Ok I am a grandchild of a spanish citzen. I know legislation was passed on Jan 9, 2003. This legislation permits children of spanish citizens to immediately become citizens (Even Castro could), and for me as a grandchild to become a spanish citizen after a year of residency.

I am having a horrible time dealing with my consulado to get information about visa issues and what actually constitutes residency. I have family in Madrid I could live with, I would like to study and work on my langugae and grammar (spoke spanish with abuela but it is not great and while I can read, I cant write). There is also the chance of me attentding a graduate studies program in the EU shortly.

Does anyone have any information, links, tips, ideas- anything I really would like to try and figure some of this out ASAP

Thanks for everything in advance!

here you can read about this topic as it was discussed on the board very recently.

I am also a grandchild of 4 Spanish citizens so I am VERY interested in the particulars as well.

Best of luck to you!!

thanks esperanza. I will google the ley and also look at the BOE that Espe3 posted. Good thing I can half way read spanish

the thing I am curious about is the visa. It is a b*tch for USA citizens to get a visa so if I cant get a visa I cant get the citizenship- therefore what is the purpose of the legislation. Per Espe3 I think I more than qualify Abuelo born in Spain to Spanish parents, Abuela born in Brazil to Spanish parents (but moved to Spain as a child). Both left in their teens (Abuelo- I think 13 and Abuela at 18) for the states. Abuelo passed away in 1970 Abuela in 1991.

My thing is that I am getting many conflicted points from the consulado's. The consulado that had jurisdiction told me I was eligible for some "special" visa that would allow me to live and work there. Then I would go there live (prove that I lived there- though they said I wasnt allowed to leave the country AT ALL- which the DC consulado said was false but they told me I had to have a job first). ARGH Spainsh Bureacracy.

Myself I would like to go there potentially as a student. I would be willing to work, actually would like to , but how am I supposed to convince them to hire me if I am not local nor have a visa, and my spanish needs gramatical help (work permits in the EU are SERIOUSLY problematic- they have to prove that there is no one else in the market who can do the job. I have had 3 companies want to hire me in the EU and they have not been able to)

Will keep looking anyone else with anything else? all information highly appreciated!

Listen up folks! I am working toward getting my Spanish Nationality. Once I get it....I will LOOSE my US nationality...(like I realy care..I was just born here...my heart and country is Spain)You can get your nationality instantly if one of your parents is from Spain, and they never became a US national. Thank god my mother didn't. Also, you have to be born prior to 1975 (This is because Franco, did not recognize children born to spanish women outside the spain as spanish citizens) or you never applied for citizenship at any other time.

Now according to the someone my brother spoke to at the consulate.... it was not at the DC consulate...US and Spain really don't communicate on who is a national or not.

e-mail me if you want more info.

Soria...What a disturbing post! You make it sound like being born a U.S. citizen is disgusting or in poor taste. You are lucky to have been born here and should be a bit more grateful. Hope your citizenship is approved and approved quickly!

stinkerbell and soria:

As you may know I'm VERY well informed on this topic! Unfortunately I can't write about it now, but I will try to get on tomorrow and give you the information that you're searching for. Keep in mind though- and it stinks but... a student visa isn't valid for the year of residency- I know... TRUST me I know, but you'll find a way.

Soria, you do have some misinformation- I will clear up tomorrow!

I promise more details later! Until then, stay determined, you're going to need it AND it will help! You'll get there if you REALLY want it!

hi guys,

there really is a tremendous amount of misinformation out there being spewed out by these consulates and the embassy. both of my parents are spanish and i was born in the states. they were both US nationals when i was born. i had absolutely no problem in getting spanish citizenship. i don't see why you are all getting so many conflicting stories.

i was born in 1975 and never spent an entire year in spain. as a matter of fact, the embassy has even granted my DNI and called me 6 mos later to tell me it was here in the US. i never even had to go to spain to pick up my DNI.

my parents did however report my birth to the consulate. so there has always been a record of me as having been born to spaniards but in the US. i don't know but i'm assuming this helped.

