There have been articles published in the Goanet in the past about the Portuguese nationality law. Hopefully we will see soon the changes effected by the new nationality law passed only a couple of days back. It guarantees right of nationality to those whose parents and grandparents were born in the "national territory". It is not yet clear if this means only continental Portugal or also includes former "colonies" which since 1950's were declared to be provinces of "Portugal" overseas. If the new law restricts the parentage to ascendants born in "continental" Portugal (including perhaps also Azores and Madeira) then most Goans who have their cases pending may be left disappointed!
I share the concern and annoyance of Bonifacio Lopes, but I doubt the Portuguese consulate in Goa or any other responsible authorities in Portugal have the obligation of divulging any confidential information on the Goanet or any other public forum. However, some pressure through Goanet, Goa-Portugal forum, and other such forums that give news about relations between Portugal and Goa could help to force greater transparency about the burocratic processes related to this issue and to force the Portuguese Foundations and other bodies who seek cultural collaboration with India (particularly in Goa) to exercise pressure upon their own Government to give priority to this issue. Teotonio R. de Souza Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2006 20:25:09 -0500 From: Bonefacio Lopes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [Goanet] PORTUGUESE PASSPORT To: [email protected] Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Could someone enlighten on the status of Portuguese Passports? I had applied in 1995 now nearing 51 years but till date no news,presume that i will get it and all the others waiting in vain like me either at the time we reach the death bed or should we say passport to the Grave. Such issues should be followed strictly by GOANET and all other writers and readers, we start an issue and if its not gaining enough popularity on the net we forget. Who can help all those Goans waiting in dark to secure the Portuguese Passport which is their right? Any one who can follow from Portugal if we give our file numbers ? Any Goan ready to take this challenge to help all those who could not afford to grease palms at the Portugese Consulate and hence are in a fix till date? Any one who can inform the readers that the consulate has finished issuing the passports ending until which year. Merely speaking portuguese and reading articles on the net in portuguese is not much of use, what could be appreciated is can those affluent and the so called aristocratic Portuguese speaking people help those Goans who do not know their status of their Portuguese Passports? Let's not just talk on this but act fast.
