Question
I’m currently dual citizen. I was planning to get my Spanish citizenship by blood. Since I believe my great grandpa is Spanish. But no one in my family keeps documents. And as you can see in the DNA results I’m more Spanish than Mexican lol (click on the picture).
But since it is complicated getting documents in Mexico (to find if my great grandpa was actually Spanish), I’ll be going for the second route. Which is by using my Mexican citizenship since it will take 2 years, instead of 10 years. I’m hungry for success economically.
I was planning to apply for the golden visa in the next 2 years. I already went to the Spanish consulate to get my NIE this October (2023). This will help me start saving for the property I plan to buy. But my question is, can I still get my Spanish citizenship after 2 years? Even if I’m granted temporary residency with the golden visa. And would I have to stay 183 days in Spain per year for 2 years to qualify for my citizenship?
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
”If we’re going by ancestry/23&me results, I’m like 87% Spanish. I want my passport too”
”These DNA tests are bogus for those mesmerised by colonial mentality. Take it from someone from a former colony on the other side of the world.
You can stay outside of Spain no more than 3 months within the 2 years prior to application for citizenship to meet the residency requirement for citizenship. There are other posts on this topic from various groups too”
”You need to be a resident in Spain (continuously) to get your citizenship this way. Blood tests don’t matter for this. I know for sure not all visas count (like student visas) so check that out”
”I don’t think you can get Spanish citizenship through a great-grandparent. It has to be a grandparent or parent. You’ll have to pursue your plans to apply for residency in Spain some other way”
”Great Grandfather or Great Grandmother doesn’t count in Spain I did ask the question about my grandfather who was born under the time it was a Spanish Colony. I was told NO! Only Grand Parents not Great. Great Grandparents works only in Italy”
”If I’m reading you correctly, you want to know if you can get Spanish nationality after living in Spain for two years on the golden visa. The answer to that is yes. The other question is how much time can you spend outside of Spain during those two years and still get the nationality. That’s a trickier question and IMO you should consult a lawyer. You do need to be resident in Spain at the time of the nationality approval and swearing anyway, and I believe that you cannot be outside of Spain for more than three months consecutively OR more than five months total in the two years”
”If you’re hungry for success economically, I’m not sure Spain is the right place for you”
”As far as I know you miss it by one generation bc it’s goes up to grandparents I’m on the same boat as my paternal great grandmother was Spanish.. I’m doing the whole residence and two year wait thing”
”Blood isn’t the criterion, ancestry is. Those DNA tests conflate these two things in a very unhelpful way. The test results are a party novelty, and unfortunately that’s all they are. Remember, it’s ancestry you need to document, not alleles from some unproven genetic test that has no connection to the political identities you’ll need to document to claim citizenship by ancestry”
”USians are pretty much the only ones who take these ancestry tests seriously btw. Golden visa is a better bet”
”That is typical %’s for Mexican Americans. My husband’s is very similar. And from what I heard, it is also typical of most Mexicans. He doesn’t have any recent family members from Spain”
”If you have money for Golden visa, I am sure you have money for a proper solicitor to ask your questions’
Conclusion
In conclusion, according to Spainguru Facebook group members, the path to Spanish citizenship via the golden visa seems plausible within two years, requiring continuous residency and limitations on time spent outside Spain, but the eligibility criteria concerning ancestry and the effectiveness of DNA tests remain debated. Consulting legal advice from immigration experts for clarity on these matters is advised before pursuing this route.
