New Mexico residents descended from Jewish families who fled Spain during the religion-driven Inquisition can claim Spanish citizenship thanks to a new law.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports (http://bit.ly/1nx8TAW) that the law administered by the Spanish Ministry of Justice gives descendants until Oct. 1, 2018 to apply for a passport.
The law was created to recognize the expulsion of Jews between 1492 and 1498.
Attorney Luis Portero de la Torre represents the Ministry of Justice and says successful applicants will be able to live and work in Spain as well as other countries in the European Union.
Portero is traveling to different countries meeting with groups to explain the application, which requires documentation and background checks.
An estimated 70,000 applications are expected to be filed.
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Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.sfnewmexican.com
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