Instructions to request Spanish nationality due to the new Grandchildren Law

The government of Spain published theinstructions to apply for Spanish nationality by the Democratic Memory Law, also known as the Grandchildren Law.

The law firmLegal team, based in Barcelona, Spain, released aofficial text in which the government details thedocuments to be submitted to complete an application file for Spanish nationality through the recently approved Grandchildren Law.

The text is titled "Instruction of October 20, 2022 of the General Directorate of Legal Security and Public Faith, on the right of option to Spanish nationality established in the eighth additional provision of theDemocratic Memory Law".

The document details the administrative steps to follow for foreigners, in their countries of origin and being descendants of exiled Spaniards, to process Spanish nationality.

The common documentation that interested parties must provide accompanying the application in the three sections of the eighth additional provision of the Law includes, first of all, the presentation of adocument proving identity of the applicant and aliteral birth certificate From applicant. This must be issued by the local Civil Registry in which it is registered.

Additionally, they must present theliteral birth certificate of the father, mother, grandfather or grandmother of the applicant, who would have originally been Spanish.

In the event that the application is made as a grandson or granddaughter, of a grandfather or grandmother originally Spanish, aliteral birth certificate of the father or mother that corresponds to the line of the applicant's Spanish grandfather or grandmother.

Documentation must also be provided that proves the exiled status of the Spanish father, mother, grandfather or grandmother. This is known as the "proof of exiled status".

Last week theEmbassy of Spain in Cuba reported that they are awaiting instructions from their Ministry of Justice on the new nationality requirements to publish the procedure on their website and offer details on Twitter.

Until the time of writing this note, the Spanish diplomatic headquarters in Havana has not published on its social networks any update on the requirements or the steps that must be followed to present theSpanish nationality applications by the new way.

TheGrandchildren Law was approved on October 5 in the Senate and was published on October 20 in theOfficial State Gazette (BOE).

Although not all administrative steps have been confirmed, many Cubans were waiting for basic instructions to begin carrying out their procedures. Some people have already starteddocument request in the civil registries of Cuba and in institutions in Spain, such as churches and civil registries.

This type ofprocedures can take a long time to collect information and official certificates, especially in Cuba wherecivil registries are collapsed and on many days they do not serve the population because they do not have electricity or sufficient resources to offer their services.

Democratic Memory Law It could benefit thousands of Cubans in acquiring Spanish nationality because they are descendants of Spanish citizens who suffered exile.

The law firm ofLegalteam warned that it does not carry out this type of procedures, although they do process applications for Spanish nationality by residence, a procedure that is done within Spanish territory.