... and you deliver this! I appreciate your videos, film, and thoughts more than you know! Also born in Portland, OR. The parallels of life are sometimes just incredible.
I am from brazil and in 2019 I came to Ireland to study english, what I didn’t know was that I would fall in love with Europe. After some surprises researching about my family I arrived in the sephardic law and now I have a Portuguese passport in the same way, I can say that I really understand you
How shallow and sad to see someone being jubilant because he acquired another piece of paper. As I know there are millions of people who were either born or had lived all their life in Europe and don't have this so-called privilege, and you come along from no where, and bingo you're a European citizen? This world is so unjust and f#@ked up to say the least. The Matrix is so real.
The word “tricked” is a tad insulting for all Portuguese, you might have considered that. Pretty disappointing. Regards from a Portuguese follower. That said, welcome to our family! (EDIT: Nathaniel changed the video title. Major kudos to you fellow Portuguese! ❤️)
@@renaudjacob1111 it's not even a loophole haha, they are literally just taking responsibility (finally) for kicking jews outside of their country.. I hope Egypt does the same now.
@@renaudjacob1111 Imagine a bunch of cheating millionaires and clickbait master youtubers taking advantage of a rightful law made to made amends with historical unjustice. Sure bureaucracy can find a loophole to reverse it and take their passports back. And they deserve that happening
Thank you for being real and open in your videos, they are so inspiring and they give plenty of things to think about, to appreciate life, and to think about the huge amount of things we can actually do in it. I'm a native Russian-speaking person, but it happened in my life that I started learning Portuguese for my professional life 4 years ago, exploring the culture and everything. And the funny thing, not knowing yet that you've got Portuguese citizenship I thought that you're somehow connected with Portugal🙃 Thanks for everything you do! Muita sorte aprendendo Português:)
watching this video is so frustrating because you are so passionate about being able to enjoy living in Europe and for my whole life I have possessed the citizenship that you desire. Yet, in the 4 years that you have been trying to get EU citizenship, I have completely lost mine due to Brexit. It's annoying that I was once in a desirable situation full of potential and freedom now I have a 3 month limit on time spent in my own continent!
I'm a British / Australian citizen and because I live in Germany I have an Aufenthaltstitel (similar to a passport, like a residency permit which enables me to travel freely around the EU)
so easy to become portuguese. Anyone born in Portugal to a legal parent is automatically portuguese. Anyone born in portugal to an illegal parent is also automatically portuguese. Everyone can get a residence permit through their child and even citizenhip through their child. 5 years in Portugal (legal ou illegaly) even if all 5 years are as illegal migrants and a portuguese born child will grant you portuguese citizenship
Welll you can apply for a portuguese newest visa to look for work in Portugal ( recentely aproved) your child is born in Portugal while you hold the visa it automatically becomes portuguese. If you are a retiree 5 years in Portugal to the non habitual resident programm no taxes and citizenship after 5 years.
This video explains history so amazingly. My wife and I have also undertaken the same process. She received her citizenship in June 2023, and I am currently awaiting the final registration. The way you presented the historical information was excellent, and we are both thrilled to become Portuguese citizens and reconnect with our ancestors. It's a joy to continue their legacy, embracing our proud Jewish heritage without any limitations. Discovering our roots and embracing our Portuguese heritage has been a deeply meaningful journey, and we're grateful for the opportunity to honor our past and shape our future as proud Portuguese citizens. Thank you for sharing this enlightening video!
As Sefardic Portuguese with old family in Portugal, I hope you honor your new nationality, starting to learn Portuguese and history of this country with 900 years old.
weird how a white american who is in europe for entertainment is able to get citizenship easily. whereas refugees and migrants who are black / brown and have lived here for many many years are still barred. Yes, i understand your family history is a fraught one and understand their horrible treatment/exile, but that was centuries years ago and does not affect your present life, whereas european people of colour in the present year 2022 are still suffering from racist citizenship laws
Love this! I'm in the process of seeking out citizenship in Jamaica because of a bizarre family story with my great grandparents as well. This is inspiring. You are indeed a global citizen. We all are! Congrats!
Parabéns! I was expecting this to happen; it was clear that this was a possibility! I'm Portuguese and a long-time follower, and I always thought you looked a bit Portuguese :)! Welcome!
I went through the same process from Argentina. Took 4 years, plus having to deal with an embassy! My reaction was the same as yours. My Great Granfather came from egypt to. So hits close. Congrats fellow portuguese!
Hey! Portuguese fan living in Belgium here ahah, this is so bizarre and giving me weird feelings xD at the same time it's so cool and I wish I could discover more of my ancestors and roots too! congrats Nathaniel, bem-vindo :D and I love the color of our passport ahah :D Also super cool how you explained the religion history, we're not exposed to it as we grow up, really important to know more about it. Respect for all
I got my citizenship after living in the country for 13 years, regularly making some insane trips to the border and back through the whole country just to get a stamp, arranging documents proving things I was too young to have, feeling humiliated by abusive customs officers and needing to give up shitloads money for bribes. For me, 4 years is not that much and your process seems pretty smooth and friendly anyway ;) congrats!
I'm a Moroccan citizen with Andalusian roots (We kept the spanish surname and we also kept a lot of andalusian cultural specificities). Spain decided in 2015 to grant spanish nationality to expelled Sefardic during the inquisition for the same reasons as Portugal. We can discuss if this is fair or not but what I don't understand is why I cannot ask for the same when my family (who were converted muslims) was expelled from Spain to Rabat (Morocco) at the same moment in time and space as the sephardic jews of Spain, under the same Real Decreto of King Alfonso the 13th. I even still know the city where we were expelled from (Hornachos) in Extremadura, near of Portugal ! There's a dutch documentary called "Children of Al-Andalus" that adress the issue and I recommend you to watch it and make an opinion of your own. Love your videos Nathaniel !
Nathaniel, i really like your videos, but i don't know if you're realizing the problem. The way how you simply got a passport in Portugal without having ever lived here, and having no portuguese family is a big big problem and one of the main reasons for gentrification problems here in Lisbon, Portugal. It ain't funny at all, and only creates more inequality
I just want the portuguese comments to have more likes so more people see it. He knows nothing about portuguese culture and he's just some tourist taking advantage of stupid laws
But his family WAS portuguese. His family IS part of portuguese history. They were forced from their homes. If he isn't allowed to be a citizen, who should be?
I agree and I don't think Nathaniel sees this. I may be wrong. Maybe it's age? No matter how mature 24 is very young. But I think even a specific family history it's too easy to obtain this passport and it isn't used properly. There should be a huge interest in living in the country, immersing in the culture, contributing to the country, etc. The point is totally missed.
Congratulations! I've been following your journey for years. And now you are not only a homeowner in Paris, but are also a Portuguese and EU citizen. As an American trying to move there too this is very inspiring.
Congratulations! I remember you posting about this a few years back, and we both started roughly the same time, except I went through Spain and will literally be holding my passport next week. I couldn't be more excited.
@@joaomramalho1 absolutely not. I'm grateful for the door Spain opened. But they did not make it easy, 4 years of traveling, paperwork & probably the hardest challenge in my life .
@@billypilgrim1 I'm sorry about that, I wouldn't be suprised if Spain will eventually pass a law for your situation one day. but let me tell you, this did not come on a silver plater. Spain put me through the ringer x10 to make this a reality.
@@billypilgrim1 that’s strange. Both Portugal and Italy give you nationality of if you have just one grandparent of Portuguese or Italian origin.... Have you properly researched that option?
