Filipino Wanting Spanish Citizenship

[franco.imperial]

Hi Patricia/Marta,

I am a Filipino citizen and I have a question on the residency status that would qualify to obtain a Spanish citizenship.

I studied in Madrid for 15 months for my Master's degree and was able to extend my visa for another 12 months after my master since I applied to Instituto Cervantes for language classes. Hence, this would give me a total of 27 months in Spain once I finish the classes. (In the meantime I am also doing some internships with a bank).

My question is, does a student's permit (NIE) qualify as residency? Moreover, in the event I do not get any other way to extend my NIE after these 27 months (e.g. I don't get a full-time job offer), what would you recommend that I do in order to reach the objective of applying for a Spanish citizenship?

Thanks so much.

Best,
Franco

[Patricia]

Hello Franco

Please note that student visas are linked to stay status and not residency and therefore those periods of time are not accountable in terms of residency time required to be eligible for the Spanish Nationality.

You need to modify your status to " residencia", by means of a work and residence permit application. Once you have been residing in Spain holding that status for two years, you´ll be ready to apply for the Spanish nationality.

Please feel free to drop us an email if you have any questions.

Regards,

[Dyydxx]

Hi Patricia,

I'm a naturalized filipino citizen. I was born in Ethiopia. Is there any chance I qualify for this 2- year residency if I use my filipino citizenship?

[Patricia]

Hello Dyydxx,

Yes, those holding Philippine nationality can apply for the Spanish nationality after two years´ residency in Spain.

Regards,

[jesatlarge]

Tremendous forum so thanks to all for all the great information. I am a US citizen by birth, who recently acquired Filipino citizenship through my father who was a Filipino citizen when I was born (in the US). So I am a natural born Filipino per Filipino law. My birth and citizenship in the PI was recently registered through the Filipino consulate. However, the paperwork for my PI passport was lost and I have not yet reapplied. Questions:
1. Do I need a PI passport to prove I am Filipino or will proof of registration and acknowledgement of my birth with the authorities in Manila be enough?
2. I intend to either get a job in Spain (international school) or non lucrativo visa. Is it correct that recently the processing time to convert these to citizenship after the two year period is now less than a year?
3. Will my wife ( non US non Filipino) get permanent residency or citizenship through mine?
4. If I renounce my US citizenship to get Spanish, will the US automatically cancel my passport?

Thanks in advance for any and all help.

[Patricia]

Hello Jesatlarge,

Thanks for your kind words.

In reply to your questions:

1. You certainly need to prove you have the Philippine passport.
2. You will be eligible for the Spanish Nationality application after two years holding a residence permit ( either as a salaried worker, self employed or just holding mere residence). Then, the processing time of nationality applications have been reduced but still takes longer than a year.
3. She will be able to shift from mere residence ( based on family reunion or via a non lucrative permit ) to a residence card as the relative of an EU citizen ( 5 years validity) and then apply for a permanent residence card. Once you are a Spanish citizen she will have to wait for one year ( holding legal residence status ) before she can file the Spanish nationality application as spouse of a Spanish citizen.
4. No, but Spain will only recognize your Spanish nationality.

Regards,

[jesatlarge]

Patricia, thank you so much for you answers. I have two more questions.

1. During the two years of my non lucrativo visa that I will be using for residency, must I be present in Spain itself for 183 days of each calendar year, or 183 days in the larger Schengen area?

2. If I apply for Spanish citizenship after these two years, what are the residency requirements during the year or so that I must wait for citizenship?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give. I searched the entire thread and could not find answers to these questions.