Applying for a Spanish passport

Does anyone know how you apply for a Spanish passport?  I'm a British passport holder but now qualify for Spanish citizenship.  Can a gestor do this? 

Thans in advance

I would imagine it's the police station (comiseria) becuase that's where the Spanish get theirs I believe?

But I've got to ask - why would you want a Spanish passport?

Sanchez 1 , don't you have to actually get theCitizenship 1st before you can apply for a passport.

Faro, how about it only costs less than 30e.  Unlike the 170e+ to renew a British one here!

It's like selling your soul to the devil - then you are one of them!

But they will still say you are extranjero!

Also if ever caught up in trouble overseas I would rather be rescued by the British. Somehow I imagine when that helicoptor lands the Brit with his Spanish passport will be last to board!

Ok - other than cost is there any other benefit?

" It's like selling your soul to the devil - then you are one of them! "

How rude!!!!  "One of them"!!!!!

I would imagine the benefits would be not to be snarled out in every country you visit for a previous invasion/war/takeover...!!!! that comes with the territory of carrying a British Passport....when i am able to gain a Spanish passport i will next in the queue..!

Yes Georgia, when my 10 years is up I will be applying for Spanish nationality as well. I also know 1 doing it at the moment & another who will be as soon as he qualifies. Pity we weren't footballers , time limits less.

Faro, the Spanish don't recognise dual nationality but you can still keep your British passport as well. So if you need the helicopter you just get out the one that suits best.

Flag of convenience - that's me!

The main advantage of a Spanish passport are that you can travel abroad with the credit sized DNI card.  This would come in particularly handy for me as I work in Gibraltar.  It will also be handy to carry around the DNI card in my wallet for proof of ID should the Guardia Civil stop me.

Guslopez,

Sanchez 1 , don't you have to actually get theCitizenship 1st before you can apply for a passport.

Yeah, it's Spanish Citizenship that I would be applying for, which then entitles you to a Spanish passport.

I am also interested in obtaining a Spanish passport. Does anyone have any idea how to go about it?

I contacted quite a few solicitors to get a quote to find out how much it would cost to get Spanish citizenship/passport.  The prices ranged from 600 to 5000 euros.  I then contacted the Costa Advice Bureau in Estepona, and was pleastantly surprised at how much they charge for this.  So for those that are interested in applying for Spanish citizenship, send them an email.

I contacted quite a few solicitors to get a quote to find out how much it would cost to get Spanish citizenship/passport.  The prices ranged from 600 to 5000 euros.  I then contacted the Costa Advice Bureau in Estepona, and was pleastantly surprised at how much they charge for this.  So for those that are interested in applying for Spanish citizenship, send them an email.

Thanks Sanchez1 very helpful

I cannot understand why you would want to pay upto 5000e to get a spanish passport!  just apply throught the British Consulate for a UK passport stating you live in Spain at the moment, it is not a big issue. If you do swop your UK passport for a Spanish one and then decide in your later years you want to go back to the UK you will have to pay yet again to swop it over again!

KP,

I won't be swapping my British passport for a Spanish one.  I'll have both. 

As I said previosly, the Spanish passport comes with the DNI card, which fits in your wallet and can be used for travelling within the EU. I work in Gibraltar, so it's a pain to have to carry my passport with me evry day.  The DNI will be perfect.

Hi Sanchez1, I understand your dilema but I don't think i could bear to be filling forms in yet again. Good Luck with it.

I don't know the process but I would guess it's easy and straightforward and no need to pay anyone other than official fees. Probably no more than filling in a couple of forms and presenting them with supporting documentation and copies and getting them stamped at various offices including the British consulate. I always try and do everything myself and I do not pay rip-off fees to anyone just to walk around and find offices and present forms for stamping.

In the past I have had to change my sons name in Spain (straightforward process) - he was born under Franco law which meant in those days you had to choose a name from the book of Spanish names (ie Jesus, Jose, Enrique etc for girls there was only 1 choice Maria quite simple really!). The rule was any English name had to be translated into Spanish and that was the name you had to use on all official forms. This was my first experience of Spain and I've been fighting for freedom ever since. Fortunately we now have protection under EU law. Sorry i could go on forever on topics like this but it is for reasons like this I think you should think very carefully about carrying a passport of a country such as Spain. We were born and grew up in a free world with freedom of speech - this is not something many Spanish people can say and many still fear the authorities.

I joke about Franco Law but Franco still lives through the bureaucratic systems and remember many of these funcionarios started their working lives in that regime and that is why it still continues to this day!