Congrats on the citizenship and thank you for also mentioning the controversy with regards to this visa (the Abramovic story). You are now European! P.S.: be careful not to call “Pastéis de Belém” ever “Pasteis de Nata”. People from Belém don’t like it, it’s a big rivalry between the pasteis from Belém and those from the rest of Lisbon (de Nata).
Congrats!! My Italian citizenship and passport also took four years and so far has been 1000% worth the mountain of paperwork involved. Way to go for sticking with it!
Congrats. Also an American that found my way to EU citizenship (but via marriage) and also incredibly grateful for it. I encourage you to stay and spend more time in Portugal. It’s an absolutely fabulous culture. In some ways super traditional and family oriented, but also socially progressive in a lot of ways. Enjoy the sunshine and fabulous food.
@@TheMountainBeyondTheWoods how is he a parasite if he is a productive self-sufficient money making member of society? He isn’t taking any services from any govt or even living in Portugal. Maybe you need to look up the definition of the word parasite.
@@roseam14 he's taking advantage of a stupid program that will give him rights he shouldn't have. He's taking advantage of a loophole that shouldn't exist. The guy has zero to do with Portugal, he's not Portuguese. Go defend people like this somewhere else.
@@TheMountainBeyondTheWoods it’s Portugal’s law. He isn’t “taking advantage” of it, he is entitled under it to citizenship. You may not like it, but it is the law. 🤷🏻♀️
@@roseam14 you're right, I shouldn't have called him a parasite, after all, he's just taking advantage of one of the many ridiculous loopholes that this joke of a country has. It still doesn't make it right, and the guy has zero connections to Portugal. You idiots think a country is just there to cater to your own personal wants and needs.
i found out i had sephardic ancestry and was actually rushing to apply, but finding the documents of all my ancestors was a lot. I found a few, but not all. so i actually just decided to drop this endeavor yesterday. what a timing. i looked for videos like this on youtube, but no one who's gone through the process has made one. at least i couldn't find one. glad this happened to you!
Santi, good luck, they can be anal retentive if you can't have a full proof of everything. i would have thought a genetic test would clear things up but nope.
@@PHlophe Hii! I decided not to continue with this because I need more time to find all the docs, but there might still be an option with Spain, which is the one I actually want, since my ancestors come from Spain and not Portugal. Spain stopped its law in 2019, but they had a previous law in 1924. We'll see. If not, I'll go live there and get citizenship after two years, since aside form being America, I have Latin American citizenship, which Spain grants citizenship to Latin Americans in 2 years.
I find these laws granting citizenship distasteful and seeing as how they in no way apply to North Africans, many of whom can trace their ancestry back to the Moriscos, I think they're blatantly racist. In light of the scandal with the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, it is clear that these law are also easily abused. A venality that allows foreigners to pay for European citizenship. The Portuguese government has stated earlier this year that it intends to tighten the laws on Sephardic Jewish citizenship and impose further requirements. I cannot fault you for taking advantage of the law. However, I think it reflects poorly on you that you would choose to publicize and even glorify your path to citizenship. At no point do you hint at the possible moral ambiguity of your actions or offer a critical assessment of the citizenship laws.
Honestly, watching you sitting down at Gulbenkian and with Ana Marta and Bernardo at CCB is such a joy; I felt that I could be just around the neighbourhood and find you all there. :) I hope this new found citizenship allows you discover more of who you are and by doing so deepen the connections you have with life. Thank you for sharing this with us.
I'm sorry, but as a Portuguese, I do not understand why are we talking about Spanish history if we want to get to Portuguese nationality. Just saying it would have been a good time to talk about Portugal... Since the rest of the world knows literally nothing about Portugal...
I’m from Granada ✨💛 omg, I feel so connected to this video. With Ana Marta I discovered what graphic design is and today I graduate in my graphic design degree!!!! Thanks Nathaniel, maybe, in a few months I’ll be in Porto doing an Erasmus Internship 🙂
As someone who has watched you move from one country to another, I am so glad that they granted you the citizenship that will allow you more peace of mind. Amazing how your roots now enable you to grow even more. A big congratulations! Time to buy a new pair of socks! :)
What fucking roots? You just have to be jewish and to send some money to get a membership into the jewish organisation in Portugal to then be able to claim citizenship. He just bought is "citizenship".
As already mentioned in other comments, this should not be allowed! Very unfair that people who don't have family living for hundreds of years, don't even know the language or the culture, get a passport through DONATIONS to religious communities (funny cuz portugal has a Secular State), especially when there are so many other people who work and form a family here that it takes years to be legalized! As a content creator followed by so many people, you showed a huge naivety typical of a privileged white boy without thinking about the political consequences of his selfish actions. Unfortunately, these injustices only give European nationalist parties more and more power.
You're full of BS, no one gets citizenship by donations. There are tons of documentation that goes along with it- like maternal ancestors names on the Spanish Portugues inquisition rolls that the country still keeps. People are so jealous, and if they were never persecuted and kicked out of the country or killed, their families would STILL be in the EU today
I noticed it as well. So this guy paid a bribe to Jewish community in Porto, whish in turn is paying bribes to Portuguese politicians. Portuguese will feel sorry, this way they let in the country ppl who have no interest in Portugal, at all. Russians will bring their mafia with them.
I love Nathaniel but these citizenship laws we have in EU are ridiculous. Most people use their Italian and Spanish passports to travel to other countries, instead of living in respective countries that gave them the passport in the first place in an attempt to lure them in to move there.
You don't know how happy this videos makes me.... I've been in the process of getting my citizenship for almost a year now and I've gone through the process or proving the Sephardic background. We had to dig 15 generations to get to our ancestor, and when I got the letter from the Sephardic Group of Lisbon ... I can't even describe the feeling. One more year to go, and I'll probably be living the live I've always wanted. Cheers, man
Did you secure your Portuguese Citizenship may I ask? I do hope so. I just applied as I am Jewish Sephardi Portuguese origin, but as you know the new rules for applying make a successful outcome virtually impossible.
Parabéns Nathaniel! After traveling 100 countries / some many times, and living in over 20, I’m now in Portugal and find it super special. Now that I can see it as a foreigner too 😊 I love it even more! May you always be welcomed here 🌼 and may this new passport bring you the freedom you want!
This was so smug as to be unbearable. I would've agreed with ND, had he railed against the actual notion of passports (which were only meant to be temporary during WW1 and NEVER got rescinded), railed against Big Government, paper pushes and the craziness of whether you're lucky enough to have a 'good passport'. But no, he got lucky being born and bred in America and he's on a worldwide jolly, a modern day Fitzgerald. I met someone in 2004 with a Serbian passport - he was only able to travel to 4 countries.
Yay for you!!! I'm anxious over inexplicable CdS delays, so I feel your joy. (Also: kind of jealous of your visit to Pastéis de Belém...Best pastéis in Europe!).
I'm currently on my European chapter. I moved to England in February and every video you've posted since about setting up bank accounts, and visas, and finding a home here, I relate to incredibly deeply right now. I'm so excited you found yourself an EU passport. As a Canadian, I understand the struggle a foreign passport can create.
Unfortunately due to Brexit, I'm stuck in the same situation Nathaniel was in (even in England), I happen to very likely have that same history so I'm going to try to get an EU passport as soon as I can. I want to leave the UK
I feel a bit conflicted. As I am from a German decent and It took me 6 years to gain citizenship in Germany. It was a huge privilege as a nuclear engineer, but I believe citizenship shouldn't be granted as easy. But I am happy for you. Enjoy exploring the word.
