250 applicants, most of them from Turkey, have already received official certification that they qualify for Portuguese citizenship under a new law which grants citizenship to descendants of Jews who were forced into exile in the 16th century, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.
Applicants have to provide proof of connection to the Sephardic Portuguese community, and applications are vetted by the Jewish communities in Lisbon and Porto.
The law took effect in March, and a similar law will take effect in October in Spain.
The candidates, unlike others applying for Portuguese citizenship are not required to relocate to the country, and their application is expedited as well, being notified between six to 12 months as opposed to six-seven years.
A spokesman for the Porto Jewish community said 900 people had already applied for citizenship, out of which 250 applicants already received positive responses, while Jose Carp, president of the Lisbon Jewish community said he received an additional 500 inquiries on the issue.
However, Carp said that the people who have made inquiries "have absolutely not been thinking about relocation" and that for them, the citizenship is rather a tangible proof of an emotional connection to Portugal.
i24news
Portugal approves Sephardic Jew citizenship plan, 5 centuries after persecution
Turkse Sefardische Joden worden weer Portugees