Hi Sanchez,

I know exactly what you mean. I bought a new printer the other day in Media Markt and having queued for the best part of half an hour they wouldn´t accept my Spanish driver´s licence as proof of ID. I ended up having this absurd argument with the store manager who wanted to see my proof of residence certificate - an A4 sheet of paper without a photo or a signature. It actually has, emblazoned across the top AVISO: DOCUMENTO NO VALIDO PARA ACREDITAR LA INDENTIDAD NI LA NACIONALIDAD DEL PORTIDOR. My UK passport expired in 2008, and as I have no travel plans I´m not shelling out 200€ for a new one. And when I do get one I won´t be carrying it around with me. It doesn´t fit in my wallet and it is far too valuable. The abolition of the DNI for EU citizens is a pain. The irony is it was British ex-pats in Spain pressing the EU that led to it being scrapped. The trouble is the entire system here works on the DNI. Bank accounts, utilities, mobile phone contracts, rental agreements...

I even have trouble paying money into other people´s bank accounts over the counter in some branches as they want to see a DNI or passport. Instead I have to do it online meaning the transfer takes 2 or 3 days. I´ve been here 10 years now, it might be worth investigating citizenship. We went to Sweden and Denmark for Xmas and New Year a couple of years back and my wife and children all needed passports. They were in and out of Spanish Passport office in 20 minutes, with their new passports and it cost us 50€ for all 3. I´m very interested to see how you get on, costs, time-frames etc. 

Hi Faro:

I don't know the process but I would guess it's easy and straightforward and no need to pay anyone other than official fees. Probably no more than filling in a couple of forms and presenting them with supporting documentation and copies and getting them stamped at various offices including the British consulate. I always try and do everything myself and I do not pay rip-off fees to anyone just to walk around and find offices and present forms for stamping.

This is easier said than done in Spain in my experience..  I don't have the time to waste days standing in queues and then inevitably having to return because I am missing a piece of paper.  I'd rather pay a couple of hundred euros for someone to do it for me properly.

This is exactly the reason most prefer to pay a gestoria. I do it the other way as a challenge and to prove it can be done!

What annoys me sometimes is the lack of information and where to go next etc. You get your form stamped and then you politely ask if they know where you have to go next and they simply have not got a clue.

But if you ask the gestoria in the queue with you they will tell you where to go and also give you tips on day/time nad what to bring etc

But always have at least one copy of everything becuase one thing for sure the Spanish system was not designed to save the environment - no one can tell me where they file all the copies?

Nationality by residence

The application for Spanish nationality by residence must be applied for at the registry of births, marriages and deaths in charge of the jurisdiction in which the applicant is addressed at.

There is an application form for nationality by residence which is a guide to complete the forms. This guide can be obtained through the Internet or requested at the "Servicio de Nacionalidad" - nationality services department at the Ministry of Justice:

Address: c/Rios Rosas, 24
28003 Madrid
Telephone : +34 913 904 839

Opening hours are Monday to Friday 09.00 to 17.30 hrs and 09.00 to 14.00 hrs. on Saturday. In Summer, July 1. to August 31, opening hours are Monday to Friday 8.00 to 15.00 hrs and 08.00 to 14.00 hrs. on Saturday.

The form may also be requested via mail or telephone.

Documents required for the application for Spanish nationality by residence:

· Residence card: time of residence is to be counted as from the day residence card was solicited.

· Legalized birth certificate, (translated if not originally in Spanish) or, with Apostille issued by Spanish consul in country of origin or consul of country of origin in Spain.

· Certification from the police department of being documented as a foreigner.

· Census certification (issued by city hall).

· Penal record certificate (by a document supplied by the archives and which has to be sent to the "registro central de penados y rebeldes" of Madrid or can be obtained at the Bilbao government delegation).

· Certification obtained at the corresponding consulate stating registration, not over three months old unless document bears validity date beyond three months.

If the applicant’s grandparent is a Spanish citizen the time of required residency is reduced to 1 (one) year. For this purpose the legal birth certificate of the Spanish grandparent must be shown.

Once all documentation is ready, the interested party must go to a registry of births, marriages and deaths accompanied by their spouse and two Spanish witnesses over 18 years of age.

It is important to note that certificates 3,4,5 and 6 are only valid for three months.

The official application form to apply for Spanish nationality must be filed to the Civil Registry corresponding to the town where the applicant lives.

The following documentation will be required:

• Your own birth certificate and your spouse's birth certificate, if you are married with a Spanish national, in which case the marriage certificate will be also required.
• Consular certificate, containing the following:
  • Your former nationality
  • Your criminal records
  • Your military situation with your home country.
• A certificate of Spanish criminal records.
• Your registration at the Spanish town Council.
• A police certificate stating the time of legal residence in Spain.

All foreign documentation must be officially translated into Spanish and authenticated by the consulate of your country of origin.

The Spanish authorities will decide upon granting the Spanish nationality within a term of 18 up to 24 months from the date of application.

These both say more or less the same thing .