3) Portugal Citizenship by Sephardic Descent. In this web in english (you have the spanish version in www.nacionalidadsefardies.es), we inform you about the procedure and conditions for applying for Spanish Citizenship for persons from all over the world with Sephardic Origin.If your name is PREZ, GONZLEZ, LPEZ, GARCA, MARTNEZ, RODRGUEZ and many others, or LEVY, COHEN, SAMUEL, PERRY, and many others Citizenship Info | Seattle Sephardic SPANISH CITIZENSHIP On June 11, 2015, Spain approved a law that enables descendants of Sephardic Jews expelled as a result of the 1492 expulsion to receive Spanish citizenship. According to it, descendants of exiled Jews can obtain a Portuguese passport through the naturalization procedure. In the past weeks, we have published several videos explaining the legal and constitutional reasons why we understand that the certificates on Sephardic origin issued by the US Communities to people from outside that country, would be Practically, the Portuguese Government is ending the nationality concession by imposing administrative rules that are impossible for virtually any applicant of Sephardic ancestry to meet. The Jewish presence in Newport, R.I., dated to the arrival of fifteen Sephardic Jewish families in 1658. This has prompted many to apply for Portuguese citizenship and secure European passports. The Paths to Spanish Citizenship. There has been a major change to the rules for people applying for Portuguese citizenship based on Sephardic ancestry. The law offers Portuguese citizenship to Sephardic Jews. The law stipulates an open application period starting on Oct. 1, 2015, for a period of two years, with a possible one-year extension. Applicants Lists of surnames allegedly accepted by the Spanish government for their former citizenship scheme are hoax. According to the new laws passed by the Portuguese Parliament, European Nationality will be granted to any person (Jewish or non-Jewish) who can prove that they are descendants of at least one Jewish parent or grandparent that is of Sephardic origin. For citizenship applications, I only take on clients who I believe have a reasonable chance of obtaining Portuguese citizenship. A week remains if you are a Sephardic Jew who wishes to establish Spanish nationality. Even though the changes will not be retroactive, the new provisions will restrict the number of candidates to Portuguese citizenship. By Getty Images. Sephardic Jews and descendents can also maintain their original citizenship to have dual nationality. The law was introduced so that the Portuguese government can grant citizenship to the descendants of Sephardic Jews who were expelled from Portugal. This FAQ Sephardic Jews and Portuguese citizenship, addresses many issues regarding applying for Portuguese citizenship as a descendant of Sephardic Jews. Can a non-Jewish person apply? sephardim .com. Finally, most individuals who approach us regarding Spanish Sephardic citizenship wish to obtain dual citizenship with Spain. The Portuguese government recognizes that there was significant interaction throughout the Sephardad (modern-day Portugal and Spain). Because of this any historical links, either Spanish or Portuguese, will qualify you for citizenship and a passport. There is no deadline for the Portuguese Sephardic citizenship program. In 1677 they bought land for a burial ground, but religious services were held in private homes until property for a synagogue was purchased in 1759 and a building was completed and dedicated in 1763. Who can apply for Spanish citizenship as a result of the Citizenship Law for Sephardi Jews? You can apply for Spanish citizenship after 10 years of legal residence in Spain, but there are exemptions. Belgium, along with Sweden and France, has some of Europes lowest citizenship obstacles. EU policies aim to ensure the free movement of people, This law authorizes the exercise of the right of return for Sephardic Jews descendants of Portuguese origin that so wish, through the acquisition of Portuguese nationality by naturalization, with its attendant rights and obligations. The Portuguese government have allowed for descendent of Sephardic Jews from the Iberian peninsula to reclaim their ancestral roots through formal citizenship. Descendants of Portuguese Sephardic Jews expelled from Portugal in the 16th century can acquire Portuguese Sephardic citizenship if they can demonstrate belonging to a Sephardic community of Portuguese origin. Sephardic Citizenship. Gender, Labor, and Migrant Rights in South Korea. This process takes approximately 1.5 years. Yes, it is possible to be granted