Application window for Spanish citizenship via Grandchildren's Law closes

The initial window for this citizenship route was previously scheduled to end in October 2024 but extended by a year due to the sheer number of applications.

Citizenship applications via the Law of Democratic Memory (referred to as La Ley de Nietos or Grandchildren's Law in English) have been in force since October 2022.

The scheme offered a route for millions around the world who qualified via descendants of Spaniards who fled Spain during the Civil War and Franco's dictatorship.

The Spanish government estimates it has received more than 1.5 million applications in total. Though the deadline for submitting applications was 22nd October, reports in the Spanish press and from consulates abroad suggest the processing period will continue over the next few months and could even conclude years down the line.

READ ALSO: 13 facts to understand Spain's new 'Civil War' law

Juan Manuel de Hoz, founder of the Centro de Descendientes de Españoles Unidos (CeDEU), has stated in the Spanish press that any applications started before the deadline will be resolved: "Those who have taken their turn while the law is in force, continue their process and have an appointment even when the aforementioned law is no longer in force, as long as the user has requested it before 22 October," he said.

READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about Spain's Grandchildren Law citizenship scheme

Spanish consul general in Buenos Aires, José María Ridao Domínguez, has previously said that the reported figures are not definitive and may end up being higher because the administrative process could last until 2029.

With the deadline looming, applications soared towards 900,000, mostly from Latin America. Of 876,321 applications submitted to consulates abroad, only 414,652 have been approved, which translates into a response rate of 47.32 percent so far.

Latin America accounted for more than 95 percent of applications, together with the Miami consulate.

The geographical distribution of applicants has been highly asymmetrical with certain countries standing out: Argentina leads the ranking, with its five consulates receiving 366,579 applications, representing 42 percent of the global total.

Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, recently highlighted that the law has allowed 174,277 descendants of Spanish exiles in Argentina to acquire Spanish nationality. Of these, 61,499 are already registered.

The Spanish consulate in Havana has received 107,338 applications, making up 12.24 percent of the total. The combination of applications from Argentina and Cuba account for more than 53 percent of all global applications.

Among the other countries with significant demand for Spanish citizenship via ancestry, Brazil (10.97 percent), Mexico (9.71 percent) and Chile (5.04 percent) were among the highest.

READ ALSO: 900,000 people apply for Spanish citizenship as Grandchildren Law deadline looms