Loafing Along

My wife is Brazilian and was fed up with the extra complications when we travelled anywhere in Europe, dealing with local administration and so on. Yes she has maintained her Brazilian passport.

spainrico

OK thanks, yes must make good sense for her.

Boseley

I have this year been granted Spanish nationality. I applied before the exams became necessary, the time span was almost three years.

I needed certified and officially translated original : Birth, Marriage certificates, Criminal records check.

Proof of income, home address, 10 years resident.

I did not have to go in front of a judge, I renounced my nationality by signing a paper, at no time was my passport mentioned.

I have been issued with a new D.N.I. and now have two surnames.

The reason for obtaining nationality was that over three years ago, I anticipated the U.K. exit from Europe and wanted to safeguard my interests here where I live.

spainrico

Interesting, well done and beat the exam! So, you mention DNI - you have a DNI card the same as a Spaniard?

Gozit

And you have still kept your British citizenship correct? They didn't make you renounce it infront of the British consul??

I'll just reiterate that renouncing your British citizenship to Spanish authorities does NOT relinquish your British citizenship as far as the UK is concerned. You are still a dual citizen. The only way to renounce your UK citizenship is to the UK authorities.

Gozit

Well he would be a Spaniard now, so yes.

Boseley

Yes, just the same, and I used it to enter the country yesterday.

Boseley

The renunciation was on paper, no consul here, so no.

In the eyes of the Spanish authorities I am now Spanish, in the eyes of the U.K. authorities I have dual nationality.

I shall apply soon for a Spanish passport.

spainrico

Impressed!

Gozit

Cool... Cheers.

Rosemary

One thing to remember if you are going for Spanish nationality is that your last will and testament would then be under Spanish rules not English rules.

I was seriously thinking about going ahead with it all until I found this out and it is very necessary for me to have English rules applying to my will due to the way that my money has already been distributed to certain family members.

Rosemary

Fred James

What happens about the compulsory new names (or is that optional?). I can see that changing from your British names to the new Spanish names could be a bureaucratic nightmare! Presumably they would now apply in the UK - or would they?

snikpoh

Surely it's not an issue.

For example Fred James will be asked for a second surname so he may choose to be known as Fred James Vidal (for example). However, everyone (including the Spanish) will always refer to him as Fred James as that's his primary and main surname.


For legal documents, is it the case that one must always use both surnames?

Fred James

For the wife, it's not so simple as she will now be using her father's name as her first surname.

snikpoh

But I thought you could choose the names?

My Father has changed his name by deed poll so what would happen then - his name now or his name when the person was born?