look into this and ask ur parents if they reported u..i really think this will help.
also, make sure u have their birth and marriage certificates in hand. i had my parents with me when i went to the embassy. we filled out the paperwork showed them our documents, signed, gave them my fotos, paid 30 dollars and they called me a week later to pick up my passport.

do not shoot urself in the foot so to speak and renounce either citizenship. spain is a visa waiver nation to the states which also means it is not imperative that u renounce ur spanish citizenship if u nationalize here from spain and vice versa.

i really, really hope the consulates get their acts together and at the very least give every one the same guidelines.

please email me if u have any questions at all..it would be my pleasure to help. although it sounds like u guys have it more together than these funcionarios do!!

good luck everyone.

Soria,your post was a little harsh, why do you make it sound like being born in the U.S. is a punishment? I don't believe you have to be more grateful to be an american, after all, THIS IS AMERICA, say what you want. Be who you want, THIS IS AMERICA. This website is about Spain, and people who love Spain.Not about people who hate America. We are thankful that we live in a country that allows us the freedom to travel abroad. THIS IS AMERICA. Good riddance, and don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Go Mencey GO!!

Guapetona, how right you are!
Ok, for those of you working on it:
If a parent or both parents were BORN in spain, and are spanish of origin, you can get nationality without the year residency. It does NOT matter if one or both of your parents acquired American nationality or not.

About renouncing. Well... that's another matter entirely. Technically, you have to, but it doesn't mean anything, only to the spaniards. If you were born in the US, one way or another, you'll ALWAYS be an american. This is a long topic, I've simplified it, but keep in mind that both nationalities are your BIRTH right.

Grandparent route... well, the person whose grandparent was born in Brazil, I'd have to know a bit more, but either way, the other grandparent was born in Spain so that qualifies you. Unfortunately, yes, you do have to do the year of residency, student visa does not qualify. The only 'special' kind of visa that I can think of that they may be talking about is that SUPPOSEDLY, if you have a grandparent that was spanish, then you're exempt from the condition of national employment in spain and the ministerio de trabajo HAS to grant you a work visa if you get a company to go that far with you. However, this doesn't really work.

Consualtes/Embassy and misinformation: Each one will give you a slightly different story. Make sure you research as much as you can and know what you're talking about and insist! You HAVE to be persistant, at the point of being a pain in the a$$!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't rely on what a person TELLS you, get it IN WRITING! Any correspondence you send the consulate they legally have one month to answer you back, or you can file a complaint and the trouble is more than its worth to them, so they'll answer. After getting the run around more than one time, I wrote and funny, all of a sudden, I got cooperation! The pen IS mightier than the sword! (And me, ready to handcuff myself to the consulate door!)

Guapetona, about your parents registering you... yes, this is one reason it was easier, but it SHOULD still be the same for the rest of us... I had a hard time getting them to register me, but finally it was done. As for the rest, the consulate I have to deal with is taking its time and I have to sit and wait.

For those of you with the America vs Spain. I can't speak for the rest of us half and halves... but this is me: I am very proud to be half American and Spanish. However, I identify more with the Spanish culture and yes, would very much like to go home. Many times its felt like being in exile because although it was there, because of misinformation and noncooperative people, I did not have the choice as to where I would be... Having been brought up on both sides, well, I think its difficult for any half and half to be COMPLETELY fine in one place. In spain there are things I miss about the US, but not as much as I do about Spain when I'm in the US- most of which has to do with family... But like I said, those of us who were born in the middle, well its difficult, siblings from that same mix will have different feelings and even pull towards opposite sides (one being 'american' and the other 'spanish') its not easy, just something we have to live with and do the best we can to hopefully make the best out of what it is we get from both cultures and build more bridges over those gaps between sides. Although I am eager to return home, both Spain and the USA will always be my countries- for good AND bad. So please let's not make this into a political debate- that's a whole other thread. Let's also keep in mind that written words doesn't always convey in the best way the feelings or intentions of the author- and that many of us shorten some of our e-mails because of time constraints or being slow typers. I'm just asking that we give the benefit of the doubt and ask before we read into things and start getting all fired up over potentially something very simple.

I hope this helped clear things up!