If one of your parents is Spanish or you were born in Spain you automatically acquire Spanish nationality. otherwise your eligibility depends upon your current nationality and how long you have been in Spain. If you have held a residence permit for at least 10 years and you are a foreigner you may then apply for citizenship. There are exceptions to those who have been granted political asylum or refuge in that they may apply after only 5 years, also the nationals of Latin American countries, Andorra, Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal and Jews of Spanish origin can qualify after only 2 years.

 

Foreign children aged under 18 adopted by Spanish parents would be automatically entitled to citizenship and when they reach the age of 18 years they are then able to choose* for themselves up to two years following adoption.

 

To get citizenship you must apply to the minister of Justice who can refuse on the grounds of public order of national’s interest.

 

To apply for this you need:

 

Because of all the red tape it would be wise to employ a lawyer especially for all the paperwork that this process entails and if you are not fully conversant with the language especially for advice at the very least.

 

*NB Please also note that Spanish law does not recognise dual nationality for adults so at the age of 18 the child does need to make this choice.

 

First you need to decide what type of visa you're going to apply for then you have to fulfill the requirements for that particular visa. Depending on the type of visa, the process can take several months because authorization needs to come from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Spain before the consulate can issue the visa. Once your visa is issued you used to have to get your residency card in Spain, but this is now not possible. I am unsure as to whether this or something similar would apply now but hopefully this will help you on your way. Of course when dealing with government bureacracy things can get frustrating, but it's all part of the "fun".

For more information about voting while overseas please visit here 

There is a new campaign launched by the Electoral Commission to encourage British citizens abroad to register to vote in UK elections. According to the Head of Campaigns and Public Information at the Electoral Commission, Nina Ziaullah, overseas voters are severely under-represented on the UK Electoral Register. She said: “There are fewer than 20,000 British expatriates on the electoral register, a tiny fraction of the estimated six million Britons living abroad. Part of the problem is that many overseas voters simply don’t know that they are eligible to vote. Many people also wait until an election is called before they register. However, if a snap election is called, there may not be much time to get registered which is why it is important to do so now.”

 

British citizens living abroad who have been registered to vote in the UK at any time within the past 15 years can register as an overseas voter. Those who were too young to register when they left the UK, must have a parent or guardian who has been registered.

 

Registered overseas voters are eligible to vote in both the UK General Elections and European Parliamentary elections, but not UK local government elections or elections for the devolved assemblies.

For more information about voting while overseas please visit here and here for further information