I am one of those lucky ones with Irish born parents. My citizenship was already recognized and I simply had to supply the necessary documentation. So I am both a Canadian and Irish citizen. I am urging my nieces and nephews to apply since Irish law allows citizenship if a grandparent was born in Ireland.
I don't know exactly how I found your channel, but I remember when I started following you while you were still moving to Mexico I believe. I've enjoyed your videos whenever I get to see them and It made me really happy to learn that you got a portuguese passport. 😊
SO happy for you! The way you told the story of this chapter was utterly captivating. I'm still processing the grief of not being in the EU anymore here in the UK 😢😢😢😢
Cool videos. Beautiful family. You live in France? Congratulations, you now have to comply with US, French, and Portuguese tax regulations. I hope you spoke with an expert, there aren’t many experts.
Big Congrats! We just returned from our 6 months in Central America, now roaming around with our Van discovering our Home: Europe :) Big fans for years, keep up the great work!
beeing a german and EU citizen myself, watching your videos gives me a whole new perspective on the european lifestyle that I take for granted every day. I‘m happy that you, too, found a home and safe space here! 😊
I've been in the same process but for Italian citizenship for the last 3 years. It's in its final stage. I hope it comes soon, you make me feel happy already cause I feel I'm gonna have the same reaction and happiness you're showing now. Congrats!!
Hay Nathaniel, very happy that you're now a Portuguese citizen! As a Brazilian of Portuguese and Italian ascend, you're kinda twice my compatriot, that's nice. And welcome to the CPLP, the community of Portuguese-speaking countries! I hope you have a good time learning our language - "a última flor do Lácio, inclulta e bela", as Camões would say.
Pretty good history man, in my case my entire family leaves Italy for live in Argentina in the 1890. That's why I can get the Italian citizenship. Well done!! A European Passport is a key on this days. Cheers!!! Saludos desde Córdoba papuuuuuuuu!!!! 🇦🇷 🇦🇷
Portugal recently passed a law that made it way harder to qualify for Sephardic Jewish Descendants that will become active on September 1st. They now want a "connection to Portugal" which means that you inherited property or have consistently travelled to Portugal throughout your life, essentially making it almost impossible for Sephardic descendants to qualify. Most Sephardic Jews do not live here anymore, so I do not know how in the world they want people to qualify this way. As for Spain their period for citizenship expired. You can qualify for citizenship after two years of residing legally in Spain if you are of Sephardic descent.
They have required “ties to Portugal” for all others trying to gain citizenship through other means than Sephardic Jewish ancestry, such as through grandparents, etc.
Tell me about white priviledges. Somehow another kind of priviledges seem to not being that bothersome. It's a shame Portugal is giving citizenship (and by extension EU citizenship) that easily to jews basically in exchange of money. A real fucking shame. Edit: also I didn't even watched the video but I'm pretty sure he will at some point make a tearful statement about his ancestors getting thrown out of Europe. You guys could tell me if I was right or wrong.
Her 'meh' feelings/ explanation of how she feels about her country is so foreign to me. I'm so deeply rooted in my culture/ country that I had a hard time accepting her POV. But obviously I understand 🤗
As a Portuguese citizen, I find this disrespectful, specially because, for some people, that were born here and have lived here for over a decade, is extremely difficult to get a citizenship. I would totally get if you got a strong connection to Portuguese roots, but doing this just so you have an easier time travelling around Europe is kind of revolting. Can't say that I'm happy for you, or that I emphatize with your cause
I definitely understand the sentiment, but your anger would probably be more fair (& potentially more useful) if directed at the government/the system that allows for situations like the one you described, and is clearly seems to be flawed and ineffective in that aspect. No need to blame average, every day individuals on the internet.
Exactly. People are dying on boats to escape war thorn countries and persecution and still don’t have a right to citizenship, but this lad (from a first world country) can because his family had to escape persecution 700 years ago. I’m sorry, but no! Typical American privileged mentality.
@@mfbj1 yes, this is the thing. He doesn't even seem to care about the fact that he is a citizen, or all this entails. He's just happy he can stay longer, and seems proud he "tricked" the system. Of course our government is to blame, even though we have a better policy on refugees than many European countries. Thing is: Portugal does not have good opportunities for those who are poor or need to restart their lives from the ground. However,.it is a great, and corrupt, place for privileged people who enough money to spend and claim they are "done" with the USA. For me, tho, this kind of behaviour is perpetuating the American mentality
Same here, I'd rather see asian and african immigrants get their passport. They work their asses off and get nothing in return, meanwhile, this guy literally just wants to stay in Europe longer in order to get some sort of extension on his vacation. Sure, the govrnement is to blame, but it's not like he's devoid of ethical responsability. What annoys me the most is the portuguese people in the comments that feel like he cares about our culture. He literally just ate a pastel de nata and said that the country was beautiful, that's lower than the bare minimum. There should be some sort of test with historical and cultural related questions in order to get the passport, even if you have jewish ancestry
@@joaofigueiras1106 totally agree. There are a lot of people that have to do a Portuguese test to get Portuguese citizenship, eventhough they attended Portuguese schools, with Portuguese curriculum. It's a totally unfair system and it breaks my heart to see all African, Asian and even South American (specially brazilian) fellows who contribute to our growth and, even so, sometimes don't haveany rights or a place to live in
Although you totally have the right to become a Portuguese citizen since your family has lived and suffered so much, it's messed up to see foreigners who were born in Portugal and have lived, worked, and had children in the country their whole life, but still cant get residence here.
Exactly what I was thinking.
True
So true
I really like this Natth.. but after this video.. i am really considering …
That's true, and these are the oddities of life. 🤕
Being someone who was born and lives in an EU country, it's such a privilege to be able to travel all around the EU and not have to think twice about if I'll be allowed entry. It makes me sad that many people won't ever have it as easy as I do, but I am SO HAPPY for you!!! Now you no longer have to worry about applying for a visa, which must be a tiring task
Being someone who was born in an EU country, I too was blessed with the privilege you have. Of course, you’ll notice I said that in the past tense, due to the fact that such privilege has been robbed from me against my will. I’ll give you one guess which EU country I was born in … 😔
Absolutely. You have no idea how draining it is.
@@nathanieldrew I thought you now lived in Mexico bro.
@@nathanieldrew being a Ukrainian and have the possibility to travel around the EU from 2017 has been a privilege of its own. Hopefully we will be able to travel around the globe with visa free 🙏🏼🇺🇦
@@tofferson which one is it ? I happen to be from a country that places me lower in this passport-based cast system
I am so jealous. So I was adopted in USA. I do everything to be anywhere but America. I love America, but I never felt American. My adoptive family was abusive. Anyways, I found out three years ago who my father was and where he was from. France.
Anyways, I hope and pray my story turns out as well as yours did.
Congratulations my friend. Super happy for you.
I hope it does too 🙏🏽
If you know the language and find a job even remote, it is also comparably quick to get citizenship after 3 or 4 years of living in PT. Or you buy some property for 250.000€ 🤣 for those who are richer
If your biological father was from France, can’t you claim citizenship by descent?
