Spanish citizenship is extended to grandchildren

[a.murias]

Is there any way I can keep track of this piece legislature? I am currently in the process of looking for a job in Spain in order to relocate and apply for nationality after the required year. My grandfather on my father's side was born in Asturias and later moved to Cuba during the depression. This new law would make things much easier for me. Does anyone know when it will pass?

[rojiniec]

Dear Art,
Thank you for your reply. Is the citizenship for grandchildren of Spanish nationals applicable to my mother in law? her grandmother was Spanish whose surname was Serra mas deu from Barcelona, she lost her citizenship when she married a Filipino due to the Laws in the Philippines but a few years later this law was changed. Do you know where else I could inquire online about this? Appreciate your reply.

Thanks,
Rojinie R. Cortes

[Terechu]

I have just joined today....because I was interested in the topic posted about grandchildren of Spaniards being able to get Spanish citizenship. I wonder if anyone can advice me ...I am helping my mother in law obtain her Spanish citizenship but don't know where to start. Her Grandmother was a Spaniard married to a Filipino. Her father was born in the Philippines but late in his life was able to get his Spanish citizenship with the help of my mother in law who flew to Spain and worked out his documents . I think he got it via an amnesty... I'm not sure but she was also able to work out the citizenship of her 2 younger 1/2 siblings. unforunately she was told she was too old. Currently she would like to get her citizenship but feels it is too complicated. I would like to help her and maybe if she can get it her son and daughter may be able to get it too. Would appreciate anyones advice on how to start.

Hi rojiniec, if your mother-in-law has a Spanish-born grandparent she will be automatically eligible for Spanish citizenship. The Ministry of Justice has approved the project, which now only has to be passed by the "Cortes" (Parliament), probably by the end of this year or early 2008.
I believe the best you can do is call up the Spanish Consulate General nearest you or else the Spanish Embassy in Manila and find out the details.
If you can read Spanish, here's a good link of "grandchildren", who are getting organized.

http://groups.msn.com/nietosporlaciudadania

[Terechu]

Is there any way I can keep track of this piece legislature? I am currently in the process of looking for a job in Spain in order to relocate and apply for nationality after the required year. My grandfather on my father's side was born in Asturias and later moved to Cuba during the depression. This new law would make things much easier for me. Does anyone know when it will pass?

Hi Murias,
Here's a link of "nietos de españoles" with lots of info. They have a group in the USA and one in Cuba. It is estimated that as many as 6 million Cubans are eligible and at least half a million Argentinians. In other words, start looking for your grandparents' birth certificates or passports, because there will be an avalanche, because even those who have no intentions of coming to Spain will benefit from a EU-country citizenship quality abroad (pensions and health care in some cases)

http://groups.msn.com/nietosporlaciudadania

[rojiniec]

Dear Terechu,

Thanks for your reply. I will make sure to tell my mother in law about this. I just don't know if she has her grandmothers birth certificate. We will definitely inquire about all this at the Spanish consulate here in Manila.

thanks once again,

Rojinie Cortes

[dandybal]

When I read about your website yesterday, I was very interested about the topic of grandchildren of Spanish emigrants eligible for citizenship. I went to the Spanish consulate in New York to inquire how my husband can apply for Spanish national as his grandfather was born in Spain. My husband's parents were born in the Philippines as well as my husband. I was told by the Spanish consulate in NY to come back in three months with my husband as there is a new law that granchildren of Spanish emigrants can be eligible for citizenship. So, I am trying to gather all the information about my husband's grandparents. His grandfather was born in Cadiz, Spain in 1872 and arrived in the Philippines in 1896. Does the civil registry of Spain still has a record of his birth certificate. I don't know where to start and to whom to go to. So, can anyone help or enlighten me on this matter? Thank you

[Terechu]

Dandybal, if you have the exact birth date, i.e. full name, place and date of birth, you might be able to get a copy from the online registry of the Ministry of Justice.

