BREXIT: Huge Rise In Brits Applying For Spanish Citizenship
Spain News
Published: 12 December 2018 13:16 CET
Updated: 12 December 2018 14:16 CET
Since the Brexit referendum, Spain has seen a huge rise in British expats applying for citizenship in the country according to Spain’s General Department for Registries and Notaries.
In the first 10 months of 2018, a total of 166 British expats applied to become citizens of Spain. This represents a rise of 232% on the previous year, which saw just 50 citizenship requests.
Although the applications from British citizens have tripled, the numbers are still extremely low compared to other nationalities who have applied for citizenship in the country in recent years.
Requests from Moroccan citizens for example reached a staggering 10,067 in 2017 along with Venezuelans who also accounted for 2,001 requests.
Brits were seventh among those applying from other European countries in 2015, but over the past three years the increase has meant they now sit in fourth place behind Romanian, Italian and Bulgarian applications.
There can be no doubt that one of the biggest drivers for the rise in citizenship requests from Brits is the result of the Brexit referendum.
The figures also come at a time when Theresa May this morning learnt of a vote of no-confidence, after the 1922 committee received the 48 letters required to trigger the vote, which will take place this evening between 18:00 and 20:00 GMT.
It’s not known what will happen if Theresa May is ousted as Prime Minister, but it’s believed that Brexit may be delayed with some speculating that it may even force a general election. It could be that the UK may not leave the EU at all. Time will tell!
It all comes at a critical time in the Brexit negotiations and only adds to the uncertainty already being experienced by those both in the UK and for all those expats currently residing in Spain and other parts of Europe.