If it helps, I never let the country I live in define my values, or my feeling of fitting in. One benefit of living in a diverse and individualist country like the US (at least that’s what I’ve heard about it; I’m not American!) is that you can be what you want, and you don’t have to worry about fitting in. You’ll be an American regardless of your values; you just have different beliefs than others. Every country has various types of people, and personally I do not like the idea of linking a country to its stereotypes (like how Americans are all bbq eating party people or how the French are people who are rude and smoke and strike) unless it’s for something ad trivial as online jokes. Sure, there are many common customs but to think that the personality, beliefs, values of most people are the same is just wrong.
@@forestreee depends because a full adoption erase family of born. In France we have full adoption or simple adoption ( born parents should agree to, don't erase the born parents)
Other on, did the father name was on the original birth certificate ? If no, and if he didn't recuse his parental rights, it may be possible.
@@forestreee I am not sure. I am working on it. So, my biological mother didn’t tell him we think. He never told his family, whom I have met my aunt and grandparents. Both of my biological parents died of cancer. But, I did a DNA test and matched my aunt but said it was either my aunt of half sibling. So then my grandparents did it to confirm, and sure enough it came back as 100% they’re my grandparents. That was three years ago and my Grandpa was 92 and passed away. My Grandma is 90 and now cannot remember anything with Alzheimer’s. My aunt is helpful, and says she will do anything to help.
But I haven’t found anything legally yet to help me get any recognition by France to apply for anything. I did spend three years in foster care, as the state I am from couldn’t get any information about my Father. But my biological Mom didn’t want me and gave me to the State.
I surely hope I have some way to do it. I am actually in the process of changing my surname. I also am trying to get my original birth records but they’re sealed and the state doesn’t want to give them to me.
Not sure what to do, but I will do anything required to work through it to become a French citizen.
eyyyy Nathaniel, amazing news. Congrats! Apartment in France, Portuguese citizenship.. You're on a roll this year!!
Man, congrats! I remember one or two years ago you were saying that you applied and it'd take years and now BOOM, you got it! Happy for you!
Why congrats?
As a Portuguese I feel very conflicted about this video. I am not a nationalist and I know that a passport does not define my identity… But… Seeing my country’s system being used as a way to live in Europe more easily feels very strange.
I wished your video touched more on what defines identity and culture as well as the fact that this kind of process seems to be misused in several ways (for example the Russian side of the story)…
As a portuguese I felt exactly the same... very strange, somehow angry but i don´t know if I'm angry with the goverment or with people that take advantage of the litle quirks of bureaucracy.
A familia do rapaz foi excomungada da Europa, nao acha que isso traz um senso de justica, mesmo sendo gerocoes depois?
Sou portugues tambem, do Rio de Janeiro. minha familia veio de uma pequena aldeia perto de Viseu, acho que devemos nos preocupar com as imigracoes ilegais, e nao as legais provadas por documentos e fatos historicos.
I agree with Guilherme. Did you @Silva and @Marta skip the first part of the video in which he said his family was persecuted for their religion for centuries? Nathaniel is legally entitled to this passport by your own government because of previous injustice.
Yes I watched the whole video, and I agree he is legally entitled to this passport. But it still gives me a strange sensation because let’s admit this is also driven by other interests. Nathaniel chose to have the passport with a special interest. And if the Italian would make their process easier maybe he would not consider Portugal…
@@guilhermepimentel6951 Considerando que isso foi há mais de 500 anos (meio milénio!!!), que os ancestrais dele que foram expulsos foram no melhor dos cenários 12th Great-Grandparents e que a nacionalidade portuguesa está a virar um negócio, sim acho que essa lei é um absurdo. Sabe quantos 12th Great-Grandparents uma pessoa tem? 16384!! Acha normal que uma pessoa consiga obter uma nacionalidade só porque um ou dois (se for um casal) dos 16384 12th GGP foram expulsos de um país há meio milénio?? Eu não acho, assim como muitos portugueses não o acham. Mas a culpa não é do Nathaniel ou das outras pessoas que também obtém a nossa nacionalidade desta forma. Aliás, o Nathaniel até se esforça para aprender sobre a cultura e os costumes de Portugal. A culpa está em quem manda, e definitivamente que não é o povo que manda.
This is pretty well known in Europe. A lot of Russian millionaires claim a Portuguese citizenship due to some Jewish connections in order to get a EU passport and other benefits. Roman Abramovich, until recently owner of Chelsea London, is a prominent example.
Wow I didn’t realize how common this is
And it’s weird and pretty sketchy that he had to “donate to the Jewish community of Porto”
Also some european countries grants citizenship as "gold passport", you need to invest there to become citizen. I believe for Portugal it's 100,000 euro
@@khalilahd. Cyprus and Malta do golden passports a lot too. In my country, the UK, it’s been a way for rich Russians and Chinese to live here, as prior to Brexit, all EU passports could live anywhere in the UK and since then they’ve all got settled status.
Yeah. Abramovich also made a ‘little donation’ to the Jewish community of Porto, only in his case it probably meant a large donation to the corrupt Rabbi who’s being investigated...
The ancient safardite portugueses citizenship program has been a dissaster, it should be suspended immediately.
the rabi conducting most of those "Jewish ancestry certifications" was extremely corrupt and he sold citizenship to Russians who never had any safardite ancestry (some had abskanazi ancestry), there are rumors of a Chinese citizen getting one of those passports.
another big problem is the fact that many jews migrated out of Portugal before the persecution begun and others converted to Christianity, remained in Portugal for generations after the end of the persecution, then their descendants migrated and now they are trying to get special citizenship rights... If your family left Portugal in the early 19th century and you were Jewish, the reason for leaving Portugal was certainly not religious persecution.
so, this is all a big scam.
Nathaniel & Bernardo together again, i love you guys!!
Got my Polish citizenship after an almost yearlong process. Since I did not have my late Polish mother's original birth certificate readily available, the immigration attorney's staff was able to search the national archives in Poland. Not only did they find her birth certificate but they also found a ton of other government records and mailed me colour photocopies upon confirming my Polish citizenship.
Because you’re Jewish too?
Antisemitic comment. In Poland all descendants with a Polish parent may apply. Are you jealous that Spain and Portugal murdered, robbed their Jews and forced them to flee or convert?
Great....this is just great to see foreigners using Portugal as a way to come to EU...I have a friend who spent 20 years in Portugal and still is waiting for her citizenship. She makes minimum wage so I guess thats why.
Ye, kinda my thoughts. My wife is Argentine, her grandparents were Spanish but obviously she has no right to reside in Spain (let alone obtain the Spanish citizenship); she's to an extent Mapuche, which is a native American tribe inhabiting Argentina and Chile - the Spanish have actually commited genocides against them and discriminated them in every form for centuries. But well, in this world there's only justice for rich people, ergo Usonians. Guess should've been born Yank and/or Jewish. Not to blame Nathaniel; it's the fault of the deeply rooted systematic racism troubling this world, which is not his fault. If there's a loophole to exploit, why not? Would've done the same if I could.
He apply via ancestry, it is not easy to get your citizenship he had to provide huge amount of documentation, same of you are ungry because you did not get the citizenship. Let me know tell you, I been living in uk for more than 30 years from 1986, I don't have the British citizenship. I am Romanian citizen living uk and have the Indefinite Live To Remain (ILR) before România enter in the EU 2007. I am privileged to be resident in uk. I was a refugee when I arrive in uk with a 2 years old child and a widow, I had to get through the painful birocratic and hostile symptoms in uk to get my permanent residency 13 years. To get the British citizenship is a privilege not a right acording to the Home Office. You have to pay huge amount of money and to pass a stupid test a test not even the native can't passed. I don't bother to apply at all. After Brexit. GB return to the "Old sick man of Europe" similar with 1973 when joined the EU. GB they think they are not even European Continent. That attitude and colonial attitude will make GB to pay a huge price. The native are emigrating 3000 British citizen living in Romania Romania. For the last 15 years same of them longer. So for the people who coment and their are bitter please understand each of us we have different stories of our lives.
