Asturian-American Migration Forum

You might be right, but legal reasoning is often surprising. The many reversals may make your case work. I'd ask a lawyer's opinion. I wouldn't be surprised if with good legal representation you got citizenship.

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Tal vez tengas razón, pero el razonamiento jurídico a menudo sorprende. Con tantos reveses hace tu caso más probable. Pediría la opinión de un abogado. No me sorprendería si con buena representación legal recibirás la ciudadanía.

Hi Art.

Great idea! I will consult with a couple of friends of mine who are immigration attorneys. It seems pretty clear that if the law had allowed it, he would have remained a Spanish national.

Annie

Well, I'm no legal authority, but I think it's worth checking.

Bueno, no so una autoridad legal, pero creo que vale la pena averiguar.

Hi

I am still working on obtaining Spanish Citizenship for purely sentimental reasons and perhaps one day retire in Gijon, Salina, or Santa Maria del Mar. It has been a continuing saga and I have posted on this website before on this issue. I have spoken to the Spanish Consulate in NYC and I was taken aback by their lack of desire to help in this situation...but it still hasn't stopped me. In the Ley de Memoria it clearly states that you can apply if one of your parents was orginally a Spaniard and left because of the Spanish Civil War or for Economic Reasons. The man I spoke to today said on because of political persecution reasons and not economic reasons. The law also states that they understand that it will be difficult to find documenation from 80 to 90 years ago. The man at the Spanish Consulate is now saying that you have to have proof from something like the United Nations that your parents were persecuted????? I will be calling again on Tuesday to talk to with someone from the legal department. Do not call the Registro Civil Department that have some sort of issues with the law and will not help you in anyway. My parents actually left because of the War and Franco did kill most of my mother's family..........So wish us luck.

Manny

Wow, that is appalling, Manuel. Do you have to go through the Consulate in NY? Could you go to another office, like the embassy in DC? I wonder if hiring an Asturian attorney would help? Keep us informed of what you learn. Good luck!

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Vaya, éste es terrible, Manuel. ¿Tienes que pasar por el Consulado en Nueva York? ¿Podrías ir a otra oficina, como la embajada en Washington? Me pregunto si ayudería contratar de un abogado asturiano? Dinos de lo que aprendes. Buena suerte!

Hello, all!

Terechu- it's especially exciting to see you here, as my maternal great-grandfather was born in Gijón and it's occurred to me that I may have to pursue birth records there. I've only ever lived in the south of Spain & would love to visit the north, where we still have family!

I have been slowly but surely accumulating documents over the last year or so (as the Boston consulate asked that I come back in February 2009 with my request) but I'm still so unsure weather this will be possible for me / my family.

3 of 4 of my great-grandparents were born in Spain, so I'm fairly certain my mother would qualify but less sure about my brother & I (we're both in our early 20's). For me, also, it is about laying claim to my heritage while I still have 1 surviving grandparent, but I would also love to return to Spain to live. It's where my heart lies.

Thank you all for keeping this thread alive! I wish you all luck and hope we can offer support & help to one another.

Elyse Elvira

My appointment with the Consulate is on the 9th of February...wish me luck!!!


Mi cita con el Consulado es el 9 de febrero....deseadme mucha suerte!!

Definitely. Here's wishing you the best of luck.

Let us know how it goes. Better yet, could you also tell us what they are requiring of you?

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Definitivamente. Te deseo la mejor de las suertes" (¿se dice así?).

Dinos cómo va. Mejor aún, ¿podría decirnos también lo que te requieren?

Hi Manny

I'm Rubén, your cousin, your asturian family wish you the best of luck. Call my mother or send me a mail to know how it was.

Spain has began to issued spanish passports. You can see it here (in spanish, but that's not problem for you)

http://es.noticias.yahoo.com/10/2009020 ... 25e9c.html

Greetings to Lee, Anita, Selina, Alan, Eric and Tara


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Hola Manny

Soy Rubén, tu primo, toda tu familia asturiana te desea la mejor de las suertes. Llama a mi madre o envíame un mail para saber cómo te fue.

España ya comenzó a entregar pasaportes españoles. Puedes verlo aquí (en español, pero eso no es problema para tí)

Saludos a Lee, Anita, Selina, Alan, Eric y Tara

Hello.

I have followed this topic with interest since Christmas when Mexican friends assured me that i was eligible for Spanish citizenship. I'm still confused as to my chances. Do the new regs offer the prospect of citizenship to decendents of economic immigrants or only those fleeing fascism in the 30's?
My paternal grandparents emigrated from a small town in what is now Picos de Europa National Park. My maternal grandfather was also Asturian. My grandmother was from Ronda in Andalucia. All came to the U.S. and settled in Tampa between 1900 and 1905. My father and mother were born U.S. citizens in 1910 and 1917, respectively.
I am unclear as to my grandparents' citizenship status at the time of my parents' birth. What would be my first step? U.S. Department of State? Immigration & Naturalization? My parents' birth certificates?
Sorry to come in in the middle of this and ask you to backtrack, but I am very interested in the possibility of emigrating and obtaining Spanish citizenship.
Thank-you,
Julian Fernandez

There are several routes of obtaining Spanish citizenship (including dual citizenship), as I understand it. One is the political refugee route, but another is simply being the offspring of a Spanish citizen.

One critical issue, in my opinion, is whether or not you have a parent who was a Spanish citizens by birth and who retained that citizenship at the time of your birth. If your grandparents had been naturalized at the time of your parents' births, you may be out of luck. You best bet is to consult and attorney in Spain who specializes in citizenship issues. The law is new and not every consulate understands it yet.

Start by getting birth certificates from your ancestors and tracking down any naturalization documents. The latter are likely to be located in state courts rather than in a national registry if they are from the early 1900s.

Bob,

Thanks for the reply.

In conversation with my eldest living cousin, I learned that while my paternal grandfather became a U.S. citizen, my paternal grandmother never did. So obviously she was a Spanish national at the time of my father's birth. Also, there is unanimous belief among my brother and sisters that my maternal grandmother never changed nationalities.

How do I go about proving the negative to the Spanish authorities? Do you still recommend retaining a Spanish immigration attorney as a first step? Should I try to obtain birth, baptismal and/or death records prior to contacting the attorney?

Again, sorry for going over, what must be to you, old ground. I'm new to this and kind of excited at the prospects.

Julian

I suggest asking for a negative certificate (a statement that there was never a naturalization to US citizenship) from the appropriate authorities. That would probably involve both the US government for more recent date and the local state court for older dates. I don't know when the change was made.