Panaji: Portugal may be one of the poorest in the 17-nation in eurozone, but
that has not deterred many an Indian to opt for citizenship of that country.
With a financial bailout for the debt-ridden country more likely the Portuguese
are apprehensive of what holds in store for them in coming days and months.
54-year-old Portugal citizen Antonio Pereira hailing from Borim village in Goa,
a former Portuguese colony, has not concerned of what will happen in the event
of a financial bailout for the debt-ridden country and the austerity measures
that lay in store for him and his family. He is one of the hundreds of
Indians from the Estado de India who have opted for Portuguese citizenship
after renouncing his Indian citizenship and now works in UK.
Prime Minister Jose Socrates' resigned on Wednesday after parliament rejected
the government's latest austerity plan. The austerity plan - the government's
fourth in a year - was aimed at avoiding the need for a bailout for Portugal to
help it meet debt repayment obligations, a package similar to those granted by
the International Monetary Fund and the European Union to Greece and Ireland
last year. Analysts have estimated that an international financial rescue for
Portugal would cost between 50 and 100 billion euros, according to an AFP
agency report.
Portugal’s green and red coloured flag is at the centre stage in India. The
bandeira de Portugal is the focal point on a giant billboard in Goa, in western
India, for all to see. Agents specializing in Portuguese Nationality and
Passport consultancy services have emblazoned the flag to attract people in the
western state of India, eager to migrate to Europe.
The advert, says “Portuguese Nationality (for Indians), Attestation and
Submission of documents.”
The striking advert is one of the many that have popped up in the state and
which have proved so popular with hordes of people eager to give Goa a miss and
take a flight to Europe.
The green in the flag represent hope. Likewise, hundreds of Indians from the
Estado da India are holding hope and making a bee line to get the Portuguese
citizenship. For many, the Portugal window is a perfect opportunity to
migrate to Europe as Portugal is part of the European Union (EU).
Residents from the Union territories of Daman and Diu, Nagar and Haveli besides
Goa which were Portuguese colonies till 1961 have accorded the special option
to become Portuguese citizens by virtue of jus solis, ie, because they or their
ancestors were born in Portuguese colonies (Antigo Estado da India Portuguesa).
Goa was a Portuguese territory for more than 451 years, up to 1961.
“Portugal is not granting Goans Portuguese citizenship. They are already
Portuguese citizens by virtue of having been born in Estado da India Portuguesa
or by virtue of being descendents of those born there. Goans born before 1961
do not become naturalised citizens of Portugal because they always were
Portuguese citizens and retained their Portuguese citizenship after 1961,
according to Portuguese law. To avail of Portuguese/European citizenship
rights, you need to register your birth in Portugal,” said Lisbon based
Attorney Pedro Rodrigues, a Goan-origin advocate, who traces his roots to Moira
village in North Goa and who specializes in the Portuguese Citizenship.
For Indians like Antonio and many of his fellow unemployed Indians the
Portuguese citizenship is a ticket to an improved lifestyle. But, for most of
them Portugal is not there final destination, where they will seek a job.
With a crippled economy and not many jobs for the locals in Portugal, the
Indians prefer to play their trade elsewhere in Europe. Their favourite country
is UK and then comes France.
Selma Carvalho, http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/author/ author of
the book Into The Diaspora Wilderness says : “The Goan who has made his way to
the UK through the Portuguese passport-holding route, is predominantly settled
in Swindon, Reading and other areas conducive to first-generation immigrant
settlement. They come from the lower socio-economic groups of Goa, with minimal
education and inadequate proficiency in English. Once here, they take up
janitorial and factory jobs. But given their resilience and propensity for hard
work, they do remarkably well in the UK, within a span of five to ten years.”
Then language is another barrier. A minuscule population of Goa is
familiar with spoken Portuguese and those opting for Portuguese citizenship
find themselves lost for words and lose their face in front of passport
officials in Portugal.
But that is changing in Goa, thanks to Instituto Camões, a public institution,
part of the indirect Government administration, endowed with administrative and
financial autonomy and its own assets, pursuing the aims of the Portuguese
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the areas of culture and education with a
network of Leitorados, Centros de Língua and Centros Culturais established
abroad under a Cultural Exchange Programme with third countries.
“Centro de Língua Portuguesa/Instituto Camões in Goa conducts language
courses, Levels A1, A2 and B1 following the Common European Framework of
Reference for Languages: learning, teaching, assessment, which corresponds to
basic, elementary and intermediate courses respectively. Every year we have
around 80 and 100 students learning Portuguese language and culture at our
premises. Institute Camões is in Goa since 2001 and has signed in January 2007
a M.O.U. with the Goa University. The Department of Portuguese at the
university offers a post graduate course (M.A.) in Portuguese Literature and
Culture. In 2009-2010 we had 16 enrolled in M.A. in Portuguese Literature and
Culture and this year 12 students. Some of our students come from New Delhi and
other parts of India,” says Delfim Correia da Silva, Director, CLP/ Instituto
Camões –Goa.
