by EUDO Citizenship expert Alberto Martín Pérez

On 11 June the Spanish Congress passed the law facilitating access to citizenship for Sephardic Jews. It will enter into force on 1 October 2015 and will open the gate for a three-year period in which Sephardic Jews from all over the world will be able to apply for Spanish citizenship without a residency requirement in Spain. Another salient aspect of this law is that it removes the obligation to renounce a previous nationality for Sephardic Jews.

Two sets of criteria have been introduced. The first refers to evidence of being a “Sephardic Jew native to Spain”, the second to special connections to Spain. 

Applicants can prove the former condition by submitting: a) a certificate by the President of the Permanent Commission of the Spanish Federation of the Jewish Communities; b) a certificate by the president of the Jewish community of the area of residence or the birthplace of the applicant; c) a certificate by a rabbinic authority legally recognised by the authorities of the country of residence of the applicant; d) a certificate of the use of Ladino or Haketía as family language or other evidence proving a tradition of belonging to the Sephardic community; e) a birth certificate or a “ketubah” (prenuptial agreement) or a marriage certificate indicating that the ritual followed Castilian traditions; f) a motivated report by an entity with proven competence, demonstrating that the applicant’s surnames indicate Sephardic descent; g) any other circumstances irrefutably proving the condition of being a Sephardic Jew native to Spain.

The special connection with Spain can be demonstrated through: a) certificates of education on Spanish history and culture issued by official public or private institutions; b) a certificate of knowledge of the Ladino or Haketía languages; c) inclusion of the applicant or his/her family in the list of Sephardic families in Egypt and Greece protected by Spain, or in the list of those who were granted naturalisation by the Royal Decree of 20 December 1924; d) a relation of direct descent of the applicant with someone included in the these lists; e) engagement in cultural, economic and philanthropic activities in Spain or in support of Spanish persons or institutions, or support of institutions oriented to the study, conservation and diffusion of the Sephardic culture; f) any other circumstances irrefutably proving a special connection with Spain.

There is an application fee of € 100. This is the first instance in which fees are required for naturalisation in Spain. Applicants will also need to pass two new tests that have so far not existed in Spanish citizenship procedures: a Spanish language test at the European A2 level from which Sephardic Jews living in Spanish-speaking countries are exempted, and a new citizenship test evaluating knowledge of the Spanish Constitution and social and cultural life of Spain.

For more info, read the news report in WSJ and El País (English version).