El Gobierno impulsa un nuevo Reglamento para la ciudadanía española en el exterior con el foco puesto en el retorno y en la cercanía con las personas que viven fuera
07/02/2025
Official trip to the United States
The Government promotes a new Regulation for Spanish citizenship abroad with the focus on return and proximity to people living abroad
Topics:
- Next Monday, February 10, the prior consultation procedure will be opened, as announced by the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz, on her institutional trip to New York
- After almost 20 years of the approval of Law 40/2006, of December 14, on the Statute of Spanish Citizenship Abroad, the Regulation will develop such regulations to meet the current needs of residents abroad
- The new regulation, which will enter into force during 2025, will guarantee special protection for vulnerable Spanish people who are returned in emergency situations
- It will also allow the attraction of scientific, technical and research talent, promote associationism and include in its entirety the State Plan of Voluntary Return
- A Spanish Emigration Memory Center will be launched to value the heritage of people who had to emigrate outside the country. “A country like Spain, with an absolutely emigrant memory, is important that it does not forget,” said Elma Saiz
- Elma Saiz: “Traveling is a pleasure, emigrating is a necessity and we Spaniards know it well because we have done it throughout our history. This Government is concerned about Spaniards living abroad and safeguarding their social and economic rights, complying with Article 42 of the Spanish Constitution.”
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The Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz, has announced that the Government of Spain is preparing a new regulation to develop and update the Spanish Citizenship Statute abroad, which has been in force for almost 20 years, and which will meet the current needs of residents abroad.
Saiz has announced, during a meeting held in New York with the Spanish community, that next Monday, February 10, the prior consultation procedure that will begin the normative process of the Regulation will be opened. This regulation will meet the current needs of residents abroad, a population that, over time, has changed its profile and needs.
“The goal is to gather the opinion of citizens, organizations and associations, who have a lot to say. I would like to point out that, with this Regulation, we ensure compliance with Article 42 of the Spanish Constitution, that is, for your rights as residents abroad,” said Saiz.
The new regulation, whose entry into force is planned during this year 2025, will enhance the inclusive return of Spaniards abroad. In other words, it will guarantee special protection for vulnerable people who are returned in emergency situations (repatriations due to armed conflicts, emergency situations, minors in vulnerable situations, women victims of gender violence, etc. ).
In addition, it will promote the attraction of scientific, technical and research talent through specific programs and support to networks of scientists to allow the simplification of accreditation and certification processes for research personnel.
Centre of Memory of Spanish Emigration
A Spanish Emigration Memory Center will be launched, with the aim of valuing the heritage of people who had to emigrate outside Spain during the different stages of its history.
“A country without a memory is a fragile democracy. And more in this 2025, which is an important year, when it is 50 years since the dictator’s death. A country like Spain, with an absolutely emigrant memory, is important that it does not forget,” said Saiz.
Likewise, the Regulation will also support associationism through collaboration with the General Council of Spanish Citizenship Abroad and the Councils of Spanish Residents Abroad, focusing on young people. Digital administration will also be promoted with the aim of enhancing access to the electronic headquarters and obtaining the certificate of electronic signature or alternative authentication systems.
State Voluntary Return Plan
The regulation will include in its entirety the announced State Plan of Voluntary Return of Spanish citizens residing abroad, which establishes the return policies to be carried out so that, those Spaniards who wish to do so can obtain facilities to return to Spain.
The Plan envisages the creation of a Spanish Office of Return to provide advice and help to people who want to return to Spain, as well as guarantee integration facilities once they return to our country.
“Traveling is a pleasure, emigrating is a necessity and we Spaniards know it well because we have done it throughout our history. Taking into account that the existing law dates from 20 years ago, this new Regulation will allow us to treat this matter comprehensively and adapt the current regulations to the current reality. Today is a very important day for Spanish emigration,” concluded Saiz.
Spanish emigration today
Since the entry into force of the Spanish Citizenship Statute abroad in 2006, there have been very significant changes in terms of the volume and profiles of Spanish citizenship residing abroad.
In this regard, we must take into account the effects of the economic crisis of 2008, a crisis after the approval of the Statute, which resulted in a significant number of people having to leave the country. In fact, the data on the Spanish Population Residing Abroad, prepared by the INE, indicate that in 2009 there were 1,471,691 people of Spanish nationality residing abroad. In the year 2024, there are 2,908,649 people of Spanish nationality living abroad.