Spanish nationality for Sephardim (applications filed under Ley 12/2015)

What to have ready

1. Access to Carpeta Justicia (Cl@ve, certificado digital or DNIe). There you’ll see notifications, status and can upload papers.
2. Your resguardo of the application (CSV) for the sefardí procedure filed before 01/10/2019.
3. Resolución de concesión if you’ve been notified. If not, be patient and keep tracking.
4. Basic documents: passport, NIE/TIE, padrón and whatever they required.

Documentation

1. Certificación sefardí: notarial or from the FCJE submitted originally. They’ll only ask again if it’s missing or doubtful.
2. Antecedentes penales from your country of origin and from Spain, apostilled/legalised and sworn-translated if not in Spanish. Watch the validity: many countries give 3–6 months.
3. CCSE and DELE A2 from Instituto Cervantes, unless you’re exempt (e.g. Spanish-speaking countries for DELE or granted dispensas). If you already uploaded them, no need to repeat.
4. Empadronamiento recent for the jura in your Registro Civil (often not older than 3 months).
5. Resolución de concesión (when you have it) to present at the jura.

Step by step

1. Check your expediente at carpetajusticia.mjusticia.gob.es. You can also check “Cómo va lo mío”: https://sede.mjusticia.gob.es/es/tramites/como-va-lo-mio.
2. If there’s a requerimiento, go to “Aportar documentación” and upload within the deadline they give (normally 10–15 business days). Don’t rush: foreign documents expire and without apostille/translation they’ll reject them.
3. When it’s granted, download the resolución from Carpeta Justicia. From that date the 180 days to swear start counting.
4. Book the jura at your Registro Civil: find your office at https://www.mjusticia.gob.es/es/ciudadania/registros-civiles. If you live abroad, use the Registro Civil Consular (find your consulate on the Exteriores site).
5. Attend the jura with the resolución, ID and padrón. You sign, declare whether you keep your previous nationality (if applicable) and that’s it.
6. Birth registration: the RC processes the inscripción. When they give you the literal or volante, you can apply for DNI and passport.

Time-savers

• Carpeta Justicia first: ‘Cómo va lo mío’ can be out of date for sefardí files. Carpeta is the one that matters for notifications.
• Clear, signed PDFs: if a doc has a CSV, upload the original PDF with the code visible. Avoid blurry photos.
• Be ready before the grant: have a recent padrón and documents ready so you can book the jura as soon as you get the concesión.
• Use the consulate if you live abroad: don’t travel to Spain to swear if you can do it at your Registro Civil Consular.
• Set reminders: 10–15 days to fix issues, 180 days to swear. These deadlines are what typically wreck a file if missed.

Common mistakes that ruin the process

1. Trying to start the procedure now: it’s closed since 01/10/2019. Any website promising to “open a new file” is a scam.
2. Letting the jura expire: after 180 days they can archive your expediente. Late reactions complicate everything.
3. Uploading penales without apostille or sworn translation: automatic rejection. No excuses.
4. Not updating your address/email: they notify you, you miss it and lose deadlines. Update Carpeta Justicia.
5. Not checking the CSV: unverifiable or badly scanned documents = extra requerimiento and delay.