Question
My wife was born in Puerto Rico. She has her new birth certificate. What else do we need to try and get Spanish citizenship? I heard you need some kind of stamps.
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
“She needs to be a resident here for two years. Then she will need to pass the nationality test (CCSE) and a bunch of other paperwork. The birth certificate will likely need to be no older than three months from the date you submit and will need an apostille. You would want to see the actual checklist.”
“People of Ibero-American descent need to have two years of residency to apply for Spanish citizenship. One year is for people married to or widowed from Spaniards.”
“To apply for the Certificado de nacionalidad puertorriqueña all you need is an original birth certificate. When you place the order for the Certificado de nacionalidad puertorriqueña, ask for it to be apostilled. The total fee is $33.”
Obtain your Puerto Rican citizenship certificate here!
“The apostille for a birth certificate would come from your birth state. Since you are Puerto Rican, Puerto Rico would apostille your birth certificate. Here is the link to the relevant department.”
“To apply for Spanish citizenship, you need to be a legal resident for two years. However, getting the residency is not easy at all, very similar to the U.S.”
“It was very easy for me to get the Non-lucrative residency visa. I am already in Spain. In March, I will get my residency card. I will renew it for another year. And then I will apply for Spanish nationality.”
“She’ll need to become a resident of Spain for a minimum of 2 years first. So I’d figure out what visa types she is eligible for before going any further in this process.”
Obtain your Puerto Rican citizenship certificate here!
“To apply for Spanish citizenship in Spain, first, you need to be a legal resident for two years. That will be the first part focusing on the process of obtaining legal residence in Spain.”
“I am moving to Alicante today on a non-lucrative residence visa. I already have my Certificado de nacionalidad puertorriqueña, which has no expiration date and is already apostilled. After two years of legal residency in Spain, I will apply for Spanish citizenship.”
“You tell them you want the certificado de nacionalidad puertorriqueña and the apostille. They are $33. To the Department of State, you will send the form, copies of the passport and the driver’s license, and the birth certificate (original). You will write a letter stating that you want all the documents you sent back along with the certificate you are requesting. And you send an envelope with your address and stamps.”
Read here How to Obtain the Certificado de Ciudadanía Puertorriqueña to apply for the Spanish Citizenship
Conclusion
For Puerto Ricans seeking Spanish citizenship, the journey involves obtaining legal residency in Spain for two years, securing an apostilled birth certificate, and navigating through a series of specific paperwork and tests.
The process underscores the importance of understanding the detailed requirements and preparing accordingly, including the need for an apostille and the nuances of residency and Spanish citizenship applications.
If you need further assistance, consult with a professional who can guide you through the process of obtaining Spanish citizenship.