Golden visa in uk is been stopped from 2019. Abramovichi been trying to get his residency or citizenship form other countries like Portugal, unfortunately his citizenship is being revoked. And the person who did help him lost his job and he is under investigation.
@@mihaelafilipescu5818 Your story is unfortunate yes but has nothing to do with Portugal or this situation. I've lived many years in UK as well, I know how dumb the system is. Most of us are agreeing with you thought. The system is against the poor. And I'm glad he got his citenzinship.. but like.. he is exploiting our system (which is allowed because of corrupt politicians). This person can now vote in a portuguese election but has no knowledge of our culture, politics, daily life because he lives in france and apparently is going to continue. It's not fair for someone who is not even in the country to be able to get this so easily while others that have been here for years and actually contributing for the countries' economy don't get anything. It's not fair. I hope he gets french citizenship.
@@pawemaojo1229 have you actually read the Spanish Civil Code … 10 years for anyone, 5 of EU citizens, but 3 for anyone from the former Spanish Empire … & there is also a way for grandchildren & children of Spanish citizens SO you are so wrong …
Oh, & the Mapuche were one of our most interesting enemies, as the Guarani were one of our most interesting allies … & indulging in self hatred for a portion of your wife’s ancestors while calling a portion of her ancestors that literally kick out asses every summer & we jointly call a truce every winter for 300+ years is the height of self indulgent victimhood & stupidity … but go right ahead … it took the modern Chilean army to actually call it a win & the Mapuche never call it a lost BUT perhaps the Mapuche on the Argentinian side were just a tad less successful, except that the historical record doesn’t think so …
And do check when your wife’s grandparents arrived in Argentina … as there are two routes in the civil code of Spain for grandchildren … & no, it’s not easy just like his process was not easy either …
@@pawemaojo1229 Sorry but this complete bullshit. If she does have verifiable Spanish ancestry then she has the right to claim the citizenship, no matter what other roots she may have or how much money she makes. In fact, most citizens of Spanish-speaking Latin American can benefit from a treaty between Spain and those countries which allows them to become officially Spanish through a quicker bureaucratic process and with many advantages, such as not having to renounce their other nationality. Just look it up. 'She makes minimum wage so I guess thats why' is simply a uninformed statement.
I wonder if this story you're telling is true or you just wanted to make your dumb point..
I'm from Denmark, but honestly Portugal is my favourite country I've ever visited. I've been to Madeira many times and looking forward to travel to Lisbon in the future! 🇩🇰🇵🇹
Hey Chris do you think Portugal is a good option to settle down ? Austra vs Germany vs Australia vs Denmark vs Portugal - which one would you pick and why
🫶🏻
@@VS-yk3guchoose Austria 🙌
As a Portuguese I feel a bit conflicted about this video. I hope you take the chance to live in Portugal and get to know what is now your culture...
Rightfully so. Citizenship is not something we should hand out left and right.
his family was kicked out of their country, of course he is entitled to become a citizen
I also feel conflicted about this video. I am left feeling that it's a huge privilege to gain citizenship and it almost seems like it was given "too easily" and to someone who doesn't seem that interested in the country. Maybe I have misinterpreted what was presented in the video? If you choose to gain citizenship in another country someone should learn everything possible about the country, live there for at least some of the time, and be immersed in the culture. A passport should be more than symbolic, don't you think. I don't know, there is something kind of arrogant or offensive about how easy and trivial it seems to have obtained this and hey, it's just another passport with little interest in the country. That was my take on what was said and I accept I may have misunderstood.
I think that is why now Portugal changes it and it'll be harder to get citizenship
@@christinecamley
Worth saying we have given out Portuguese citizenship to Russian oligarchs (Abramovich) on regards of this law ....
So happy for you! I have a similar story, I was born in Brazil and have been in the process of getting the portuguese citizenship for the last two years, since my great grandfather was born in Portugal. Four years ago I moved to Germany and have been going through this visa process what it feels like all the time, gathering documents, proving I can live here. I am still waiting for the portuguese passport (which should come until the end of this year) and I am so excited about it! It opens a whole new world of possibilities of places to live and explore :)
Meu bisavô tbm nasceu em Portugal, então da pra conseguir mesmo q não seja avô ou pai?
Did you ever get your Portuguese passport? Hope you did!!
Really great story, and congrats! This brought me back to the excitement I felt when I first got my Italian Citizenship (through jure sanguinis) and passport 10 years ago! And next week I am submitting the documents for my daughter so I can pass this gift onto her.
Wow I remember in your Portuguese language learning video that you wanted to eventually be in Portugal for a bit so it’s nice to see that law gave you the opportunity to become a citizen of such a beautiful country. Congratulations! 🥳
Congrats. I am really happy too as I was given indefinite leave to remain in UK even though I am Brazilian and I am also really proud of myself. I am pretty sure you will love staying in Portugal and I hope you learn Portuguese, it is a lovely language. Also enjoy the Portuguese food, it is awesome.
Oh brother! Talk about the timing of life! When I was considering not doing college, you posted a video about that. I was just talking this week about how I want to move to Portugal and become a citizen like my grandmother... and you deliver this! I appreciate your videos, film, and thoughts more than you know! Also born in Portland, OR. The parallels of life are sometimes just incredible.
I am from brazil and in 2019 I came to Ireland to study english, what I didn’t know was that I would fall in love with Europe. After some surprises researching about my family I arrived in the sephardic law and now I have a Portuguese passport in the same way, I can say that I really understand you
Wow, congratulations!!
Lucas, cê poderia me dar umas dicas de onde posso buscar mais sobre?
your name is faria so you probably have ancestry
It's a disgusting loophole
Congratulations Nate!!!! this is amazing ! I wish you all the best
How shallow and sad to see someone being jubilant because he acquired another piece of paper. As I know there are millions of people who were either born or had lived all their life in Europe and don't have this so-called privilege, and you come along from no where, and bingo you're a European citizen? This world is so unjust and f#@ked up to say the least. The Matrix is so real.
We will only know if we are really in the Matrix in the afterlife 😎
Cool story and I'm really happy that you made it work. Thanks for changing the title Bem-Vindo!
The word “tricked” is a tad insulting for all Portuguese, you might have considered that. Pretty disappointing. Regards from a Portuguese follower. That said, welcome to our family! (EDIT: Nathaniel changed the video title. Major kudos to you fellow Portuguese! ❤️)
I think he just did it for clicks I don’t think he meant to offend anyone
Imagine getting offended by a TH-cam title about exploiting a loophole in your country bureaucracy 😂
@@renaudjacob1111 it's not even a loophole haha, they are literally just taking responsibility (finally) for kicking jews outside of their country.. I hope Egypt does the same now.
@@renaudjacob1111 it isn’t a fucking loophole, it’s by design, it’s THE law.
@@renaudjacob1111 Imagine a bunch of cheating millionaires and clickbait master youtubers taking advantage of a rightful law made to made amends with historical unjustice. Sure bureaucracy can find a loophole to reverse it and take their passports back. And they deserve that happening
Parabéns pela cidadania! Amei esse vídeo! Portugal é um país maravilhoso. Saudades de Lisboa!
