Spanish Nationality Application

[johncar54]

This is not related to UK but I know there are people on the forum who have experience regarding other countries.

My wife, Filipina, is applying for Spanish Nationality (having lived in Spain for 2 years).

One of the documents required is an NBI certificate.

The cert must be translated into Spanish and legalised.

I am told by my lawyer (often they get it wrong here, one of the joys of living Spain!) that it must be done in the Philippines.

Does anyone have experience of having an NBI translated and or legalised in Philippines, who can tell me what they did?

Thanks John and Elaine

[nparvus1202]

Send the NBI clearance to Spain and translate it there and return it to Manila to be legalized, but I doubt you could find Spanish speaking lawyers there or at least understand basic Spanish so he knows what the documents are. Unless it's in Davao where a lot of locals still speak Spanish.

[johncar54]

NPARVUS

Thanks for the reply, but it must be all done in Phil, or at least that is what my lawyer here in Spain says.

Since making the post I called the Phil Consul in Madrid, they said it can be done at Dept of Foreign Affairs, 2330 Roxas Boulevard, Manila, near Buen Dias.

If I don't get any different advice I will get a friend in Manila to go there. I will make a post after that to say what happened, so other will know.

[nparvus1202]

NPARVUS

Thanks for the reply, but it must be all done in Phil, or at least that is what my lawyer here in Spain says.

Since making the post I called the Phil Consul in Madrid, they said it can be done at Dept of Foreign Affairs, 2330 Roxas Boulevard, Manila, near Buen Dias.

If I don't get any different advice I will get a friend in Manila to go there. I will make a post after that to say what happened, so other will know.

That is what I am saying, difficult to find one Spanish speaking lawyer in Manila, maybe none. Good thing you could do it in DFA. Just ask your friend to go and inform about the FEE. Might be expensive.

[pendeen560]

Hi John,

Everything can be authenticated in the DFA ... it costs 100 pesos and five working days. Drop it in on a Monday and collect on a Friday.

As you know I'm married to a Filipina and live in Spain. Cecille had our marriage certificate authenticated at the DFA and deposited at the General Register in the UK.

She also had her NBI authenticated at the DFA.

The UK marriage certificate is now being translated by a "sworn translator" in Caceres in preparation for her residency application.

So authenticate at the DFA first, then have it translated in Spain.

Dave

[pendeen560]

seems like I can't edit my posts ... so i will have to post again.

In my previous post I wrote "Cecille had our marriage certificate authenticated at the DFA". This was for the visa application at the Spanish Consul.

Her marriage certificate was deposited at the GRO by the Honoray British Consul in Cebu.

Just to clarify things

So back to John's query ... authenticate at the DFA and then have it translated by an official translator certified by the Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores.

I scanned our marriage certifcate and sent it to my translator by email. It will be ready in 2 or 3 business days.

She is known as a Traductor Jurado.

Dave

[pendeen560]

Thinking a bit more about this conundrum ...

The authenticated NBI certificate may also need further authentication at the Spanish Consul in Makati for use in Spain ... best to phone them direct to find out

Dave

[pedro_negro]

Hi johncar54, was wondering how things were going with the application process. I'm considering going down the same route sometime in the near future.

[johncar54]

Pedro,


by coincidence we are going to the court tomorrow to present the paperwork. I will 'report back' after that.

[johncar54]

Reporting back.

Not good news.

Although it would seem logical, we were advised by our solicitor, that it was not necessary to be able to speak Spanish in order to obtain Spanish Nationality. Elaine does not and although I do, I was excluded as I might have helped her with the answers. They did allow another guy who was in the queue to translate for her.

The lawyer also did not tell us there was a ‘Spanish Test’ questions generally about Spain.

No doubt Elaine has failed the application so a lot of time and money wasted getting all the paperwork locally and NBI, Birth Certs from Phil, authorised, officially translated etc,

It does not affect her status here but its still a disappointment that she still cannot see a time when she can travel unrestricted by he Phil passport.

So good luck to others and remember learn Spanish and learn about Spain

[pendeen560]

Sorry to hear about your troubles with application ...

Couldn't find a reference to the test or ability to speak Spanish at the Ministry of Justice web site
http://www.mjusticia.es

All the other requirements are listed there.

Hope all goes well in the future

[pedro_negro]

Hi johncar54, thanks for the information. Sorry to hear about your current predicament and I hope that your wife's documents will still be put to good use at a later date.

[johncar54]

We had a chat with our lawyer yesterday. He believes that if the application is refused we can try again with the same paperwork. That was the worst bit, the idea of getting the NBI and birth cert, from Phil and then authenticated and translated.

The lawyer is still convinced it is not necessary for the applicant to be able to speak Spanish.

Thanks Pendeen for the references.

I will report back on developments, for the benefit of others trying to follow out course.

[johncar54]

Just an up-date.

I sent an email to lawyer as we had not heard anything for some months.

Within a couple of days, we got a letter from the registry section at the court to say my wife's papers have been forwarded. We checked on line and they are in the system. I assume my lawyer calling the Registry 'reminded' them they had forgotten the papers !

Nothing happened between us being told she had 'failed' and the papers being forward, must be a 'Spanish Thing'

We now must wait at least two years to see what will happen.