Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
If all of my grandparents are from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, but my parents and myself were all born in the United States, is there a pathway to Spanish citizenship for me through ancestry? Or is it too far back in the bloodline? Thank you kindly for any information.
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
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Start the Moving to Spain Hub →“Can you get a passport from one of those countries? If so, you can get Spanish citizenship after 2 years of legal residency in Spain. It doesn’t help you to get residency though.”
“PR is US territory, our passport is an American passport. Now, my husband and I are both from PR and what they told us was that we need to prove our heritage.”
“Puerto Ricans do, in fact, qualify for Spanish citizenship after two years of residency. Puerto Rican citizens are considered Ibero American citizens despite having a United States passport, and therefore can apply for Spanish nationality after two years of legal and continuous residence in Spain.”
“Its Puerto Ricans of heritage. US citizens from the mainland can obtain a PR certificate but this will not help if the person (or parent) wasn’t born on the island. So yes, they have to prove heritage (birth certificates).”
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Explore Cities →“If you were born in Puerto Rico, you can submit the application for Spanish nationality by residency after 2 years of legal and continuous residence in Spain. You can prove it with your Puerto Rican birth certificate and the Puerto Rican citizenship certificate. The latter will also exempt you from taking the Spanish exam and from renouncing your US nationality.”
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“To obtain Spanish nationality as a descendant, you must prove that you have a Spanish relative. With the current Democratic Memory Law, it is up to the second degree, that is, the children and grandchildren of Spaniards of origin.
In the cases of nationals of countries that were colonies, the applicant may take advantage of the route that reduces the time needed to apply for Spanish Nationality.”
“You would have to obtain a passport from the Dominican Republic so that after 2 years of legal and continuous residence in Spain you can apply for Spanish nationality.”
“After 10 years residency you can apply for citizenship as people from the USA. You’ll also need to take the DELE to show proficiency in the Spanish language.”
“It depends on the DR’s and PR’s legislation. Spain will respect those jurisdictions’ views on what ‘de origen’ citizenship means. If you have doubts about whether those citizenships can make it down to a grandchild, talk to a DR or PR immigration expert!”
“Puerto Ricans are considered Ibero-Americans and Puerto Rico is among the list of countries that were Spanish colonies, so they can apply for Spanish nationality after 2 years of legal and continuous residence in Spain.”
Conclusion
Individuals with Puerto Rican ancestry have a streamlined pathway to Spanish citizenship due to Puerto Rico’s historical status as a Spanish colony. Those born in Puerto Rico, can apply for Spanish citizenship after two years of legal residency in Spain, using documents like their Puerto Rican birth certificates.
Those with Ibero-American heritage may need to establish residency under different conditions, typically after two years if holding a ibero-american passport or ten years otherwise. It’s important for potential applicants to verify their eligibility and understand the documentation requirements thoroughly.
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