The new Democratic Memory Act, better known as the ‘Descendants Act’, was approved on 10 October and It will allow Spanish children and grandchildren, as well as Spaniards who have lost their citizenship through marriage, to apply for Spanish citizenship Regardless of whether you were born or lived in the country.
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“They will be able to choose Spanish citizenship, Spanish citizenship if an originally Hispanic father or mother, grandparent were born outside of Spain and have been exiled for political, ideological or religious reasons, or because of sexual orientation and identity,” explains the recently approved bill.
It is also mentioned that sons and daughters born abroad of Spanish women who lost their citizenship by marrying foreigners before the 1978 Constitution came into force can also apply to the law.
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Although the law has already been approved, it will not enter into force until it is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE).
Likewise, the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs explains that the law will give a two-year deadline to submit applications. It is recommended that the application process be started as soon as possible, although the Council of Ministers may agree to extend it for another year.
The purpose of the law is to recognize and compensate Spanish exiles who were victims of the Franco dictatorship. As well as raising awareness about these critical moments in Spanish history.
The bill explains that the ultimate purpose of the law is to “promote peaceful coexistence and the continued development of our democracy.”
The Spanish Government plans to grant citizenship to 350,000 descendants of Spanish immigrants worldwide. However, according to the Voice of America portal, holding a Spanish passport does not mean having the benefits of citizens.
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Source: Exame
