You're welcome!

As I told you before, I wouldn't worry about the DNI. The clerk who will process your request will see that you intend to get the Spanish citizenship and that your mail address is abroad, so it's easy to understand that you don't have any DNI yet.

About the church way, it can be an alternate, but just in case the Civil Registry Book has been lost. Moreover, many Baptism Registration Books were lost during the Civil War, too, so try the Church only if you receive a No from the civil authorities.

If you have all the data I mentioned (full names of your grand-grandparents, and the precise date of your grandpa's birth) shouldn't be too difficult.

Ok I will have to file by paper instead of the internet then, as the internet form wont process with out a DNI! Hopefully they wont take too long to process it.

If any one has any experience in how long these people have taken I would love to hear about it.

I think I have enough information that they should be able to find it, I hope!

And thank you again Torrales

You're welcome again. I didn't know the form rejects to be submitted unless you fill the DNI field. If you want to try using a fake one, it's an up-to-8-digit number. I'm not trying to induce you to cheat, just suggesting that you can put a clearly fake one like 11111111 and maybe your request is processed. You lose nothing if you try.

I wish you all the luck in your search. I will be out of the board for at least some time due to some behaviours I have seen here. I am not referring to you, of course, but honestly I don't feel like helping certain people who come here to bash my country, talking about cowardice, and being so arrogant to tell others how they must run their homes. As I have no spare time to make a black list and a white list, and don't feel like arguing, I prefer to say goodbye and wait some time until things calm down. I have my own opinions on many things, but I'd never say anyone how they have to live their lives either as individuals or as community (call it country, if you want).

Best regards.

Stinkerbell- I just asked my dad how he got around the DNI...He was lucky -> had an aunt of his get the birth cert. However, he had a suggestion similar to Torrales - try putting in your US passport number instead of the DNI.

Torrales - Please don't go! However, I understand the feeling. I won't go into the "Politics" area, well I at least try to avoid it, for similar reasons. I find it is really pointless to try to hold discussions about politics on the internet, the discussion eventually becomes circular with people not really listening to each other and, often, one side dominating the discussion. All I end up with is a headache.

Thank you so much Torrales again.

I am going to try a fake number, and a US passport number (this is Spain that isnt cheating it has to be more than that if that doesnt work I will see about finding an address to mail the request to. I sure hope it wont take my entire life. If not I might have my cousin try she has a DNI.

It seems some things have gone on in my week trip to get to and settled in Italy for my research. I am with Vicki on not going. You have been so helpful and really I feel horrible that a few nasty people would be able to ruin it for others. I hope that you will reconsider, and not let them win. Otherwise at least try to check private messages

I'm looking for the format for the DNI so I can mask the numbers correctly in a software program.

Is this format:

999-99-9999

???
Many thanks,
Donna

Stinkerbell,
You will have to go in person to ask for the birthcert. Faking the DNI number won´t work, as it also goes attached to you residence info etc. they won´t mail it just anywhere.

FYI, the DNI is to spaniards what the social security number is to americans. So you can understand all that it means.

I had to go at one point and ask for my parents marriage certificate, and mothers birth certificate. They only allow next of kin, so for your grandfather, its most likely your mom would have to request it, although it is possible they allow you to do it also. You have to prove however, how you´re related to him. For this, you have to prove how your mom is related to him. If he had put her in his Libro de Familia, it will be simple. And with your birth certificate, your mom´s name is on it so that´s simple enough, although you´ll have to have to have it translated and with the apostille of the hague seal on it. The seal you can request through your state, when you ask them for your birth cert. it costs something like 10 dollars. How long for you I don´t know, as I was born abroad and all my paperwork goes through Washington DC.

Your year of residency, I believe we discussed it quite some time ago, (sorry everyone, I´ve been absent, I´m now in spain and have been readjusting!) it has to be legal, and staying a year as a student doesn´t count.

This topic is my specialty, as I´ve gone through all the hoops and loops and was finally granted everything last year. It takes time, no quick fixes here people, but its doable!

Hi Espe3-
Thanks for the information. Could you explain your comment about the year of residency? Or maybe a hint for a good search term for the previous discussion?

Thanks!

Hi Viki,
WIth the new changes in the civil code, one can apply for spanish nationality under different conditions according to your level of spanish descent. If one of your parents is spanish (born in spain) than things are much easier. You apply, and wait, and there´s really nothing more to do. There is no age limit as to when you can apply for nationality. (I am oversimplifying, as getting all the paperwork necessary can be a pain in the rear end!)

If your grandparents are your closeset connection, then it pretty much goes back to the way things were before the civil code changed. What this means is among other requirements, you have to have a year of residency, LLEGALLY in spain. This can only be done, one of 3 ways: a job sponsors you in Spain, you´re independently wealthy and can live here to sustain yourself without any help (there is a requirement of $75,000 for this) OR you´re married to a spaniard and after a year you can apply for citizenship.

This has turned out to be a VERY useful thread! Someone just sent me an email asking me how they could find their Spanish grandfather's birth certificate and I directed them to this informative thread. Thanks, everyone!

Saludos, MadridMan