citizenship if you have Sephardic ancestry but that alone doesnt allow you to obtain Spanish citizenship. Sephardic Citizenship Our International Legal Services is an experienced and professional firm of lawyers and advisors with branch offices over 15 countries around the world. Once the applicants marriage registration (and if relevant, registration of children) is submitted to Portuguese authorities, the applicant can apply for a foreign spouse through the marriage citizenship option. If your ancestry is from any of the following Were a portuguese law office engaged in the citizenship to Portugal and with several cases approved for the last 5 years. This procedure takes about 1.5 years. HARDCOVER, PAPERBACK, EBOOK 2016. Around 30,000 Jews whose ancestors were expelled from Portugal during the Inquisition in the 15th century are believed to have obtained Portuguese citizenship to date. Requirements include having a Portuguese Sephardic name as well as familiarity with the language. You might be wondering what all the hubbub is surrounding this law. But, wait a moment! Proof can be confirmed by the following possible evidentiary means, assessed as a whole: a) Certificate of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain. Sephardic-Citizenship has offices in Panama, Israel, Chile, USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Venezuela, Spain, Portugal, Colombia, Mexico and now UK. Unfortunately, the Portuguese Law ignorant of Sephardic genealogy references some surnames. To obtain Spanish citizenship you will need to swear loyalty to the King and promise to obey the Spanish Constitution and laws. Most British applicants with good genealogy do not use a lawyer when applying for Portuguese Sephardic citizenship. However, the changes are not retroactive and do not impact past applications. I have twenty years experience researching Sephardic Jewish genealogy. Sephardic descent is a factor in a successful application, however, there are also other criteria you need to fulfill. The Portuguese flag waves on August 28, 2014 in Lisbon, Portugal. Mobile, Alabama at the time In 2015, Portugal enacted the new Decree-Law 30-A/2015. Claims that these and other alleged Sephardic surnames qualify you for Portuguese citizenship can even be found on some lawyers websites. According to the Decree-Law no. The information in this site used to appear on the site www. This is due to Portuguese Sephardic Jews being expelled from Portugal in the 16th century. The Sephardic Diaspora and the Practice of Pan-Judaism in the Eighteenth Century. It is a work in progress, but provides links to most of the genealogical sources of which I am aware. Organizing a citizenship file, which is the last step of the application, might be taken care of by our attorneys when the applicant offers all the requested paperwork. This is the list of the basic 6 documents required: 1) Letter issued by the President/Rabbi of a Jewish Community, This letter has to be from the applicants place of residence or place of birth, certifying his/hers Sephardic origin. The history of the Jews in Turkey (Turkish: Trkiye Yahudileri / Trkiye Musevileri; Hebrew: Yehudim Turkim, Ladino: Djudios Turkos) covers the 2400 years that Jews have lived in what is now Turkey.There have been Jewish communities in Anatolia since at least the fifth century BCE and many Spanish and Portuguese Jews expelled from Spain by the Alhambra To resolve the denial of citizenship to Sephardic Jews back in the 15th century, the government of Portugal implemented the Decree-Law 30-A/2015. Of them, approximately 34,000 have been granted citizenship, and another 22,000 still await a response. Currently, much of my work is helping applicants for Portuguese citizenship under the Sephardic nationality concession. I have twenty years experience researching Sephardic Jewish genealogy. Some 20%-30% of the 13 million or so Jews worldwide are estimated to have a lineage tracing back to the Iberian Peninsula. Law 12/2015 establishes a new process by which all those who can prove that they are descendants of Sephardic Jews and who have a special connection with Spain may obtain Spanish nationality. Algerian War and exodus This extends to nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, or persons of Sephardic origin. Also known as the Sephardic Law, the 2015 legislation grants Portuguese citizenship to descendants of Jews More than 500 years later, both Spain and Portugal passed legislation that would offer citizenship to descendants of Sephardic Jews. ; : : : 673 000 725 000 : 310 000 350 000 : 50 000 80 000 : 37 500 60 000 : 35 000 : 31 500 40 000 : 30 000 60 000 : 30 000 Over half of Spain's Jews had converted to Catholicism as a result When it comes to the visas that can be obtained by foreign nationals, it is important to note that these must be obtained by non-EU and non-EEA He paid the fee of 250 euros and began proceedings to obtain Portuguese citizenship. The Expulsion of Jews from Spain was the expulsion from Spain following the Alhambra Decree in 1492, which was enacted in order to eliminate their influence on Spain's large converso population and to ensure its members did not revert to Judaism, many Jews in Spain either converted or were expelled. Copy and paste this code into your website. The applicant does not need to have a Sephardic name themselves, but demonstrating Sephardic names in ones ancestry can help prove your Sephardic origins. Law on Portuguese Citizenship for Sephardic Jews. Drew is now a citizen of Portugal, and the law does not require him to live in Portugal, speak Portuguese or practice Sephardic rites. In the same way today, Portuguese citizenship is granted by proving that you are indeed a descendant of Spanish deportees. The Sephardic names listed on this site are taken form the references listed below. Exams to get Sephardic Citizenship in Spain. The vast majority of the descendants of Sephardim from Spain are considered descendents of Portugal according to the 30A / 2015 Act. Matthias B. Lehmann. Even though the changes will not be retroactive, the new provisions will restrict the number of candidates to Portuguese citizenship. Passed in 2015, Portugals Law of Return makes it possible for the descendants of Spanish and Portuguese Sephardi Jews across the globe to obtain Portuguese citizenship. 1. In 2015 the national government passed an amendment to the Citizenship Law that made Portuguese citizenship available to Sephardim. The Spanish nationality concession already ended. There has been a major change to the Portuguese nationality law in for Sephardim in 2022. This also applies of Please fill in the form below to get more information. These Jewish communities predated the formation of Portugal and the other Iberian Christian kingdoms. Sephardic Jews around the world have rushed to take up the offer of Spanish and Portuguese citizenship. You may apply if you prove your Sephardic origin and a special connection with Spain, even if you do not have legal residence in Spain. You would first have to prove Sephardic status and lineage, and a special connection with the country, then perform a four-hour Spanish language test and finally pass a citizenship test. The deadline for the 2015 bill granting Spanish citizenship to Sephardic Jews with a connection to Spain is Oct. 1. Sephardic Jewish citizenship. The application must first meet the requirements of the Jewish communities of Portugal in Porto or Lisbon to prove Sephardic ancestry. Currently, much of my work is helping applicants for Portuguese citizenship under the Sephardic nationality concession. This article addresses Sephardic family names, which are important in helping determine ones Sephardic ancestry for Portuguese citizenship. Thousands of people have successfully obtained Portuguese and Spanish citizenship due to the Sephardic Law. Reportedly over three hundred people had been stripped of their new Spanish citizenship by September 2021. It also includes links to longer articles on the topic. Find out everything you need to know about Portugal citizenship in our detailed article. Until recently, there were only two Jewish communities which had received official recognition from the government of Portugal for the purpose of issuing Sephardic heritage certificates used for the Portuguese citizenship process: The Comunidade Israelita de Lisboa (CIL), and the Comunidade Israelita do Porto (CIL). Citizenship for Sephardic Jews. Our lawyers have advised us to encourage people to submit their applications before this date. I. Which are the requirements to get the Sephardic passport in Spain? After Portuguese citizenship is granted, the applicant has the following rights: Obtain a Portugal citizen card. Descendants of Portuguese Sephardic Jews expelled from Portugal in the 16th century can acquire Portuguese Sephardic citizenship if they can demonstrate belonging to a Sephardic community of Portuguese origin. Descendants of Sephardic Jews are eligible to apply, provided they receive the endorsement of a Sephardic community. Here are 4 things Filipinos need to know when getting Spanish citizenship. Getting an A2 or plus level is required in order to grant the passport. In this web in english (you