Spanish Court Denies Citizenship to Moroccan Man Over Language Skills

According to the Spanish news agency EFE, the judgment rejected the appeal filed against the resolution aimed at confirming the decision of February 29, 2016 of the Ministry of Justice to refuse citizenship by residence to this Moroccan residing in Spain for about fifteen years.

In reality, the refusal of the application was explained by the fact that the interested party had not sufficiently justified his integration into Spanish society in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Code, as the judge in charge of the civil registry of La Palma del Condado (Huelva) expressly declared.

According to the same source, the judge stressed that the person concerned "does not show a clear integration into Spanish life and society since he does not know the Spanish culture and way of life and the region, and he generally does not develop in the Spanish language", adding that "not only does he have difficulty expressing himself in the official language of the State, but he cannot read or write in this language".

Indeed, the Moroccan displayed his shortcomings during the interview in which he did not know what the Constitution was or the form of the Spanish Government or the name of the Head of State, in addition to having ignored the number of articles in the Constitution or that of the autonomous communities.

Yet in his brief, he said he had submitted the application accompanied by all the documents attesting to compliance with the required objective requirements, more precisely, having sufficient knowledge of certain public organizations and institutions and having maintained his stay in Spain for more than fifteen consecutive years.

And he added: "I have means of subsistence and two children of Spanish nationality registered and residing in the town of Rociana del Condado-Huelva since October 2009".

However, despite compliance with all these provisions, he was notified that "the Spanish language remains an essential element, to understand that there is integration and acquire Spanish nationality".