The central registry in Madrid, for all Spaniards born abroad, is at the following address:

Ministerio de Justicia
Registro Civil Central
C/ Pradillo 66
28002 Madrid

I should also add that they are busting at the seams and totally overworked. So brace yourself...they might be a couple of months replying.

[NZraul]

Hola todos,

Does any one know of any recent updates or developments regarding this topic? I've searched online everywhere and everything seems to be at a stand still at the moment.

¡Felicidades!

Raúl

[joserafael]

Hola Raul,

There has been progress, however, it is not useful to either of us. Since last year, the previously proposed changes have been modified to be more focused to individuals who were deprived spanish nationality as a result of the Spanish Civil War. The grandchildren of such exiles will be able to opt for nationality without the one year residency while the children of those exiled will be able to opt for "espanol de origen". I understand there is still a possibility for us in the future.

I have obtained my grandfather's baptismal certificate as there was no "registro demografico" in Puerto Rico during the time when my grandparents were born. I will probably seek a formal opinion from the Spanish Consulate regarding opting by one year residency as I really don't care to do the one year residency only to discover some other techinical glitch has complicated matters. Once I complete the one year residency, I can then apply for nationality by one year residency. The process can then take up to two years!!! I'm told I need to linger around in Spain during that time. I will see if Carlos will email me his attorney's details so as to get a more current and realistic picture.


joserafael

[Carlos]

José Rafael, I have sent you my attorney's e-mail address via private message.

Greetings

[Bob]

http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2007/12/27/p ... -53416.pdf

[NZraul]

Hola José Rafael,

I found an article in El País over this very topic. Its possible you have seen it already in your research:

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/ultima/Q ... iult_1/Tes

http://www.boe.es/g/es/bases_datos/doc. ... xtlen=2415

According to that El País article, it looks like there have been cases where Puerto Ricans have reclaimed their Spanish citizenship.

Furthermore, after writing to Puerto Rico's Registro Civil I have now obtained both paternal grandparents birth certificates and my father (who is 80) is willing to reclaim his Spanish citizenship if he can.

We'll see how things turn out.

Best,
Raúl

[joserafael]

Hola Raul,

My father who is 81 and also interested in recouping his Spanish nationality tried to get his father's birth certificate at the Registro Demografico of his town. His father was born 1877. My dad was told that the RD was not in existence at that time and therefore his only option was to get the baptismal certificate from the catholic church which he did. I suspect that the Spanish government has the records of the Registro Civil which was in existence in 1877 in PR, however, I don't know how to go about accessing those records. May I ask what you mean by the Registro Civil in your posting? Which Registro Civil did your father contact and what birth year did you access? I suspect perhaps your grandfather may have been born later than mine and therefore you were able to access those records more readily.

Indeed there have been a number of Puerto Ricans who have reclaimed nationality. At the MSN groupsite for nietos esperando, there are statistics which note one person in 1992 however, other records note a larger number. If I find the reference, I will post it.

Ideally, I would want the option of nationality noted as "espanol de origen" however, I suspect the best will be my dad recouping his and my opting.

[joserafael]

Raul,

Thanks for those references. The legal opinion is very disconcerting. As there are cases which have been approved, it would be critical to know in what circumstances, approvals have been granted. I suspect they may have been in cases of those whose grandparents had been born on the Iberian Peninsula rather than in the Province of Ultramar!

Cheers

[Bob]

Forum members who are children or grandchildren of Spanish citizens, and who wish to obtain Spanish citizenship (including dual citizenship) themselves, may wish to watch http://groups.msn.com/nietosporlaciudadania for information as the new law enacted late last year is interpreted and filters down to the embassies and consulates.

The webtsite is entirely in Spanish. It has a general section as well as sections that are specific to various contries, including the US, Cuba and most Latin American nations.

I would be very interested in learning how the new law has been received in Spain. What have various members of the government said about it? When will the final interpretations be codified? More specifically, for those of us born in foreign countries who have fathers who are (or were) Spanish citizens by virtue of their parents' nationality, will we be able to claim citizenship ourselves without the one year residency requirement? How will the upcoming elections affect all of this?