I have the solution to your question:
A new law came into effect in Portugal at the end of May 2006 which in basic terms states that decendants in the first degree are entitled to Portuguese nationality no matter what the circumstances in which they lost their nationality. This is because they are still Portuguese decendants at heart (Decendentes Lusofonos).
In order to apply you must prove that at some stage your parent/s were Portuguese citizen/s, either before they emigrated to South Africa or that they gave up Portuguese citizenship in favour of SA citizenship because of economic reasons.
If they were never citizens, but their parents (your grandparents) were citizens, then your parents will have to apply for their citizenship to be re- instated first, before you may apply for yours.
The application must be initiated in the jurisdiction where your parents are resident and registered with the Portuguese consulate and cannot be made directly in Portugal or from another country such as the US.
The process of the application is based upon certain milestones:
1. Application for re-instatement as a Portuguese citizen;
2. Application for ID document;
3. Application for passport.
For application 1 you must tender the following documents:
1. Application form duly completed and signed by the applicant (this form you will obtain from the relevant consulate);
2. Birth certificate for the country you were born in or are resident in;
3. Substantive proof that you can identify yourself as Portuguese (ie. Portuguese language school reports, letters from community leaders stating that you are an active community member, motivational letters from other Portuguese citizens evidencing your worth as a Portuguese national etc.)
4. Proof that you have adequate medical insurance and that you will not need to rely on social services in Portugal;
5. Criminal clearance certificate.
6. Application fee (ZAR +/- 2000)
These documentary requirements vary from time to time so check with the consulate!
Once you have obtained all these documents they must be translated from English to Portuguese by a registered translator (if you have them done in one lot, this will save you costs!!!!!).
Then the translator's signature (on each document if they are translated separately) must be recognised (assented to) by both the High Court and the Consulate (yip, they charge for all of this!).
Once this process is completed, the application will be checked by the Consulate and the application forwarded to the Department of the Interior in Lisbon for processing. This will take anywhere between 2 and 6 months to process however, if the Consulate approved the application, it is almost certain you will be granted citizenship!
YOU MUST BE VERY CAREFUL HERE AS THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS OTHER GOVERNMENTS HAVE RULED THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL TO HOLD DUAL CITIZENSHIP WITH ANOTHER COUNTRY!!!!
After regaining your citizenship, you must apply for a Portuguese ID card also via the Consulate. This usually takes around 1 to 2 months.
Once you have your ID card, you are entitled to apply for your passport which takes under 1 month.
Hope this helps and I wish you the greatest of luck!!!
PS. O ja, en geniet daai lieflike sonlig in die Kaap!
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