Following Brexit, an increasing number of British citizens have been considering applying for nationality of another EU country, which will guarantee the continuance of rights that may be lost to UK nationals at the end of this year.
The two most popular nationalities are Irish and, of course Spanish. Irish nationality depends on having a parent or grandparent who was born on the island of Ireland (including Northern Ireland) and, as Ireland recognises dual nationality, there will be no problem holding two passports. Go to www.irishimmigration.ie/ citizenship/ for full details.
Spanish nationality is different. Any British citizen who has lived in Spain continuously for more than 10 years can apply for Spanish nationality, which involves a fairly easy language and general knowledge test. However, Spain does not recognise dual nationality for British citizens and, in theory, requires them to renounce their British nationality. In practice, few do this, because the UK recognises dual nationality, and will continue to issue you with a British passport regardless of whether you’ve taken Spanish nationality or not.
It’s important to remember that, if you take Spanish nationality, you will be regarded as Spanish for the purposes of taxation, will making and other legal matters. Be certain to consult a professional before taking this step.
