Atención solicitantes de la ciudadanía española por la Ley de Memoria Democrótica: Nuevo sistema en el Registro Civil del Consulado de España en Miami

Descendants of Spaniards seeking to obtain citizenship under the Democratic Memory Law (LMD) will now have to manage part of their process through a new electronic system.

This is a recent change implemented by the Civil Registry of the Spanish Consulate in Miami. A measure aimed at streamlining procedures and reducing the waiting time for the issuance of essential documents to complete the nationality process.

The digitization of the Civil Registry allows applicants to obtain birth certificates and other documents electronically, without the need to visit the consulate in person.

However, the nationality process still requires an in-person appointment, so it is essential to understand how the new system works and what steps those wishing to apply for Spanish citizenship must follow.

Below, we explain how to register on the platform, what documents are needed, and what the most important updates are in the nationality application process.

How to apply for Spanish nationality under the Democratic Memory Law

The process to apply for Spanish citizenship through the LMD at the Consulate of Spain in Miami consists of several key steps:

1. Document review

   • Before requesting an appointment, it is essential to review the list of required documents and gather them into a single PDF file.
   • Each applicant may only schedule one appointment per person and procedure, and if they have already submitted their file through the old system before February 27, 2025, they should not request it again.

2. Registration in the credential system

   • To access the appointment system, interested parties must complete the Credential Registration Form, ensuring not to include accents, apostrophes, or hyphens in the first and last names.
   • For example, if the applicant's name is José María Núñez Sánchez-Bravo, they must register as:
     • Name: JOSE MARIA
     • First surname: NUÑEZ
     • Second last name: SANCHEZ BRAVO

3. Documentación requerida

   • Photo of the applicant next to their passport or identity card.
   • Literal birth certificate from the country of origin (Cuba, Venezuela, Argentina, etc.), duly apostilled.
   • Spanish literal birth certificate of the relative who grants the right to nationality.
   • Form corresponding to the type of application (Annex I, II, III or IV).

4. Credential reception and appointment request

   • After the correct submission of the documentation, the applicant will receive an email with a username and password to access the appointment system. This process may take several weeks due to the high volume of requests.
   • Once the email with the credentials is received, the interested party will be able to access the system and choose the date and time of their appointment at the consulate.

Novedades en el proceso de solicitud

A partir del 18 de marzo y hasta el 7 de junio, el consulado ha habilitado citas extraordinarias en horario de tarde para procesar más solicitudes de nacionalidad por la LMD.

Otro cambio relevante es que, a partir de ahora, los hijos mayores de edad de quienes ya solicitaron la ciudadanía podrán presentar su expediente sin necesidad de esperar la resolución del trámite de sus padres. Para ello, deben adjuntar el justificante de presentación del expediente de su progenitor.

Additionally, the Consulate of Spain in Havana has eliminated the requirement to present the marital status of the applicant's parents at the time of their birth. Those who received a request to submit this documentation will no longer have to provide it, and their process will continue normally.

Cómo obtener el pasaporte español tras la concesión de la nacionalidad

New Spanish citizens can apply for their passport at the Consulate of Spain in Miami, following these requirements:

• Presentación personal en el consulado con cita previa.
• Pasaporte anterior o, si es la primera vez, certificado literal de nacimiento español.
• DNI en vigor (si lo posee) o tarjeta de residencia en Estados Unidos.
• Fotografía reciente a color, sobre fondo blanco.
• Formulario de solicitud y pago de la tasa ($31 a partir del 1 de enero de 2025).

El plazo de entrega del pasaporte es de aproximadamente tres semanas. Quienes necesiten retirar su documento podrán hacerlo sin cita en el horario indicado por el consulado.

Recomendaciones clave para los solicitantes

El consulado ha reforzado algunas reglas esenciales para evitar retrasos o problemas en el proceso:

• Solo se atenderá a quienes tengan cita previa.
• No se permitirán registros a través de terceros. Cada solicitante debe gestionar su trámite personalmente.
• If you need to change your appointment, you must cancel the previous one and schedule a new one.
• Si no acude a su cita y no la cancela con al menos 3 días de antelación, su usuario será bloqueado por 2 meses.

El Consulado de España en Miami insta a los solicitantes a leer cuidadosamente las instrucciones oficiales y a seguir los procedimientos indicados para evitar contratiempos en la tramitación de la ciudadanía y otros documentos.

Para más información, se recomienda visitar la página web oficial del Consulate General of Spain in Miami.