Thanks for sharing and the history lesson which was very interesting
Thank you for being real and open in your videos, they are so inspiring and they give plenty of things to think about, to appreciate life, and to think about the huge amount of things we can actually do in it. I'm a native Russian-speaking person, but it happened in my life that I started learning Portuguese for my professional life 4 years ago, exploring the culture and everything. And the funny thing, not knowing yet that you've got Portuguese citizenship I thought that you're somehow connected with Portugal🙃 Thanks for everything you do! Muita sorte aprendendo Português:)
this is beautiful news, congratulations. your idea of slow travel and leaving the US inspired me a lot in life to seek more. thanks :)
watching this video is so frustrating because you are so passionate about being able to enjoy living in Europe and for my whole life I have possessed the citizenship that you desire. Yet, in the 4 years that you have been trying to get EU citizenship, I have completely lost mine due to Brexit. It's annoying that I was once in a desirable situation full of potential and freedom now I have a 3 month limit on time spent in my own continent!
The feels. I lived in Spain for a bit - and now can't go back. So sad about having lost access to such a privileged thing following brexit :'(
I'm a British / Australian citizen and because I live in Germany I have an Aufenthaltstitel (similar to a passport, like a residency permit which enables me to travel freely around the EU)
i feel this entirely!!! this is why i ultimately moved to Lisbon 🥹
so easy to become portuguese. Anyone born in Portugal to a legal parent is automatically portuguese. Anyone born in portugal to an illegal parent is also automatically portuguese. Everyone can get a residence permit through their child and even citizenhip through their child. 5 years in Portugal (legal ou illegaly) even if all 5 years are as illegal migrants and a portuguese born child will grant you portuguese citizenship
Welll you can apply for a portuguese newest visa to look for work in Portugal ( recentely aproved) your child is born in Portugal while you hold the visa it automatically becomes portuguese. If you are a retiree 5 years in Portugal to the non habitual resident programm no taxes and citizenship after 5 years.
This video explains history so amazingly. My wife and I have also undertaken the same process. She received her citizenship in June 2023, and I am currently awaiting the final registration.
The way you presented the historical information was excellent, and we are both thrilled to become Portuguese citizens and reconnect with our ancestors. It's a joy to continue their legacy, embracing our proud Jewish heritage without any limitations.
Discovering our roots and embracing our Portuguese heritage has been a deeply meaningful journey, and we're grateful for the opportunity to honor our past and shape our future as proud Portuguese citizens.
Thank you for sharing this enlightening video!
As Sefardic Portuguese with old family in Portugal, I hope you honor your new nationality, starting to learn Portuguese and history of this country with 900 years old.
weird how a white american who is in europe for entertainment is able to get citizenship easily. whereas refugees and migrants who are black / brown and have lived here for many many years are still barred. Yes, i understand your family history is a fraught one and understand their horrible treatment/exile, but that was centuries years ago and does not affect your present life, whereas european people of colour in the present year 2022 are still suffering from racist citizenship laws
PARABENS NATHANIEL!!!
Love this! I'm in the process of seeking out citizenship in Jamaica because of a bizarre family story with my great grandparents as well. This is inspiring. You are indeed a global citizen. We all are! Congrats!
Parabéns! I was expecting this to happen; it was clear that this was a possibility! I'm Portuguese and a long-time follower, and I always thought you looked a bit Portuguese :)! Welcome!
I went through the same process from Argentina. Took 4 years, plus having to deal with an embassy! My reaction was the same as yours. My Great Granfather came from egypt to. So hits close. Congrats fellow portuguese!
Your editing is another level seriously, I love watching your videos! They're perfect, I feel like I'm watching a movie.
Hey! Portuguese fan living in Belgium here ahah, this is so bizarre and giving me weird feelings xD at the same time it's so cool and I wish I could discover more of my ancestors and roots too! congrats Nathaniel, bem-vindo :D and I love the color of our passport ahah :D Also super cool how you explained the religion history, we're not exposed to it as we grow up, really important to know more about it. Respect for all
I’m so happy for you! Congratulations!
I got my citizenship after living in the country for 13 years, regularly making some insane trips to the border and back through the whole country just to get a stamp, arranging documents proving things I was too young to have, feeling humiliated by abusive customs officers and needing to give up shitloads money for bribes. For me, 4 years is not that much and your process seems pretty smooth and friendly anyway ;) congrats!
Oh wow where did you grow up ?
I'm a Moroccan citizen with Andalusian roots (We kept the spanish surname and we also kept a lot of andalusian cultural specificities). Spain decided in 2015 to grant spanish nationality to expelled Sefardic during the inquisition for the same reasons as Portugal. We can discuss if this is fair or not but what I don't understand is why I cannot ask for the same when my family (who were converted muslims) was expelled from Spain to Rabat (Morocco) at the same moment in time and space as the sephardic jews of Spain, under the same Real Decreto of King Alfonso the 13th. I even still know the city where we were expelled from (Hornachos) in Extremadura, near of Portugal ! There's a dutch documentary called "Children of Al-Andalus" that adress the issue and I recommend you to watch it and make an opinion of your own. Love your videos Nathaniel !
Nathaniel, i really like your videos, but i don't know if you're realizing the problem. The way how you simply got a passport in Portugal without having ever lived here, and having no portuguese family is a big big problem and one of the main reasons for gentrification problems here in Lisbon, Portugal. It ain't funny at all, and only creates more inequality
There are people living and working here for years and years that still don't have a passport, paying taxes etc.. talking about white privilege
I just want the portuguese comments to have more likes so more people see it. He knows nothing about portuguese culture and he's just some tourist taking advantage of stupid laws
But his family WAS portuguese. His family IS part of portuguese history. They were forced from their homes. If he isn't allowed to be a citizen, who should be?
I agree and I don't think Nathaniel sees this. I may be wrong. Maybe it's age? No matter how mature 24 is very young. But I think even a specific family history it's too easy to obtain this passport and it isn't used properly. There should be a huge interest in living in the country, immersing in the culture, contributing to the country, etc. The point is totally missed.
Our people explored the entire world for hundreds of years. Now is time for people to get a piece of the cake.
That's so amazing. Congrats! This is such an inspirational story.
Congratulations! I've been following your journey for years. And now you are not only a homeowner in Paris, but are also a Portuguese and EU citizen. As an American trying to move there too this is very inspiring.
Congratulations !!!
Congratulations! I remember you posting about this a few years back, and we both started roughly the same time, except I went through Spain and will literally be holding my passport next week. I couldn't be more excited.
So do you feel you also “tricked” Spain?...
@@joaomramalho1 absolutely not. I'm grateful for the door Spain opened. But they did not make it easy, 4 years of traveling, paperwork & probably the hardest challenge in my life .
My grandparents are literally from Spain and I can't get a Spanish passport :(
@@billypilgrim1 I'm sorry about that, I wouldn't be suprised if Spain will eventually pass a law for your situation one day. but let me tell you, this did not come on a silver plater. Spain put me through the ringer x10 to make this a reality.
@@billypilgrim1 that’s strange. Both Portugal and Italy give you nationality of if you have just one grandparent of Portuguese or Italian origin.... Have you properly researched that option?
Wonderful bro, congratulations
Congrats on the citizenship and thank you for also mentioning the controversy with regards to this visa (the Abramovic story).
You are now European!
P.S.: be careful not to call “Pastéis de Belém” ever “Pasteis de Nata”. People from Belém don’t like it, it’s a big rivalry between the pasteis from Belém and those from the rest of Lisbon (de Nata).
