Marrying Spanish Citizens

[muchosxumbos]

Does marrying a Spanish citizen make it easier for Americans to work and study in Spain?
I know it gives you residency, but does that make it legal to work abroad? And does it make studying abroad any less expensive, or must you be a citizen?
My boyfriend is Spanish and we were considering doing it in order to end the horrible long distance.

[richardksa]

I am sure you love each other dearly, but you have written is hardly a good reason for marriage.

[gtappend]

I don't know what Spain is like, but we're all in the EU, so it must be similar, right? :D

Before I got married in Germany, I had lived here for 8 years. In that time I had obtained unlimited residency (which requires you to prove both an income and somewhere to live, eg. rental contract). As an EU citizen I don't require a work permit.

But because my then fiancée (now wife) is a German national, our marriage had to be approved in advance by a state judge. For this I had to get a translation of my brith certificate by a court-approved translator and again prove that I had my own independent income.

This sounds all very beaurocratic and believe me, it was (luckily we found someone helpful at the town hall who guided us through it all). But the reason behind it is simple: I could at some later stage try to get German citizenship, and being married to a German citizen would make this a lot easier for me.

In short, the paperwork you need to get married here is even more than just to live and work here.

Assuming that Spain is not going to be that much different in this respect, it would probably be better for you to come here first, get all your permits, and then consider getting married later.

If you do go ahead with it, there is such a thing as an international marriage certificate - it's the sort of thing that you never need at first, but it could be useful in the future if you need to prove back in your home country that you've got married abroad without getting the native certificate translated.

[Salam]

So, I've always considered this, since I'm contemplating moving to spain after college, but um, if you do marry a spaniard, do you become a spanish citizen after a given number of years? and then if you have a child, would the child be a spanish citizen?

[muchosxumbos]

I don't know about marriage but if the kids are born in Spain, they will be considered citizens.

[gtappend]

I don't know about marriage but if the kids are born in Spain, they will be considered citizens.

Theoretically any child born to multi-national parents should have dual-nationality. But - and this is a big but - it depends on which countries are involved. Some only accept dual-nationality until the child reaches 16/18/21 etc. and then they have to choose which one to keep and which one to give up, even if the other country is happy for them to keep both.

So even if the Spanish authorities don't have a problem with it, the other country might have.

[ValenciaSon]

So, I've always considered this, since I'm contemplating moving to spain after college, but um, if you do marry a spaniard, do you become a spanish citizen after a given number of years? and then if you have a child, would the child be a spanish citizen?
You have a few years before you have to worry about this. I only say that to mean have fun in the meanwhile until when you reach that day.

[eldeano]

You have a few years before you have to worry about this. I only say that to mean have fun in the meanwhile until when you reach that day.

That's right. Have fun until you have kids!!;D

[ValenciaSon]

Having kids is a whole new brand of fun.

[djS]

citizens dose come when you marrying a Spanish citizen there lot off paper work to go throught lot easyer there in the Usa . Rules here have been update due few propblems in last few years ( do with Bus.h )

[Salam]

Having kids is a whole new brand of fun.
haha...yeah, um that's a different level of fun, and i really don't think i ever wanna have them, so yeah...there's quite a ways for me to go before thinking about either marriage or kids...lol..but yeah, i was just wondering about the citizenship part..lol.

[Salam]

citizens dose come when you marrying a Spanish citizen there lot off paper work to go throught lot easyer there in the Usa . Rules here have been update due few propblems in last few years ( do with Bus.h )

oh wow...yeah, um there have been lots of new rules and complications since bush became president..lol..but thanks for the information. :)

[richardksa]

I'm sure there will be changes when Hillary runs the place.;D

[ValenciaSon]

I'm sure there will be changes when Hillary runs the place.;DFor the better! It couldn't get much worse!:eek:

[Salam]

For the better! It couldn't get much worse!:eek:

I'm sure there will be changes when Hillary runs the place.;D

Oh, I would probably kill myself (well, not really) if Hillary becomes president..I seriously hope Obama wins...but then again, that's my opinion...and he would be the first black person to ever be president in the U.S.

[gary]

For the better! It couldn't get much worse!:eek:

We could swap and you could try our lot... oh, I forgot your lot is running our lot!! ;)

[ValenciaSon]

We could swap and you could try our lot... oh, I forgot your lot is running our lot!! ;)I used to like your lot, until "my" lot hired him:rolleyes:

[gary]

I used to like your lot, until "my" lot hired him:rolleyes:

funny thing is that our lot adopted most of the policies of the previous lot we voted out... I think hired is a bit strong - it suggests a financial relationship I think our guy would kiss a*se for free if he tought it might get his lot another gig...