Key Takeaways:
- The Spanish government has extended the application deadline for citizenship under the “Grandchildren Law” until October 2025.
- Changes provide a unified family case system, allowing citizenship to pass from parents to children and grandchildren.
- Over 226,000 descendants of Spaniards have applied for citizenship since October 2022, with 110,540 applications approved.
The Spanish government has given descendants of emigrants an additional two years to apply for citizenship under the “Grandchildren Law.” The new deadline is now October 2025, a crucial extension for those still preparing documents to take advantage of this opportunity to connect with their heritage. This law, part of Spain’s Democratic Memory initiative, aims to restore rights to descendants of Spaniards forced to leave the country.
The recent changes don’t just extend the deadline; they also streamline the process by creating a single file for each family. Once a parent obtains citizenship, it can be automatically extended to children and grandchildren, reducing the need for separate applications across generations.
Since the law’s enactment in October 2022, over 226,000 applications have been submitted, with about half already approved. In May 2024 alone, 1,588 Argentinians in Buenos Aires acquired Spanish citizenship, and interest remains strong as these recent changes make it even more appealing to descendants of Spaniards worldwide
