Grandchildren Law: Could it be extended beyond 2024?
The Democratic Memory Law, also known as the "Grandchildren's Law," has been a remarkable success. More than 60 people worldwide have taken advantage of this law, which grants grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Spaniards the possibility of acquiring citizenship in that country.
This law, which started as a reparation measure for those who had to leave the country after the Civil War and the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, with the latest update, allows it to be applied to children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren of Spaniards born outside of Spain, who were originally Spanish and can prove the nationality of their ancestor through a birth certificate, or a baptismal certificate.
Issued in October 2022, the regulation includes in its articles a closing date for applications for this benefit: October 31, 2024. However, it is possible that, with prior agreement of the Council of Ministers, its validity may be extended for up to one more year, that is, until 2025.
What are the chances of this happening?
As reported by the newspaper La TerceraThe Law of Grandchildren has been criticized by the political opposition in Spain, specifically by Vox and the People's Party, who even stated they would repeal it. But even if this were to happen, such a repeal would not be retroactive; that is, it would not affect rights already acquired by individuals, nor would it affect applicants who are still in the process.
One area where the opposition could exert influence is the possible one-year extension of this Law, despite the fact that the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, has said in this regard that "we will fully implement the Law of Democratic Memory," reports [source missing]. The universeand that “we will continue to expand the recognition of Spanish nationality to descendants abroad.” In other words, he supports extending the rule.
AIM Global's main recommendation is to begin the application process as soon as possible. This is not only due to the political situation: obtaining Spanish nationality through the "Grandchildren Law" is a process that takes time.
On the one hand, there's a whole genealogical investigation, document searches, validations, and so on. And if we consider that this law has sparked the interest of thousands of people worldwide, we must also add the potential delays caused by the processing itself within the institutions involved.
If you're interested, get in touch with our team of experts. They'll be with you every step of the way.Don't hesitate and schedule a meeting now!
