A new online petition is gaining traction, urging the Portuguese government to make a significant change to the passports of Portuguese citizens born outside the country. The initiative, launched by members of the Portuguese diaspora, calls for an amendment to the law so that passports of citizens born abroad would only display the name of their city of birth, rather than the country.
The petition, initially signed by Carolina Cristina Gonçalves Machado Varela, addresses the President of the Assembly of the Republic and Members of Parliament. It emphasizes the strong connection the Portuguese diaspora maintains with their homeland community and requests equal rights regarding the structure of the Portuguese passport.
Signatories argue that the current distinction between Portuguese citizens born in Portugal and those born abroad is illogical. They point out that for citizens born in Portugal, only the city name (such as Porto, Braga, or Lisbon) appears on the passport, and they are requesting the same treatment.
The petition also highlights that many European countries, including Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Hungary, and Switzerland, already implement a similar policy. In all passports issued by these countries, only the city of birth is mentioned, even for citizens born abroad.
The initiators believe this change in Portuguese law would align the country more closely with the practice adopted by most European nations and express appreciation for each citizen’s birthplace, regardless of its geographical location.
“We hold the city where we were born in high esteem and we want this to be reflected in our Portuguese passport,” the petition states. It also notes that even among those born in the same foreign country, there are distinctions in cities of birth that should be recognized.
The petition is currently open for online signatures, with organizers hoping to garner widespread support from the Portuguese community both in the diaspora and in the homeland. They view this as a step towards equality and a recognition of the diverse origins of Portuguese citizens worldwide.
As the petition gains momentum, it remains to be seen how the Portuguese government will respond to this call for change in passport regulations.