Everyone advertising European citizenship today is promising you something. I'll tell you upfront: it's not 100%, but it is the only option left.
Keep reading anyway, because the numbers I'm about to show you are exactly why I still offer this route - and why it can still be worth it for you.
First: The Real Situation, No Marketing
Three doors through which Israelis obtained European citizenship over the past decade have closed:
- The Spanish route for descendants of the expelled (Law 12/2015) - closed to new applications in October 2019.
- The Portuguese route for descendants of the expelled - repealed by the new nationality law that took effect on May 19, 2026.
- Standard Spanish naturalization - requires ten years of legal residence in Spain.
There is currently no bill on the table to reopen the Spanish route. Spanish-descent communities have requested it more than once, and the government has not responded.
The Number No Other Advertiser Will Put in Front of You
In 2025, under Pedro Sánchez's government, Spain as a whole granted 35 citizenships through the Carta de Naturaleza route. In the first half of 2026 - two. These are official, published figures from the Spanish Ministry of Justice.
You read that correctly.
So why even open this page? Because a low number isn't zero, and because Pedro Sánchez - who, as we know, isn't especially fond of us - is, by every forecast, due to be replaced very soon. And this is where we come in: we know there's a difference between "not granting" and "granting to whoever files a case that deserves to be approved."
And Why I Still File These Applications
First - historically, this was the route for Spanish Jews. Between 1994 and 2019, Spain granted citizenship via Carta de Naturaleza to 5,627 people. 5,254 of them were descendants of Spanish Jews - over 90%. This category isn't a marketing invention; it's the dominant category in the route's history.
Second - the Spanish government itself defined it this way. When Law 12/2015 was introduced, it was written that this route, being a Council of Ministers decision, remains subject to the discretion of successive governments. The law came to replace discretion with criteria. The law has expired - the discretion remains.
Third - experience. I have guided hundreds of descendants of the expelled toward Spanish citizenship through this route. Most of that work took place during a period when the government granted citizenships on a large scale, so I do not present past successes as a future probability. But I know how to build a case of this kind, and what separates an application that gets read from one that gets thrown out.
The Model: 10 / 90
Because a result cannot be guaranteed, the fee is not priced as if it could be.
| Amount | For |
|---|---|
| On filing - only 10% / €1,000 | The actual work: gathering and locating documents, powers of attorney, fees, apostilles, translations, certifying Spanish origin, building and filing the case. |
| On receiving citizenship - 90% | The remaining fee is paid only if the case succeeds. |
It's important to say this plainly: the filing fee of one thousand euros is non-refundable. It pays for work actually performed, whether the outcome is positive or negative. If you see it as a deposit that comes back if things don't work out - don't file.
What it does buy you: a case filed the way it should be, by a Spanish lawyer in Israel who has done this hundreds of times, with 90% of the price still riding on the outcome.
Who This Is For, and Who It Isn't
This is right for you if:
- A thousand euros is a sum you can let go of without it meaningfully affecting you.
- You understand the answer may take time, and you're prepared to wait, because this is the only option left.
- You have genuine Spanish origin that can be documented through a family name, family tradition, or lineage.
This is not right for you if:
- You need European citizenship for a specific purpose on a fixed timeline.
- A thousand euros is a sum that would hurt to lose.
- You're looking for someone to guarantee 100% that it will work out. No such guarantee can be given.
Questions & Answers - No Sugar-Coating
What are the chances my application will be approved?
No one knows. What is known is that more than 5,254 descendants of Spanish Jews have received citizenship through this route in the past, but current figures are far lower.
If it's this unlikely, why would I pay a thousand euros?
That's a question each person has to answer for themselves. If the payoff in case of success - European citizenship for you and your children - is worth the risk to you, file. If not, don't.
Is the thousand euros refunded if I'm rejected?
No. It pays for the work actually performed, whether the outcome is positive or negative.
How long until there's an answer?
There is no fixed timeline. Carta de Naturaleza is not subject to decision deadlines like ordinary administrative procedures, and the process can take years.
I previously filed under Law 12/2015 and was refused. Does that matter?
Yes. You may have a better route available: a refusal under that law can be challenged through administrative appeal and in court. 1,314 applications were approved on appeal, and another 135 following a court ruling. Talk to us before filing a new application.
Will the Spanish law be reopened?
As of today there is no such bill. A political shift could change the picture in the future, but there is no certainty or promise of that.
Bottom Line
The doors in Europe have closed. This isn't a marketing slogan - it's a fact that can be verified against the official records of these countries.
What remains is a narrow, old, and uncertain opening. I know it well, I'm prepared to work it for 10% of the price and wait for the remaining 90% only in case of success, and I present the numbers upfront that others don't show you.
If after all this you still want to try - I'm here. If you've decided not to, that's also the right decision, made with the full picture.
Want to check your eligibility and origin?
An initial, no-obligation review with the office of Adv. and Notary Yehuda Leon Asseo.
More DetailsThe information on this page is general, current as of the update date, and does not constitute legal advice or a substitute for it. The statistics are based on publications of the Spanish Ministry of Justice and are updated from time to time. Carta de Naturaleza is granted at the sole discretion of the Spanish authorities, and there is no guarantee regarding the chances of success or the outcome of an application.