Spanish citizenship in the United States
Spanish citizenship · the United States
Spain's Democratic Memory Law let children and grandchildren of Spaniards opt for Spanish nationality until October 22, 2025. That window has closed; depending on your case, other routes remain.
What you need to know
If you filed under the Democratic Memory Law before October 22, 2025, your application goes on. If you requested an online appointment within the deadline, you can file after it (DGSJFP Instruction of November 5, 2024).
If your father or mother was originally Spanish and born in Spain, you can opt for Spanish nationality at any age (Civil Code, art. 20.1.b).
If your father, mother, grandfather or grandmother was originally Spanish, 1 year of legal residence in Spain is enough to apply by residence (Civil Code, art. 22.2.f).
The Screener has a Spanish citizenship route: it tells you which of these options is yours.
The shorter 2-year period in art. 22.1 of the Civil Code is for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal; US citizenship is not on that list.
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