0
Off

OPPOSITION TO THE ACQUISITION OF PORTUGUESE NATIONALITY | NATURALIZATION | AUTOMATIC EFFECTS OF CRIMINAL CONVICTION | FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF ACCESS TO PORTUGUESE CITIZENSHIP

 

 

Constitutional Court, judgment no. 497/2019, 26.09.2019

 

JURISDICTION: Constitutional

CASE: 321/17

SUBJECT: Constitutional appeal

RAPPORTEUR: Lino Rodrigues Ribeiro

RULING: The Constitutional Court decides to hold as unconstitutional the norm in Article 6(1)(d) of the Nationality Act and in Article 19(1)(d) of the Nationality Regulation according to which Portuguese nationality may not be granted by naturalization to a person who has committed a criminal offense punishable with a prison sentence up to three years or more, when the penalty applied was suspended in its execution and it was decided not to enter the conviction in the person’s criminal record. Therefore, the Constitutional Court rejects the appeal.

DOMESTIC LAW:

Portuguese Constitution [Articles 4, 15(3), 16(2), 18, 26, 30(4), 36, 64(2)(b), 67]

Law no. 28/82, of 15 November 1982 [Article 70(1)(a)]

Law no. 37/81, of 3 October 1981, as amended by Organic Law no. 9/2015, of 29 July 2015 [Articles 6(1)(d), 11, 12]

Law no. 37/81, of 3 October 1981, as amended by Organic Law no. 2/2018, of 5 July 2018 [Articles 6(1)(d), 9(1)(b)]

Organic Law no. 2/2018, of 5 July 2018 (Articles 4, 5)

Criminal Code [Articles 50(1), 210(1)]

Law no. 57/98, of 18 August 1998, as amended by Law no. 114/2009, of 22 September 2009 (Article 17)

Law no. 37/2015, of 5 May 2015 (Article 13)

Decree-Law no. 237-A/2006, of 14 December 2006 [Articles 2, 12, 19(1)(d)]

Decree-Law no. 237-A/2006, of 14 December 2006, as amended by Decree-Law no. 71/2017, of 21 June 2017 [Article 19(1)]

Constitutional Court, judgment no. 599/2005, 02.11.2005

Constitutional Court, judgment no. 281/2010, 05.07.2010

Constitutional Court, judgment no. 106/2016, 24.02.2016

Constitutional Court, judgment no. 331/2016, 19.05.2016

Constitutional Court, judgment no. 426/2018, 20.09.2018

INTERNATIONAL LAW:

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 (Article 15)

European Convention on Nationality, 1997 (Article 6

FOREIGN LAW: n.a.

PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Oposição à aquisição da nacionalidade portuguesa; naturalização; efeito automático de condenação penal; direito fundamental de acesso à cidadania portuguesa; princípio da proporcionalidade; indício da idoneidade do requerente; tratamento objetivo, igualitário e imparcial das pretensões de naturalização; diversidade de tratamento; tratamento igualitário dos casos; obtenção do status da nacionalidade portuguesa; perda de direitos civis, políticos ou profissionais; demais circunstâncias associadas à condenação; revogação superveniente da norma; atribuição da nacionalidade originária; requisito de “idoneidade cívica”; critério da moldura penal abstrata; pena concretamente aplicada; direito fundamental a não ser privado da cidadania portuguesa; expectativa jurídica; princípios de Direito internacional; “nacionalidade real e efetiva”; cidadãos nacionais de outro Estado; indícios de efetiva ligação vivencial ao Estado que confere a nacionalidade; residência habitual e permanente; cidadãos dos Estados de língua portuguesa; manifesta desconsideração pelos princípios e valores constitucionais; núcleo essencial do direito à cidadania; específico vínculo de integração na comunidade portuguesa; residência em Portugal desde a menoridade; certificado de registo criminal; suspensão da execução de pena de prisão; direito subjetivo à cidadania portuguesa; ligação efetiva à comunidade nacional; competência dos Estados para determinarem quem são os seus nacionais

COMMENTS: Coming soon.

REFERENCES IN THE LITERATURE: n.a.  

 

Download the ruling.

 

 

 

 

Share this comment
Posted inFUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF ACCESS TO PORTUGUESE CITIZENSHIP AUTOMATIC EFFECTS OF CRIMINAL CONVICTION NATURALIZATION OPPOSITION TO THE ACQUISITION OF PORTUGUESE NATIONALITY
Tags“Nacionalidade Real e Efetiva” Attribution of Nationality by Origin Criminal Record Citizens of Portuguese Speaking Countries Citizens Who Hold the Nationality of Another State States' Power to Determine Who Their Nationals Are Abstract Penalty Criterion Other Circumstances Surrounding the Conviction Fundamental Right Not to be Deprived of Portuguese Citizenship Fundamental Right of Access to Portuguese Citizenship Entitlement to Portuguese Citizenship Diversity of Treatment Automatic Effects of Criminal Conviction Specific Bond of Integration in the Portuguese Community Legally Based Expectation Indicative of the Applicant's Good Standing Indication of Effective Life Ties to the State That Grants the Nationality Effective Ties to the National Community Blatant Disregard for Constitutional Principles and Values Naturalization Core of the Right to Citizenship Acquisition of the Status of Portuguese Nationality Opposition to Acquisition of Portuguese Nationality Penalty Applied in the Instant Case Loss of Civil Political and Professional Rights Principle of Proportionality Principles of International Law Requisito de “Idoneidade Cívica” Residence in Portugal Since Childhood Habitual and Permanent Residence Intervening Repeal of the Provision Suspension of the Prison Sentence Egalitarian Treatment of the Cases Objective Egalitarian and Impartial Assessment of the Naturalization Claims