6 advantages of a European passport and how to acquire it

The advantages of a European passport, for example a Portuguese passport, which it is important to know

While each passport has its own advantages, in recent years we have increasingly witnessed the phenomenon of Israelis examining how to obtain European citizenship.
It is estimated that currently almost one million Israeli citizens already hold a European passport, and there is at least two million others who are entitled to European citizenship but have not yet exercised their right.

The European passport is ancillary to acquisition of European citizenship and may be issued to anyone whose application is approved by one of the EU countries.
If you’re wondering whether it is worthwhile to obtain a European passport, the answer is unequivocally yes.
A European passport offers more advantages (and actually no disadvantages), and obtaining it does not require you to relinquish your Israeli citizenship.

Following a law passed in both Spain and Portugal in 2015, it was decided that Jews who can prove their bloodline to ancestors who were expelled from Spain may obtain a European passport.
The process of obtaining a European passport for the descendants of Spanish and Portuguese exiles is complex and may take up to two years.

Who is entitled to a European passport and how is entitlement determined?

The European passport may be obtained after you prove that you are indeed descendants of Jews who were expelled from Spain and forced to relocate to another country.
Many of the Jews who were expelled from Spain settled in countries such as, amongst others, Morocco, Greece, Turkey, Algeria, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Bulgaria.
If your family indeed immigrated to Israel from one of these countries, your entitlement to a European passport may be checked.
A connection to the Spanish expulsion may sometimes be indicated by surnames, such as:
Attias, Garcia, Atia, Hayat, Mousari and Peretz (This is a partial list from amongst thousands of relevant surnames.)

The holder of a European passport is entitled to visa-free entry to the United States, to work in many countries around the world, including all the European Union states, to study abroad, and to a range of other opportunities.
The amount of time you will have to wait from the moment the application is submitted until an answer is received ranges from one to two years, depending on which country you submitted the application to.
Moreover, the requirements for obtaining the passport are different in each European country.
For example, the eligibility requirements in Spain are more stringent than those in Portugal.

If that’s the case, then what are the advantages and what rights does European citizenship confer?

1. To live and work in EU member states.

One of the principal advantages is that a European citizen and passport holder can live in any European Union member state.
This is an amazing and not-to-be-taken-for-granted opportunity, which enables a European passport holder to choose where he wishes to live his life and establish his family.
Moreover, a person with a European passport can work and run his various businesses without restrictions in each of the European Union countries.
This significantly enhances employment prospects, financial earnings, and business opportunities.

A European passport also offers a significant advantage in the job market.
For example, Portuguese citizens and passport holders can legally work in all European Union countries (in the same way as if they had a work visa, but without any time limit), as well as in other countries throughout the world.

Many Israelis wish to develop their careers and find exciting and rewarding job opportunities, which they cannot always do in little Israel.
In Europe on the other hand, there are quite a few countries with abundant employment and economic opportunities, which people flock to from all over the world in order to work and earn a livelihood.

It is important to note that working in Europe without a European passport is illegal, and if the law enforcement authorities catch you, you could face a punishment which includes a heavy fine, deportation from the country, and in many cases a passport entry prohibiting you from returning to it for many years.
This passport entry could also affect the issuing of a visa for other countries which may be located outside of Europe, such as Australia and the United States.

2. Thinking about visiting the United States or traveling the world?
   The European passport makes this possible!

Many people dream of traveling around the world and to the United States.
But for many, this remains just a dream, as every desirable country requires the issuing of an entry visa, and does not necessarily permit everyone to visit.
The reasons for these difficulties are numerous and varied and this is not our focus here.
The advantage of a European passport in this regard, lies in the fact that a European citizen can visit the United States without the need for a visa.
Entry to the United States is granted to European citizens without unnecessary complications, and the same applies to other countries across Europe and around the world.
Those without a European passport may encounter many difficulties and sometimes even rejection.

3. Subsidized academic studies for European passport holders and the possibility of receiving scholarships.

Another prominent advantage that is hard to ignore is the opportunity of engaging in fully subsidized academic studies in Europe.
Most European Union member countries have universities and colleges of higher education offering high-quality and advanced degrees and courses which European passport holders can attend for free or at a low cost.
Scholarships for higher degrees are also available provided that the applicant is a citizens of a European Union member state.

The rule is that the rights which apply to a local citizen equally apply to any other citizen holding a European passport.
However, in certain cases, receiving the majority of rights reserved for local citizens of the country in question is contingent upon prior residency in that country.

When thinking about meaningful and enriching studies, many turn their eyes towards the continent of Europe.
However, this option is not always available to those who do not possess a European passport, because in most European countries there is local student demand (citizens and European passport holders). Even in cases in which an Israeli student is already accepted, he is often forced to pay exorbitant tuition fees.
The Portuguese passport, for example, enables access to subsidized education in many countries across the continent, while simultaneously saving you a considerable amount of money.

4. Are you interested in real estate and seeking tax and customs benefits?

In almost every one of the advantages that we have mentioned so far, the economic aspect stands out.
There’s a reason why people say it’s easier to live in Europe than in Israel.
The proof of this also lies in the fact that European citizens can purchase real estate in Portugal and in any other European country, while enjoying tax and customs benefits reserved exclusively for citizens of European Union member states.

5. Obtaining a work permit in Australia, the United States, and other countries.

People throughout the world are dependent in many ways on their income and economic situation, and the country in which they live does not always enable them to exist and earn a living as they wish.
The opportunity to board a plane, move to another country and work there legally is almost non-existent if you only possess Israeli citizenship.
In contrast, those holding a European passport can obtain work permits in various countries (not necessarily in the continent of Europe or in European Union states), such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, and others.
This option significantly increases the European citizen’s employment prospects, his income, and also enables young people to experience both work and travel simultaneously.

Receipt of healthcare as provided to local residents in all European Union member states

Are you interested in obtaining a European passport with its many advantages in one of the aforementioned countries?