Editing Sephardic Jews (section)

==== Spanish citizenship by Iberian Sephardic descent<!--Spanish nationality law#Sephardi Jews links here--> ====
{{See also|Spanish nationality law#Sephardi Jews}}

In 1924, the [[Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera]] approved a decree to enable Sephardi Jews to obtain Spanish nationality. Although the deadline was originally the end of 1930, diplomat [[Ángel Sanz Briz]] used this decree as the basis for giving Spanish citizenship papers to Hungarian Jews in the Second World War to try to save them from the Nazis.

Today, Spanish nationality law generally requires a period of residency in Spain before citizenship can be applied for. This had long been relaxed from ten to two years for Sephardi Jews, [[Hispanic America]]ns, and others with historical ties to Spain. In that context, Sephardi Jews were considered to be the descendants of Spanish Jews who were expelled or fled from the country five centuries ago following the [[expulsion of the Jews from Spain]] in 1492.<ref>{{cite web |year=2012 |title=Spain to ease naturalization of Sephardic Jews |publisher=Haaretz.com |url=http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-news/spain-to-ease-naturalization-of-sephardic-jews-1.480175#! |access-date=31 March 2014 |archive-date=31 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140331055351/http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-news/spain-to-ease-naturalization-of-sephardic-jews-1.480175#! |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2015 the Government of Spain passed Law 12/2015 of 24 June, whereby Sephardi Jews with a connection to Spain could obtain Spanish nationality by naturalization, without the usual residency requirement. Applicants must provide evidence of their Sephardi origin and some connection with Spain, and pass examinations on the language, government, and culture of Spain.<ref name=rhodesfaqs>{{cite web|url=http://www.rhodesjewishmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/FAQs-for-Spanish-Citizenship-for-Sephardic-Jews.pdf|title=Rhodes Jewish Museum: Frequently asked questions for Spanish citizenship for Sephardi Jews. Date (embedded in the PDF): 3 September 2015|access-date=20 June 2016|archive-date=13 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161213090029/http://www.rhodesjewishmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/FAQs-for-Spanish-Citizenship-for-Sephardic-Jews.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Law establishes the right to Spanish nationality of Sephardi Jews with a connection to Spain who apply within three years from 1 October 2015. The law defines Sephardic as Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula until their expulsion in the late fifteenth century, and their descendants.<ref>[http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2015/06/25/pdfs/BOE-A-2015-7045.pdf Ley 12/2015, de 24 de junio, en materia de concesión de la nacionalidad española a los sefardíes originarios de España] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170722075027/http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2015/06/25/pdfs/BOE-A-2015-7045.pdf |date=22 July 2017 }} (Law 12/2015, of 24 June, regarding acquisition of Spanish nationality by Sephardis with Spanish origins) {{in lang|es}}</ref>  The law provides for the deadline to be extended by one year, to 1 October 2019; it was extended in March 2018.<ref name=extend>{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/politica/2018/03/05/actualidad/1520265130_351979.html|title=El Gobierno amplía hasta 2019 el plazo para que los sefardíes obtengan la nacionalidad|language=es|trans-title=Government extends until 2019 the deadline for Sefardis to gain nationality|newspaper=El País|author=Juan José Mateo|date=5 March 2018|access-date=26 July 2018|archive-date=26 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726233822/https://elpais.com/politica/2018/03/05/actualidad/1520265130_351979.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It was modified in 2015 to remove a provision that required persons acquiring Spanish nationality by law 12/2015 must renounce any other nationality held.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2015/09/30/pdfs/BOE-A-2015-10441.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170522021722/http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2015/09/30/pdfs/BOE-A-2015-10441.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Instrucción de 29 de septiembre de 2015, de la Dirección General de los Registros y del Notariado, sobre la aplicación de la Ley 12/2015, de 24 de junio, en materia de concesión de la nacionalidad española a los sefardíes originarios de España (Instruction of 29 September 2015, from the Directorate General of Registration and Notaries, on the application of law 12/2015, regarding acquisition of Spanish nationality by Sephardis with Spanish origins)|archivedate=22 May 2017}}</ref> Most applicants must pass tests of knowledge of the Spanish language and Spanish culture, but those who are under 18, or handicapped, are exempted. A Resolution in May 2017 also exempted those aged over 70.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.justicia.sefardies.notariado.org/liferay/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=b3919b9d-3027-408b-a00b-81cbc265eea5&groupId=10089882|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802005123/http://www.justicia.sefardies.notariado.org/liferay/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=b3919b9d-3027-408b-a00b-81cbc265eea5&groupId=10089882|url-status=dead|title=Resolución del Director General de los Registros y del Notariado a las consultas planteadas por la Federación de Comunidades Judías de España y por el Consejo General del Notariado sobre dispensa pruebas a mayores de 70 años (Resolution of the Directorate General of Registration and Notaries, of the questions raised by the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain and the Council General of Notaries on exempting over-70s from tests)|archive-date=2 August 2017}}</ref>

