Path to citizenship
- Apply180-730 days
- Citizenshipgranted
Overview
- Country
- Spain
- Program
- Spanish Citizenship by Democratic Memory Law
- Local name
- Ley de Memoria Democrática — Nacionalidad Española
- Type
- Citizenship by Descent
- Status
- Discontinued
- Processing time
- 180-730 days
- Dual citizenship
- Allowed
- Visa-free countries
- 186 destinations
- Passport rank
- #3 (Henley Index)
Spanish citizenship for grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Spaniards forced into exile during the Civil War (1936-1939) and Franco era (1939-1975). Also known as the "Grandchildren's Law" (Ley de Nietos). The application window opened October 22, 2022 and closed October 22, 2025. Over 312,000 applications were submitted worldwide, 60% from Latin America.
Fees and costs
- Application fee
- $112
- Passport fee
- $32
Eligibility and requirements
- Police clearance required
- Medical exam not required
- Oath required
Ancestry requirements
- Generational limit
- 3 generation(s)
- Ancestor citizenship
- Must have been citizen
- Application deadline
- Oct 22, 2025
Passport and mobility
- Passport rank
- #3 (Henley Index)
- Visa-free access
- 186 countries
- Passport validity
- 10 years
- EU citizenship
- Yes
- Schengen access
- Yes
- US E-2 treaty
- Yes — eligible for US investor visa
How to apply
- Method
- Both
- Apply from abroad
- Yes
- Application type
- Deadline
- Official website
- www.boe.es
- Legal basis
- Law 20/2022, Ley de Memoria Democrática (October 19, 2022), Disposición Adicional Octava
Notes and caveats
APPLICATION WINDOW CLOSED October 22, 2025. No new appointment or application requests are accepted after that date, but timely CSV/appointment requests and applications submitted before the deadline continue to be processed. Eligible applicants included grandchildren of Spanish exiles who left Spain between 1936-1975 due to political, ideological, or belief-based persecution. Some great-grandchildren also qualified under certain conditions. Consulates worldwide were overwhelmed, particularly in Argentina, Cuba, Mexico, and other Latin American countries.