Indians Pursue Portuguese Passports as an Entree to Europe

Anyone who was living in the Indian state of Goa in 1961 – when colonization by Portugal officially ended – or who had an ancestor living there at the time, can still obtain a Portuguese passport and thus have indirect access to much of Europe. During decolonization, the Portuguese made arrangements so that all inhabitants of “Portuguese India” would retain some of the rights of Portuguese citizens, including the right to obtain Portuguese passports. Decades later, this arrangement, coupled with the European Union’s visa-free travel among member nations, gives the holder of a Portuguese passport nearly unbridled access to Europe and European jobs. In addition, however, the agreement facilitates the immigration of fugitives and Indians with no ancestral link to Goa who acquire Portuguese passports by taking advantage of poor structural and administrative organization in India. – YaleGlobal