Spanish Congress passes historic law granting citizenship to Sephardic Jews
- Posted by GandiaLawyer
- Posted in News
Spain’s Congress finally passed the much-anticipated Sephardic ancestry law, which will open the doors for thousands of people across the globe to obtain Spanish nationality if they can prove they are descendants of the Jewish community expelled from Spain in 1492.
Those who are interested in acquiring Spanish citizenship will not have to give up their own nationality or be required to move to Spain, according to the new law.
The law establishes the procedure that must be followed in order for Spanish nationality to be granted. Applicants need to produce either a Jewish community certificate or an ancestor’s marriage or birth certificate to support their Sephardic ancestry. They also have to demonstrate that they have some links to Spain through family, knowledge of Spanish, or contributions made to Spanish organizations.
Those interested have a three-year period from the time the law goes into effect (1st October 2015) to apply for citizenship, and will have to take a mandatory integration test covering Spanish language, culture and customs, which is set by the Cervantes Institute, the government agency that promotes Spain and its culture around the world.
Applicants from Latin American nations are exempt from the language test and will be able to submit their paperwork online.
If you want to know more or help with this application then do contact me.
Carolina Just Miró
