Obtaining a Spanish Passport
#1
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Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 3


I'm British my wife's Spanish and we've lived in Spain for 37 years. Now, due to the Brexit mess I've decided I want to ditch my UK passport and get a Spanish one. I know I have a right to one as my wife is Spanish. I'd love to hear from anyone in a similar situation who has done this and actually has the Spanish passport.
We're both retired, the house is fully paid, we have a bank account, we render a tax return every year and I'm fluent in Spanish. Can't think of anything else that may be relevant.
All replies will be much appreciated.
We're both retired, the house is fully paid, we have a bank account, we render a tax return every year and I'm fluent in Spanish. Can't think of anything else that may be relevant.
All replies will be much appreciated.

#2
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 451












I'm British my wife's Spanish and we've lived in Spain for 37 years. Now, due to the Brexit mess I've decided I want to ditch my UK passport and get a Spanish one. I know I have a right to one as my wife is Spanish. I'd love to hear from anyone in a similar situation who has done this and actually has the Spanish passport.
We're both retired, the house is fully paid, we have a bank account, we render a tax return every year and I'm fluent in Spanish. Can't think of anything else that may be relevant.
All replies will be much appreciated.
We're both retired, the house is fully paid, we have a bank account, we render a tax return every year and I'm fluent in Spanish. Can't think of anything else that may be relevant.
All replies will be much appreciated.

#3
Lost in BE Cyberspace










Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,154












You don't mention if you have Spanish citizenship? It should be easy enough for you to obtain given length of marriage to Spanish national etc but surely per this link you would need that to get a Spanish passport unless I'm missing something?
Spanish Nationality
Spanish Nationality

#5
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Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Velez-Malaga
Posts: 4,390












There’s nothing to stop you having both passports. You can always not renew your British one and save some money, and at any time later, renew it again. I dont know if you travel much, but I do, and in case I should end up in a serious situation in some country or another, I’d feel a lot more confident with the British Embassy/Consulate support than say the Spanish one.

#6

To obtain Spanish nationality for a normal U.K. National, you now need, 10 years resident, take and pass a written examination, provide a U.K. criminal records check, U.K. birth certificate, UK passport all pages copied, marriage certificate if applicable. Proof of income and present address. Two passport photos.
All documents have to be translated by an approved Translator
Also needed,. two Spanish Nationals to be character witnesses
You will have to renounce your U.K. nationality.
I have travelled this road, my application took two and a half years to process, when granted my NIE was revoked the document seized, fingerprints taken, DNI issued card, I now have an additional surname.
I believe now that there is a fee.
Having the identity card makes life so much easier and the Passport was far cheaper than the U.K. one.
You being married to a Spanish national, the requirements will probably differ.
All documents have to be translated by an approved Translator
Also needed,. two Spanish Nationals to be character witnesses
You will have to renounce your U.K. nationality.
I have travelled this road, my application took two and a half years to process, when granted my NIE was revoked the document seized, fingerprints taken, DNI issued card, I now have an additional surname.
I believe now that there is a fee.
Having the identity card makes life so much easier and the Passport was far cheaper than the U.K. one.
You being married to a Spanish national, the requirements will probably differ.
Last edited by Boseley; Aug 25th 2019 at 12:39 pm.

#7

I might have felt the same, at one time. Two months ago, my sister was killed in an accident in Portugal, where she had been on holiday (crossing the road on a zebra crossing, when she was hit by a vehicle). I rang the FCO helpline early on a Saturday morning - the response was our Embassy in Portugal is closed until Monday but I will send them a message and they will open a case file. On the Monday (by this time having travelled to Northern Portugal) we rang the Embassy Direct and they emailed an information sheet. We met with a Consular Officer there (we had to drive the 1.5 hours into Lisbon and were told, very politely, that there really was nothing more they could do. All you will get from them is words of sympathy and a leaflet, basically - information which you could find out yourself from the internet. We had to deal with the hospital, meetings with local police, funeral director and arrange a local lawyer without any help from them, luckily local Portugese contacts were so helpful.
