Can I Claim Spanish Nationality?

[Art]

Berodia's comment may be related to this topic, which deals with democracy in Spain:
http://www.asturianus.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3651

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Quizás el comentario de Berodia sea relacionado con este tema, que se trata de la democracia en España:
http://www.asturianus.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3651

[MariaA]

Art,

I wish you luck with your application. I remember you had mentioned that there was some sort of problem with your grandfather's name, appearing in different forms on the various documents? Did that cause any problem for you?

On Friday i got a message from the Consulado Español in PR where I submitted my papers. They say there is a problem because my grandmother's name (she is the wife of my grandfather, who is the Spaniard) appears as "Alicia" on my mother's BC and as "Rafaela Alicia" on my BC. From their message it seems they want me to do some sort of correction! I have to call them on Tuesday to see what directives they give me.

[Art]

Interesting. The employee at the consulate did notice the differences in the names, but had a number of his documents (birth, baptism, marriage, nationality and death) and could explain the differences, so that seemed to have worked at least initially.

I wonder if some of this could be harassment? If the parents and dates match and the names are similar, what's the problem? It's clear that the records aren't particularly accurate, and how could they be? They were created by humans.

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Interesante. El empleado del consulado se dio cuenta de las diferencias en los nombres, pero yo había un número de sus documentos (nacimiento, bautismo, matrimonio, nacionalidad y defunción) y podría explicar las diferencias, por lo que parecía haber sido aprobado por lo menos inicialmente.

¿Me pregunto si algo de esto podría ser el acoso? ¿Si los padres y las fechas son iguales y los nombres son similares, cuál sea el problema? Es obvio que los registros no son particularmente precisos, y ¿cómo lo podría ser? Fueron creados por seres humanos.

[MariaA]

I am afraid there is some sort of harrasment involved as it is the Consulado Español in La Habana that is raising the issue. My file had to travel there because I was born in Cuba. Maybe I'm jumping the gun as to what will be involved but I'm expecting the worse based on horror stories that I have read .

It is not even the name of the Spanish immigrant that is at issue. I guess they couldn't challenge it any other way and are trying to be purists about all the i's dotted and the t's crossed.

I am glad they didn't raise any issues with you. It really boils down to the Consulate that is in charge of accepting or denying your papers. Did they tell you when to expect an answer?

[Art]

Good point. I'd think that legally your grandmother has very little or nothing to do with this.

Charolette reported earlier, "She said to expect it to take 3 to 5 months." I didn't hear anything like that, only being told to wait for a letter.

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Buen punto. Creía que legalmente tu abuela tenga muy poco o nada que ver con esto.

Charolette informó con antes, "Me dijo que se puede esperar que tarde 3 a 5 meses." No he oído nada de eso, sólo que me dicen que espere a una carta.

[enric]

Art, Thanks for all the information concerning the Spanish Nationality. I've read this thread and still have a couple of questions that I hope anyone that has gone through this process can answer.

My mother would like to apply and has all the required documents but she is diabetic and would like to know if a medical record is requested. If so, would a medical condition be grounds for the denial of the Spanish Nationality.

I'm also concerned with applying for myself because I have a DUI record from my younger days and do not know if this would also be grounds for denial. Is a background check required?

[Manuel A Gonzalez]

They didn't ask anything about our medical conditions...You need to hurry up the deadline is in December.

[Charolette]

I believe that the deadline has been extended to December 2011.
I was not asked about medical conditions and nothing was said about a background check. Maybe they will ask more questions when it comes time to apply for the passport, I don't know.

[Manuel A Gonzalez]

I got my passport and nothing was asked...in fact the passport was easy and I just used it to enter Germany.

[Charolette]

How long did it take you to get your passport after you recieved your birth record?

[Manuel A Gonzalez]

I went the Consulate of NYC about a month after receiving my birth certificate. I got my passport in about a week. NYC Consulate is HORRIBLE, but the passport people it was 5 minutes and they sent it to my house and it arrived in a week.

[Art]

I don´t think health or criminal records matter, although I suppose they may do a security investigation without telling us.

Manuel, how long did you wait before contacting them to find out the status of your birth certificate?

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No creo que importa la salud o antecedentes penales, aunque supongo puedan hacer una investigación de seguridad sin decirnos.

¿Manuel, cuánto tiempo esperaste antes de ponerte en contacto con ellos para averiguar el estado de tu certificado de nacimiento?

[Manuel A Gonzalez]

I visited the Consulate in NYC in February, 2009 and then my next appointment was July, 2009. My Birth Certificate finally came in March of 2010 and they also LOST my father's birth certificate!!! We went to Spain to Illas to get it???/ I had to call and call to get my Birth Certificate...... They are very inept at the NYC Consulate!!!

[Art]

Did I understand this correctly? You first visited the consulate in February, and then completed your application your paper work in July. Right?

And then at what point did you learn that documents had been lost?

If you submitted the doucments in July and received the birth certificate in March, then you received your birth certificate in a total of about eight months, which is a long time.

[Manuel A Gonzalez]

I submitted the paperwork in July and in December I started e-mailing asking what was going on. They always said that they were very busy and never gave me a direct answer. I then called in Janaury and I got the same answer.
When I had submitted my paperwork in July, they kept my mother's Libro de la Familia.....From 1945!! and my father's birth certificate. In February, I was disgusted and asked for my paperwork back. I also just lost it when they told me that they lost my father's birth certificate.
I started the complaint process and I literally started yelling at the Consulate on the phone because they couldn't find my application. I finally spoke to the complaint department at the Consulate and they found my mother's Libro de la familia, but not my father's birth certificate???
I also complained of the fact that they did not process my paperwork and the man in the compalint department had it processed...So yes 13 months from the start point.