OK I havent looked back at this for a while as I have been caught up with a graduate school dissertation. I am actually still caught up but I promised myself I wouldnt give up until I at least had the damn birth certificate

Yes Espe we did talk about this a while ago, I am still on the quest and going in Bureacratic circles.

As for my grandfather, he is lucky I am on this side of the ocean otherwise love him as I may Id be digging him up from his grave to play golf with his skull. First of all he threw all spanish documents in the water once he cleared through Ellis Island, He said he was never going back- he didnt, but I want to!!! So there is NOTHING there. Second as he never wanted to go back to Spain and only would allow two of his children to actually go back at any point so he never registered my mother's generation (though on his behalf as my mother was born out of Spain, and per Franco's regulations of the time I dont believe he was able to).

As for going in person, I cant believe that will be the only way, I mean there are people who do geneology research for a living and they can get the info without being kin and without going there (they are my next resort in the search to retain a semblance of sanity). If need be I will but I have a trip lined up and a contact in two embassies and a consulado to go through first.

As for proof of family, I am in possession of my original birth certificate and a copy of my mothers, and can request an original if need be. That should prove the family line, though I think they misspelt my grandmothers name - she was at a hospital and didnt speak English and they sure as heck didnt know how to write things in Spanish

My real dream is that I can piggy back off my mother. I am trying to get things rolling on her application as that is the easier one and should be granted much more quickly, theoretically immediately. Then the dream is once she has her's I can apply as a child of a Spaniard and hopefully also have a speedy process.

I am sure that wont happen, it would be too easy. As for that whole visa issue I am still being given contradictory information and it is driving me insane. You dont create a law that says I have to live in Spain for a year for residency with the intention of becoming a citiwen, and tehn tell me I have to have a job before I can get the Visa. Do you not know what female employment rates in Spain are like?? I do I research them GRRRRR....

Anyways, I think I may be sending you a private message and see if I can glean anything else from you and thank you to everyone!

Is it possible for a US citizen (non-Spanish) to get dual citizenship in the US and Spain? I have heard different views on this, and would like to know. Personally I would love to get a dual citizenship. My wife is Ecuatorian, and is just waiting for the residency period until she can get her dual citizenship (she got her Spanish Residency last year).

Martin de Madrid:
For the official US position on Dual Nationality, please read the State Department's website at:
http://travel.state.gov/law/loss.html

Martin de Madrid:

I am not intending to relinquish my US citizenship, and not doing anything that insinuates that. And nothing I have found to date states that I am required to.

My understanding of this is such that with this new law, the basic position of both governments is that neither one will recognize the other, but that I will have both.

I have a fair amount of friends who hold dual citizenship (some from birth, some obtainted as adults) and none have been required to relinquish or been stripped of any citizenship.

One other thing Martin- how did she get her period of residency and what is required of her for that period of residency.

It would be interesting to know.

Dear Stinkerbell, sorry I haven´t been on the board for awhile. I´ve been studying for the Spanish Driver´s Test and was totally obsessed with it! Now that I´ve got the written ('difficult') part out of the way, I can have a life again!

Skip the Visa crap if you can. It will only drive you crazy. As for your grandfathers papers... I still think the best option is for you to go to his town in person. But yes, try to piggy back off your mother´s potential, it most likely will be the most direct way... however although your grandfathers name is on her birth cert, ´she still needs to prove he was spanish. If he went through ellis island, he should have some documentation from there, which should work with the Spanish consulate. Its worth a try!

The new law (the spanish side of it) was modified so it does not require you do renounce your Am. citizenship. But remember the US will not recognize your Spanish citizenship and for trips in and out of America you need to use your American passport! (Am rules- so its not like you´re trying to trick anyone!)

HI Espe3- No problem, I understand as I am currently under the weight of drafting a dissertation by the end of the month. I have been thinking about this and doing little bits here and there for a year and a half already!

I am sure Ellis Island has something of my Grandfather, but I havent been able to find it. They werent always good about spelling names and it is also dependent on the people entering the data reading it and understanding it too.

SO I am going to stay on the quest for the birthcertificate, as I think that will make it easier to process quickly. I also have a friend who just started working for the DC consulado and I am hoping she can help. I am stuck with a consulado fiasco as I am "resident" to one I dont live near and who are so unhelpful and unresponsive that it is mildly entertaining (once I get past the homicidal tendancies), registered to a university in another jurisdiction that I dont live near, and I have a residential address at one/two that is out of the states all together.

Nope I cqnt ever do anything the non-complicated way. That well that would be no fun I have even heard this wonderful story about someone getting it processed in 8 weeks time (for my mother's citizenship. If I could turn both of these around in 16 weeks I would shriek with joy!!!

As for the US citizenship- it was my understanding that that was one of the two main innovations of the legislation. One to let US people into the group instead of just Latin Americans and second to remove the restriction on the dual bit and play the "let's ignore each other" game.

As for the states switcheroo, trust me I know all about the switching passports deal. I just have to get me the passport first

Dear Stinkerbell,
Sounds like my not so long ago...
Its frustrating, but you´ll get through it. If/when you come to madrid, let me know and we´ll get together and chat in person about all this mess!
In the meantime, homicidal inclinations are tempting, but the too will pass. Depends on the consulate you have to deal with how long they´ll take. I was one of the first to hand in all my paperwork when the law went into effect in january and in april I started calling to get them going. By that time they had over 500 applications and STILL hadn´t done anything. I insisted enough though, and by june had everything! ( and a trip in person for the passport, lucky me because I came from so far (5 hour road trip) they processed it in a day!!!!!!!) Thank God for small favors!