have the spanish version in www.nacionalidadsefardies.es), we inform you about the procedure and conditions for applying for Spanish Citizenship for persons from all over the world with Sephardic Origin.If your name is PREZ, GONZLEZ, LPEZ, GARCA, MARTNEZ, RODRGUEZ and many others, or LEVY, COHEN, SAMUEL, PERRY, and many others Using a lawyer can be expensive, and there is little or no work for an attorney to do unless you have particular complications. Who can apply for Spanish citizenship as a result of the Citizenship Law for Sephardi Jews? Portuguese Citizenship Granted to Descendants of Sephardic Jews. The Portuguese Citizenship Act was passed by the Portuguese Parliament in 2013. A look into the history of Sephardic Jews may enlighten you. Sephardic Citizenship for Asia and Oceania. Also known as the Sephardic Law, the 2015 legislation grants Portuguese citizenship to descendants of Jews expelled in the 15th century. A few years ago, the Spanish government announced that they would begin accepting citizenship applications from those who could establish that they were descended from 15th-century Sephardic Jews. Flexible birthright rules. Decentering Citizenship. Who is eligible to apply for the Sephardic Ancestry Law? Even if you have arrived at this page out of curiously about obtaining Portuguese citizenship and passport, I hope you will take time to learn about the most fascinating community in world history.. The key to obtain Portuguese citizenship might be hiding in your Sephardic last names Spanish citizenship was given in the past, until the law expired in 2019, by proving a connection to the Sephardic community. Beside each listing is a number or series of numbers and letters enclosed in parenthesis such as ( 2 ) ( 6A ) ( 9 ) ( 29 ). SEPHARDIC CITIZENSHIP CANNOT BE REJECTED AFTER SIGNING AT A NOTARY, ACCORDING TO ARTICLE 2 LAW 12/2015. Recently enacted legislation permitting the conferral of Spanish nationality on Sephardic Jews came into force on October 15th, 2015. Portuguese Citizenship Law. Portugal is not Spain. Thus, the Jews of Algeria eventually came to be considered part of the Pied-Noir community, and many fled the country to France in 1962, alongside most other Pieds-Noirs, after the Algerian War. Citizenship for Sephardic Jews. Spanish nationality law refers to all the laws of Spain concerning nationality.Article 11 of the First Title of the Spanish Constitution refers to Spanish nationality and establishes that a separate law is to regulate how it is acquired and lost. Citizenship was restored in 1943, after the Free French took control over Algeria in the wake of Operation Torch. By contrast, passport applications to Spain placed you in a legal maze. Heres everything you need to know about the process: 80% off while supplies last. For citizenship applications, I only take on clients who I believe have a reasonable chance of obtaining Portuguese citizenship. I am a professional genealogist working on Sephardic Jewish genealogy. Any child under 18 who a Portuguese citizen adopts is eligible for Portuguese citizenship. Hae Yeon Choo. Portuguese Citizenship - Get Help Fields marked with an * are required Spains long naturalization period is a problem for some people. Updated March 6, 2022. However, the changes are not retroactive and do not impact past applications. The first exam you will need to pass, in order to demonstrate your basic knowledge of Spanish, is the DELE. In 2015, Spain said it would give citizenship to the descendants of Sephardic Jews expelled during the Spanish Inquisition. Please read the 25 March Read the report by the Sephardic Genealogical Society. There has been a major change to the Portuguese nationality law for Sephardim. Proving Sephardic status: (June 30, 2022 / JNS) The Jewish community of Oporto, Portugals second-largest city, says it has been the victim of an anti-Semitic campaign orchestrated by agents of the state seeking to abolish the Nationality Law for Portuguese Sephardic Jews. The Sephardic citizenship law was set to expire in October 2018 but was extended for an additional year by the Spanish government. A few years ago, the Spanish government announced that they would begin accepting citizenship applications from those who could establish that they were descended from 15th-century Sephardic Jews. Yes, he or she may apply. Portugal allows descendants of Sephardic Jews to get Portuguese Sephardic citizenship. From 2022, the citizenship application procedure involving the Registry Office and the lawyers will move towards the digital platform and the paper-based procedure will be phased out..