Congrats!! My Italian citizenship and passport also took four years and so far has been 1000% worth the mountain of paperwork involved. Way to go for sticking with it!
Why did it take four years? I thought if you have the paperwork and an appointment it’s straightforward (assuming jure sanguinis)
Congrats. Also an American that found my way to EU citizenship (but via marriage) and also incredibly grateful for it. I encourage you to stay and spend more time in Portugal. It’s an absolutely fabulous culture. In some ways super traditional and family oriented, but also socially progressive in a lot of ways. Enjoy the sunshine and fabulous food.
Why are you congratulating a parasite? This guy has zero to do with Portugal.
@@TheMountainBeyondTheWoods how is he a parasite if he is a productive self-sufficient money making member of society? He isn’t taking any services from any govt or even living in Portugal. Maybe you need to look up the definition of the word parasite.
@@roseam14 he's taking advantage of a stupid program that will give him rights he shouldn't have. He's taking advantage of a loophole that shouldn't exist. The guy has zero to do with Portugal, he's not Portuguese. Go defend people like this somewhere else.
@@TheMountainBeyondTheWoods it’s Portugal’s law. He isn’t “taking advantage” of it, he is entitled under it to citizenship. You may not like it, but it is the law. 🤷🏻♀️
@@roseam14 you're right, I shouldn't have called him a parasite, after all, he's just taking advantage of one of the many ridiculous loopholes that this joke of a country has. It still doesn't make it right, and the guy has zero connections to Portugal. You idiots think a country is just there to cater to your own personal wants and needs.
i found out i had sephardic ancestry and was actually rushing to apply, but finding the documents of all my ancestors was a lot. I found a few, but not all. so i actually just decided to drop this endeavor yesterday. what a timing. i looked for videos like this on youtube, but no one who's gone through the process has made one. at least i couldn't find one. glad this happened to you!
Santi, good luck, they can be anal retentive if you can't have a full proof of everything. i would have thought a genetic test would clear things up but nope.
@@PHlophe Hii! I decided not to continue with this because I need more time to find all the docs, but there might still be an option with Spain, which is the one I actually want, since my ancestors come from Spain and not Portugal. Spain stopped its law in 2019, but they had a previous law in 1924. We'll see. If not, I'll go live there and get citizenship after two years, since aside form being America, I have Latin American citizenship, which Spain grants citizenship to Latin Americans in 2 years.
portuguese citizinship without speaking portuguese and knowing shit
Gratz and I appreciate the candid moments with the lady behind you and at the end, those were fun:)
I find these laws granting citizenship distasteful and seeing as how they in no way apply to North Africans, many of whom can trace their ancestry back to the Moriscos, I think they're blatantly racist.
In light of the scandal with the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, it is clear that these law are also easily abused. A venality that allows foreigners to pay for European citizenship. The Portuguese government has stated earlier this year that it intends to tighten the laws on Sephardic Jewish citizenship and impose further requirements.
I cannot fault you for taking advantage of the law.
However, I think it reflects poorly on you that you would choose to publicize and even glorify your path to citizenship. At no point do you hint at the possible moral ambiguity of your actions or offer a critical assessment of the citizenship laws.
Honestly, watching you sitting down at Gulbenkian and with Ana Marta and Bernardo at CCB is such a joy; I felt that I could be just around the neighbourhood and find you all there. :) I hope this new found citizenship allows you discover more of who you are and by doing so deepen the connections you have with life. Thank you for sharing this with us.
I'm sorry, but as a Portuguese, I do not understand why are we talking about Spanish history if we want to get to Portuguese nationality. Just saying it would have been a good time to talk about Portugal... Since the rest of the world knows literally nothing about Portugal...
I’m from Granada ✨💛 omg, I feel so connected to this video. With Ana Marta I discovered what graphic design is and today I graduate in my graphic design degree!!!! Thanks Nathaniel, maybe, in a few months I’ll be in Porto doing an Erasmus Internship 🙂
As someone who has watched you move from one country to another, I am so glad that they granted you the citizenship that will allow you more peace of mind. Amazing how your roots now enable you to grow even more. A big congratulations! Time to buy a new pair of socks! :)
What fucking roots? You just have to be jewish and to send some money to get a membership into the jewish organisation in Portugal to then be able to claim citizenship.
He just bought is "citizenship".
fascinating video, love your editing style. my husband is a Portuguese citizen and we are working on obtaining my citizenship.
As already mentioned in other comments, this should not be allowed! Very unfair that people who don't have family living for hundreds of years, don't even know the language or the culture, get a passport through DONATIONS to religious communities (funny cuz portugal has a Secular State), especially when there are so many other people who work and form a family here that it takes years to be legalized! As a content creator followed by so many people, you showed a huge naivety typical of a privileged white boy without thinking about the political consequences of his selfish actions. Unfortunately, these injustices only give European nationalist parties more and more power.
You're full of BS, no one gets citizenship by donations. There are tons of documentation that goes along with it- like maternal ancestors names on the Spanish Portugues inquisition rolls that the country still keeps. People are so jealous, and if they were never persecuted and kicked out of the country or killed, their families would STILL be in the EU today
That's fantastic news! Good for you!
A donation to a Jewish community in Porto… enough said…
I noticed it as well. So this guy paid a bribe to Jewish community in Porto, whish in turn is paying bribes to Portuguese politicians.
Portuguese will feel sorry, this way they let in the country ppl who have no interest in Portugal, at all. Russians will bring their mafia with them.
Congratulations, Nathaniel!
I love Nathaniel but these citizenship laws we have in EU are ridiculous. Most people use their Italian and Spanish passports to travel to other countries, instead of living in respective countries that gave them the passport in the first place in an attempt to lure them in to move there.
Exactly. Really disgusting
You don't know how happy this videos makes me.... I've been in the process of getting my citizenship for almost a year now and I've gone through the process or proving the Sephardic background. We had to dig 15 generations to get to our ancestor, and when I got the letter from the Sephardic Group of Lisbon ... I can't even describe the feeling.
One more year to go, and I'll probably be living the live I've always wanted.
Cheers, man
Did you secure your Portuguese Citizenship may I ask? I do hope so.
I just applied as I am Jewish Sephardi Portuguese origin, but as you know the new rules for applying make a successful outcome virtually impossible.
Parabéns Nathaniel! After traveling 100 countries / some many times, and living in over 20, I’m now in Portugal and find it super special. Now that I can see it as a foreigner too 😊 I love it even more! May you always be welcomed here 🌼 and may this new passport bring you the freedom you want!
How exciting for you!
This was so smug as to be unbearable. I would've agreed with ND, had he railed against the actual notion of passports (which were only meant to be temporary during WW1 and NEVER got rescinded), railed against Big Government, paper pushes and the craziness of whether you're lucky enough to have a 'good passport'. But no, he got lucky being born and bred in America and he's on a worldwide jolly, a modern day Fitzgerald.
I met someone in 2004 with a Serbian passport - he was only able to travel to 4 countries.
💰, 🍀, 💬👵
Yay for you!!! I'm anxious over inexplicable CdS delays, so I feel your joy. (Also: kind of jealous of your visit to Pastéis de Belém...Best pastéis in Europe!).
I'm currently on my European chapter. I moved to England in February and every video you've posted since about setting up bank accounts, and visas, and finding a home here, I relate to incredibly deeply right now. I'm so excited you found yourself an EU passport. As a Canadian, I understand the struggle a foreign passport can create.