The Sephardic citizenship law was set to [[Sunset provision|expire]] in October 2018 but was extended for an additional year by the Spanish government.<ref name="AFPMar8">[https://www.timesofisrael.com/spain-extends-citizenship-law-for-sephardic-jews/ Spain extends citizenship law for Sephardic Jews] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701192724/https://www.timesofisrael.com/spain-extends-citizenship-law-for-sephardic-jews/ |date=1 July 2019 }}, Agence France-Presse (8 March 2018).</ref>

The Law states that Spanish citizenship will be granted to "those Sephardic foreign nationals who prove that [Sephardic] condition and their special relationship with our country, even if they do not have legal residence in Spain, whatever their [current] ideology, religion or beliefs."

Eligibility criteria for proving Sephardic descent include: a certificate issued by the [[Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain]], or the production of a certificate from the competent rabbinic authority, legally recognized in the country of habitual residence of the applicant, or other documentation which might be considered appropriate for this purpose; or by justifying one's inclusion as a Sephardic descendant, or a direct descendant of persons included in the list of protected Sephardic families in Spain referred to in the Decree-Law of 29 December 1948, or descendants of those who obtained naturalization by way of the Royal Decree of 20 December 1924; or by the combination of other factors including surnames of the applicant, spoken family language (Spanish, Ladino, Haketia), and other evidence attesting descent from Sephardic Jews and a relationship to Spain. Surnames alone, language alone, or other evidence alone will not be determinative in the granting of Spanish nationality.

The connection with Spain can be established, if kinship with a family on a list of Sephardic families in Spain is not available, by proving that Spanish history or culture have been studied, proof of charitable, cultural, or economic activities associated with Spanish people, or organizations, or Sephardic culture.<ref name=rhodesfaqs/>

The path to Spanish citizenship for Sephardic applicants remained costly and arduous.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/12/world/europe/spain-approves-citizenship-path-for-sephardic-jews.html|title=Spain Approves Citizenship Path for Sephardic Jews|author=Raphael Minde|date=June 11, 2015|newspaper=New York Times|access-date=16 March 2019|archive-date=27 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190227211834/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/12/world/europe/spain-approves-citizenship-path-for-sephardic-jews.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Spanish government takes about 8–10 months to decide on each case.<ref name="Lusi Portero-2017">{{cite web |url=http://www.rhodesjewishmuseum.org/spanish-citizenship-for-sepradic-jews |title=Spanish Citizenship for Sephardic Jews |website=Rhodes Jewish Museum |date=7 February 2017 |author=Lusi Portero |access-date=1 August 2017 |archive-date=2 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802000600/http://www.rhodesjewishmuseum.org/spanish-citizenship-for-sepradic-jews |url-status=live }}</ref> By March 2018, some 6,432 people had been granted Spanish citizenship under the law.<ref name="AFPMar8"/> A total of about 132,000<ref name=jnextend/> applications were received, 67,000 of them in the month before the 30 September 2019 deadline. Applications for Portuguese citizenship for Sephardis remained open.<ref>{{cite web |title=Spain gets 127,000 citizenship applications from Sephardi Jews |author=<!--not stated--> |website=BBC News |date=1 October 2019 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-49890620 |access-date=1 October 2019 |archive-date=2 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002043615/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-49890620 |url-status=live }}</ref> The deadline for completing the requirements was extended until September 2021 due to delays due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], but only for those who had made a preliminary application by 1 October 2019.<ref name=jnextend>{{Cite news |title=Spain extends deadline for Sephardic Jews to claim citizenship |author=<!--not stated--> |newspaper=Jewish News (UK) |date=14 May 2020 |url=https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/spain-extends-deadline-for-sephardic-jews-to-claim-citizenship/ |access-date=28 May 2021 |archive-date=16 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516002905/https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/spain-extends-deadline-for-sephardic-jews-to-claim-citizenship/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In what appeared to be a reciprocal gesture, [[Natan Sharansky]], chairman of the quasi-governmental [[Jewish Agency for Israel]], said "the state of Israel must ease the way for their return", referring to the millions of descendants of conversos around Latin America and Iberia. Some hundreds of thousands maybe exploring ways to return to the Jewish people.<ref name="nytimes.com"/>