Renouncing Spanish Citizenship

Hi, I have Dual Citizenship (Spanish and British) and would like to drop my Spanish Citizenship as it’s been too long since I lived in Spain, have forgotten the language and have no family there. Does anyone know how to do this? The Spanish Consulate website provides no detail as to how to do this and tells me to book an appointment online but I can’t find the link. Been searching now for 7 hours and no further forward so please help!

That's a crazy thing to do. With that citizenship, even if you don't use it now, you could go to any EU country and establish yourself if needed. In this crazy world, you don't know when you need another citizenship!

Otherwise, it doesn't cost you anything to keep it. Just forget about it and don't renew your passport. But at least, if one day, even in 30 years, if you need it, it may save your life.

Hi Zerubbabel, thanks for coming back to me. The issue I have is that I changed my name by deed poll in the U.K.to show only one surname. I’ve recently tried to renew by British Passport and ticked yes for ‘do you have any other passport’ and sent away my expired Spanish passport to the HMPO. It expired over 10 years ago and now the HMPO is refusing to renew my British Passport and refusing to return my Spanish passport until I change the name on my Spanish one to match. I don’t speak the language anymore and trying to navigate through the Spanish Consulate website to understand what to do is causing serious stress as the only way to prove I’m Spanish is my passport and I’m stuck on what to do.

The refusal letter from the HMPO even had my Spanish names the wrong way round which was one of the reasons I changed it by deed poll to make it easier in this country. They say they’re keeping the documents until I sort it out yet in their letter and over the phone tell me I need to sort it out by going back to Spain. When I asked the man on the phone how I do this with no Spanish passport or British passport he told me that was for me to sort out. I would like to change my name on my Spanish passport to match my U.K. one or renounce my citizenship, whichever is easier because right now I feel very vulnerable not having my U.K. passport to prove I have a right to work, change banks etc. Does anyone know what the process is to change a name or renounce citizenship?

Seizure of passport actionable in law. Ask for for your Spanish passport back. Renouncing Spanish citizenship seems premature.

Thanks for the response Vinny... I know it seems a bit extreme but it’s so difficult to deal with the Spanish Consulate. I’m going to try and change my name to match my British passport but I don’t know where to start but I’ll use google translator. It just means no passport for me for a very long time

It may be unlawful for the HMPO to retain your foreign passport. Start by asking them to give your Spanish passport back.

I told them it was unlawful to retain it as it’s the property of Spain and not the U.K. The guy on the phone told me he would pass it to his supervisor but I’ve heard nothing as yet. I’m scared they’re going to try and strip my British Citizenship because of this. I spent all night trying to navigate the Spanish Consulate to book an appointment to discuss but I didn’t even know where to start.

Refer them to the above linked judgment. I think it may be difficult for the HMPO to try to strip your British citizenship on this basis, unless you are a perpetrator of identity thief, etc.

If necessary, then report HMPO’s unlawful seizure to the Spanish Embassy and ask for their assistance.

NikNak wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 31, 2020 7:59 am

When I asked the man on the phone how I do this with no Spanish passport or British passport he told me that was for me to sort out.

Requesting you to fix something, but limiting your means to do so? Seems like an irrational attitude.

See also Complaints procedure.

Would a solution be changing your name by deed poll back to the way it was, as in the Spanish passport?

Too much hassle Vinny as it took forever to do it the 1st time and I like having the one name. I got married recently and my wife took my one name as well so all my documents have the one name. Thanks for the idea though.