“The Dept. also offers language courses, Basic, Intermediate and Proficiency.
In 2009-2010, 48 students have concluded their four months intensive course. In
2010-2011 the Department of Portuguese also offers Portuguese Language as
optional and credit courses. There are also several local institutions
conducting classes in Portuguese language, namely the Indo-Portuguese
Friendship Society/Fundação Cidade de Lisboa and the Centro Cultural
Communicare. Centro de Língua e Cultura Portuguesa (CLCP) at the Smt.Parvatibai
Chowgule College of Arts and Sciences in Margão with whom Instituto Camões has
established a M.O.U in July 2008 is also offering Portuguese intensive language
courses to the their Higher Secondary and B.A. students and to students from
outside as well. Portuguese language is part of the curriculum of the High and
the Higher Secondary Schools in Goa. It is an optional language from stds.VIII
to XII for more than 700 hundred students,” she adds.
Those migrating are not just uneducated youths but educated youth who don’t
find jobs of their choice in India. Many Goans who have opted to get migrate to
Europe via the Portugal route were former footballers ploayign for different
clubs in India. The players had no productive employment after their football
careers came to an end and opting for Portuguese citizenship was the quickest
thing that came to their mind.
“Migration of Goans will continue in the near future given that the
opportunities available for their children (Goans) in the Developed World are
simply not there in Goa. UK is a welfare-state. Their health
requirements are taken off by the NHS, their children's education is free
of cost and there is a reliable safety-net in terms of unemployment and
disability benefits, which quite a few of them claim,” says Carvalho
But, the process of Portuguese citizenship is not a long drawn process
involving a lot of paper work and endless trips to various government offices
in search of the documents.
The Portuguese authorities tighten the noose after notorious gangster Abu Salem
broke through the loose ends of the system to get Portuguese citizenship.
Since then the Portuguese authorities have been insisting on the Police
Clearance certificate.
According to information available, nearly 1,200 Goans have acquired Portuguese
passports in the last three years.
The chances are by and large that at some point of time, the Portuguese
government may crack the whip and say enough is enough vis a vis - Portuguese
citizenship for former colonies. Till now, Portugal have been resisting
pressures from UK and other European countries in closing the doors of
citizenship for residents of former colonies.
In recent times with Bulgaria and Romania joining the European Union, the
migrant workers from India are facing competition in the cheap unskilled labour
market.
Even as UK deliberates to keep a check on illegal migration to the country more
and more people are registering online to get an appointment to submit their
documents to the Portuguese Consul-General in Goa. The process of securing
appointment itself takes close to one to two years.
http://www.consuladoportugalgoa.com
“The chances are they (Portugal) may close it down (granting of citizenship).
So it is better to complete the formalities. Never be late and regret at a
later date,” says Rodrigues .
So, there is mad rush to cross the finish line and it is not restricted to
residents of Goa but for residents of Daman and Diu, Nagar and Haveli who burn
the midnight lamp in Panaji, the capital of Goa, to submit their documents to
the Consul-General in Goa.
Indians based in different parts of the world who trace their roots to the
former colonies have been pushing the panic buttons to get Portuguese
citizenship.
“The craze to acquire a Portuguese passport is not restricted to Goans based in
Goa. Goans based in Australia, Persian Gulf and Kenya are inquiring about the
process and the documents required to acquire a passport. I get calls and
emails from different parts of the world. The task is not simple as done. But,
certainly more hassle free and little paper work compared to getting a
citizenship of other European countries,” says Rodrigues.
According to Portuguese lawyer Miguel Reis three million Indians from the
former Portuguese colonies are entitled to Portuguese citizenship, but only a
small minority of them has registered their claim.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/145346/three-million-indians-entitled-portuguese.html
The 50th anniversary of Goa’s decolonisation coincides ironically with 500
years of the Portuguese arrival here in 1910. Several Portuguese institutions
will be joining hands to commemorate the 500 years with a major international
academic symposium on contemporary Goa and its history to be held at Lisbon’s
Catholic University. In November last year, the Portuguese training vessel
Sagres on a voyage to commemorate 500 years of the Portuguese arrival at the
Orient and the Far East, drew strong protests from freedom fighters and saffron
groups after it berthed at Mormugao harbou, says a Decan herald report.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/149095/portugal-still-denial-over-goa.html
Portugal’s ties with former colonies like Goa also extend on the sporting field
with Goa Football Association availing of the services of a Portuguese coach
for its football youth development programmes.
As India does not support dual citizenship, the moment you become a Portuguese
citizen you have to surrender your Indian passport. One becomes an alien
in his own land. But that’s a price worth paying feel hundreds of Indians.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
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