Spain and Portugal have both passed laws granting citizenship to people with Iberian Jewish ancestry. The S&P Sephardi Community of London have been asked by the authorities in Spain and Portugal to provide confirmation of applicants’ ancestry where appropriate. Today we are launching a new service through our website at www.sephardi.org.uk/about/genealogy/apply/

The Spanish and Portuguese laws require applicants (who do not need to be Jewish) to prove their descent from an Iberian Sephardic ancestor. Once the applicant has supplied the necessary evidence, the S&P Sephardi Community will issue a letter to either the Lisbon or Porto communities, or the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain.

At this stage we do not know how many British citizens qualify under the new laws, however it may be in the tens of thousands. Two of the principal daughter congregations of the London congregation were in Barbados and Jamaica. People with ancestry in those communities will also qualify under these laws.

For more information, please email [email protected]