Unfortunately due to Brexit, I'm stuck in the same situation Nathaniel was in (even in England), I happen to very likely have that same history so I'm going to try to get an EU passport as soon as I can. I want to leave the UK
Wow, the editing and style of this video. Especially the historic part and the „dot style“ typography blow me away!
So cool! Portugal is such an awesome country!!! Btw, tu mama es absolutamente adorable, big fan de tus papas!!!
I feel a bit conflicted. As I am from a German decent and It took me 6 years to gain citizenship in Germany. It was a huge privilege as a nuclear engineer, but I believe citizenship shouldn't be granted as easy. But I am happy for you. Enjoy exploring the word.
It's so shitty that the world is carved up and people cannot move freely as they wish.
I am one of those lucky ones with Irish born parents. My citizenship was already recognized and I simply had to supply the necessary documentation. So I am both a Canadian and Irish citizen. I am urging my nieces and nephews to apply since Irish law allows citizenship if a grandparent was born in Ireland.
Congratulations!!! I'm so happy for you!!
Ahh this is so great! Temos que fazer a nossa festinha portuguesa e celebrar 🇵🇹 come back soon!
I don't know exactly how I found your channel, but I remember when I started following you while you were still moving to Mexico I believe. I've enjoyed your videos whenever I get to see them and It made me really happy to learn that you got a portuguese passport. 😊
SO happy for you! The way you told the story of this chapter was utterly captivating. I'm still processing the grief of not being in the EU anymore here in the UK 😢😢😢😢
BRAVO Nate! BRAVO!
Cool videos. Beautiful family. You live in France? Congratulations, you now have to comply with US, French, and Portuguese tax regulations. I hope you spoke with an expert, there aren’t many experts.
Big Congrats! We just returned from our 6 months in Central America, now roaming around with our Van discovering our Home: Europe :) Big fans for years, keep up the great work!
beeing a german and EU citizen myself, watching your videos gives me a whole new perspective on the european lifestyle that I take for granted every day. I‘m happy that you, too, found a home and safe space here! 😊
CONGRATULATIONS NATHAN!!!
I've been in the same process but for Italian citizenship for the last 3 years. It's in its final stage. I hope it comes soon, you make me feel happy already cause I feel I'm gonna have the same reaction and happiness you're showing now. Congrats!!
I just applied for the Italian citizenship through the 1948 rule ! Hopefully in a year and a half i will be European as well, fingers crossed :)
Hay Nathaniel, very happy that you're now a Portuguese citizen! As a Brazilian of Portuguese and Italian ascend, you're kinda twice my compatriot, that's nice. And welcome to the CPLP, the community of Portuguese-speaking countries! I hope you have a good time learning our language - "a última flor do Lácio, inclulta e bela", as Camões would say.
4 and a half years and counting for me to be eligible for Portuguese citizenship. And I actually live here. I CANNOT wait!
did you have to get the permanent residency first?
@@ibrahimo7762 yes, I have residency and after 5 years you are eligible for citizenship.
@@angeliquemechel sabes falar português?
Congratulations!!!! I’m so happy for ya Nathaniel!! Make the most our of this opportunityLife gave you! All the best!
Pretty good history man, in my case my entire family leaves Italy for live in Argentina in the 1890. That's why I can get the Italian citizenship. Well done!! A European Passport is a key on this days. Cheers!!!
Saludos desde Córdoba papuuuuuuuu!!!! 🇦🇷 🇦🇷
By the way Nathaniel can claimn also argentinian citizen if his dad was born in Argentina ☺️
@@ezequielluisenriquez5931 absolutly!
Portugal!!!! My heart lives there. I’m currently working on getting Italian citizenship. 🤯 thanks for sharing this 🎉 super excellent
Portugal recently passed a law that made it way harder to qualify for Sephardic Jewish Descendants that will become active on September 1st. They now want a "connection to Portugal" which means that you inherited property or have consistently travelled to Portugal throughout your life, essentially making it almost impossible for Sephardic descendants to qualify. Most Sephardic Jews do not live here anymore, so I do not know how in the world they want people to qualify this way.
As for Spain their period for citizenship expired. You can qualify for citizenship after two years of residing legally in Spain if you are of Sephardic descent.
They have required “ties to Portugal” for all others trying to gain citizenship through other means than Sephardic Jewish ancestry, such as through grandparents, etc.
Congratulations!. Beautiful story.
Nathaniel's storytelling skills are absolutely amazing!
Congrats! I'm really quite happy for you and hope you will make more videos in your new country. Take care, DA
Tell me about white priviledges. Somehow another kind of priviledges seem to not being that bothersome.
It's a shame Portugal is giving citizenship (and by extension EU citizenship) that easily to jews basically in exchange of money.
A real fucking shame.
Edit: also I didn't even watched the video but I'm pretty sure he will at some point make a tearful statement about his ancestors getting thrown out of Europe. You guys could tell me if I was right or wrong.
Lived in Portugal my whole adult life, took me 12 years to get the citizenship. Happy for you 🤍
Love your vibe man! welcome
Her 'meh' feelings/ explanation of how she feels about her country is so foreign to me. I'm so deeply rooted in my culture/ country that I had a hard time accepting her POV. But obviously I understand 🤗
Congrats Nathaniel! Amazing journey!
As a Portuguese citizen, I find this disrespectful, specially because, for some people, that were born here and have lived here for over a decade, is extremely difficult to get a citizenship. I would totally get if you got a strong connection to Portuguese roots, but doing this just so you have an easier time travelling around Europe is kind of revolting. Can't say that I'm happy for you, or that I emphatize with your cause
I definitely understand the sentiment, but your anger would probably be more fair (& potentially more useful) if directed at the government/the system that allows for situations like the one you described, and is clearly seems to be flawed and ineffective in that aspect. No need to blame average, every day individuals on the internet.
Exactly. People are dying on boats to escape war thorn countries and persecution and still don’t have a right to citizenship, but this lad (from a first world country) can because his family had to escape persecution 700 years ago. I’m sorry, but no! Typical American privileged mentality.
@@mfbj1 yes, this is the thing. He doesn't even seem to care about the fact that he is a citizen, or all this entails. He's just happy he can stay longer, and seems proud he "tricked" the system. Of course our government is to blame, even though we have a better policy on refugees than many European countries. Thing is: Portugal does not have good opportunities for those who are poor or need to restart their lives from the ground. However,.it is a great, and corrupt, place for privileged people who enough money to spend and claim they are "done" with the USA. For me, tho, this kind of behaviour is perpetuating the American mentality
Same here, I'd rather see asian and african immigrants get their passport. They work their asses off and get nothing in return, meanwhile, this guy literally just wants to stay in Europe longer in order to get some sort of extension on his vacation.
Sure, the govrnement is to blame, but it's not like he's devoid of ethical responsability. What annoys me the most is the portuguese people in the comments that feel like he cares about our culture. He literally just ate a pastel de nata and said that the country was beautiful, that's lower than the bare minimum. There should be some sort of test with historical and cultural related questions in order to get the passport, even if you have jewish ancestry
@@joaofigueiras1106 totally agree. There are a lot of people that have to do a Portuguese test to get Portuguese citizenship, eventhough they attended Portuguese schools, with Portuguese curriculum. It's a totally unfair system and it breaks my heart to see all African, Asian and even South American (specially brazilian) fellows who contribute to our growth and, even so, sometimes don't haveany rights or a place to live in
Super happy for you, man!!