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UFC champion Topuria promised Spanish citizenship by PM

Spain's newest sports star and UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria had just one achievement missing from his growing resumé: Spanish citizenship. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez vowed to make "his dream" come true.

Published: 27 February 2024 11:55 CET
UFC champion Topuria promised Spanish citizenship by PM
UFC Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria shows off his title at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Photo: JAVIER SORIANO/AFP.

Spain has yet another sports star to celebrate, but technically speaking he’s not even Spanish… yet.

Mixed martial artist Ilia Topuria won the featherweight title at Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 289 in Anaheim, California, on February 17th, taking the belt from Australian Alexander Volkanovski.

But when the fighter made his triumphant return to Madrid after the bout, the new championship belt proudly slung over his shoulder, he was forced to go through immigration like any other foreigner arriving in Spain.

“When I landed, I thought why did I have to go through immigration, where the foreigners go and not where the Spaniards go?” Topuria later said.

Topuria’s ring walks are known for bearing two flags: one Georgian, where his parents are from, and one Spanish, the country where he has lived since he was 15 years old.

But the fighter, who defines himself as a Spanish-Georgian, is not Spanish legally speaking.

Not until now, anyway. Upon his return to Spain, Topuria revealed that his next aim isn’t more success in the octagon but to get Spanish citizenship. “My dream? To have a Spanish ID card,” he said while appearing on the Spanish TV chat show El Hormiguero on Monday.

Topuria was welcomed at La Moncloa by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Tuesday, after admitting he’d considered going straight to the top with his request: “Tomorrow I’m going to ask the President in person, to see if he can help me…” he said.

Topuria has also previously said that Sánchez was yet to congratulate him after becoming champion. “I have not been congratulated by the leader of our country. It hurt me, but I don’t hold grudges,” he argued.

However, Sánchez tweeted on Tuesday via X that “your love for Spain will be reflected on your Spanish ID”, confirming that Topuria’s request hasn’t fallen on deaf ears.

Of course, Topuria (27) could have already acquired Spanish nationality as he has been living in Spain since he was 15 years old, and therefore meets the legal requirements to obtain it, but to become Spanish he would have to renounce his Georgian nationality.

Georgia is not a Schengen area country, the reason why the UFC champion had to go through extra non-EU immigration checks upon his triumphant return to Barajas airport.

Ilia Topuria holds a Spanish-Georgian flag after knocking out Alexander Volkanovski of Australia in their featherweight UFC title fight on February 17th, 2024 in Anaheim, California. Photo: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images/AFP

Ilia Topuria was born in January 1997, not in Spain or Georgia but in Halle, Germany. When he was six years old, the Topuria family returned to Georgia and he lived there until he was 15 years old. It was then that he came to Spain, to Alicante, and began focusing on mixed martial arts training.

The fighter has long been clear about his dual-identity and pride in being Spanish. “I feel very Spanish and I also feel very Georgian. It’s like having two sons. When they ask me, ‘Georgia or Spain? You can’t choose between two children, you love them both equally. My parents come from Georgia, my blood is Georgian, but I have grown up in Spain,” the featherweight fighter has previously said.

Given Spain’s past leniency in handing out Spanish citizenship to sports stars is anything to go by, Topuria is more than qualified.

Over the years there has been a trend in sports stars getting citizenship due to their sporting prowess alone, something known as ‘express citizenship’, including football stars Lionel Messi and US basketball player Lorenzo Brown, who, having never lived in Spain, was granted Spanish citizenship immediately just so he could play for the national team.

In Topuria’s case, his claim seems much fairer as he has lived in Spain for many years, speaks Spanish to a native level, and self-identifies as Spanish-Georgian.

Whether or not the Georgian authorities will be so flexible with their own citizenship rules when it comes to granting him dual nationality, however, remains to be seen.

READ ALSO: How foreigners can get fast-track citizenship in Spain

Most ‘express citizenship’ applications in Spain are done via a carta de naturaleza, as it’s called in Spanish, which allows foreign nationals who have done something “exceptional” for Spain to become Spanish citizens immediately, with the waiting times that all other applicants have to endure also non-existent.

Critics say this fast-track citizenship option is an elitist privilege and unobtainable unless you have friends in high places in the Spanish government, as it is awarded by Royal Decree by Spain’s Council of Ministers.

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SPAIN AND THE US

How to quickly get a US passport for a child born in Spain 

What are the steps to apply for a baby's US passport from Spain? How long does it take? Here’s all the experience-based information and tips American parents in Spain should know before beginning the process.

Published: 17 April 2024 16:46 CEST
How to quickly get a US passport for a child born in Spain 

You’ve left the United States and moved to Spain. Now, you’ve added a baby to this fabulous new life. You’ll want to secure their U.S. citizenship and passport straight away.

If one parent is Spanish, your child is entitled to Spanish citizenship. If your child doesn’t qualify for citizenship by birth, they’ll need an American passport to declare their nationality before being registered in Spain.

This article lays out the qualifications for a U.S. passport and the steps to get one. Fortunately, the process is fairly simple, according to people who have done it.

Does your baby qualify for a U.S. passport?
 
Your newborn qualifies for U.S. citizenship and a U.S. passport under the following conditions.
 
– They were born within wedlock to two U.S. citizen parents.
– They were born within wedlock and one of the parents is a U.S. citizen, and lived at least five years in the Unites States, two of which were ager after 14 or
– They were born out of wedlock to a U.S. citizen mother and non-citizen father.
– They were born out of wedlock to a U.S. citizen father and non-citizen mother.
 
When the parent who is a U.S. citizen is the father and the baby is born out of wedlock, there are a few additional steps required.

You’ll need to prove the blood relationship between your child and their father, attain a sworn statement from the father agreeing to give financial support until they are 18 years old and supply a written statement acknowledging paternity.

If your child does qualify for American citizenship, the next steps are pretty straightforward, although completing the required forms can be time-consuming.

What are the first steps when applying for a child’s U.S. passport from Spain?

The first step is applying for a Consular Report of Birth abroad (CRBA), which documents that your child is a U.S. citizen at birth. Any of the U.S. Consular Agencies in Spain can accept applications for Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA) and U.S. passports.

To begin, you’ll apply online. But remember, you’ll need original copies of any documents you upload; you’ll bring these to your in-person appointment at the consulate.
 
Documents you’ll need include:
 
·      Your child’s Spanish birth certificate.
·      Your marriage certificate, if married.
·      Divorce certificate, if divorced.
·      Evidence of U.S. parent’s citizenship, valid identification, and proof of physical presence in the United States.
·      Valid identification for non-U.S. citizen parent 
 
 “You will need proof of having been a long-term US resident in the past so think about what you can show (school transcripts, tax returns, etc.)” says Liz who moved from Scottsville Arizona to Málaga. Many Americans said this was the most time-intensive part.
 
Once you’ve completed and submitted your CRBA, you’re ready to make an appointment at a U.S. Consulate. The best way to make the appointment is by contacting the consulate directly, but make sure to wait for three days after submitting and paying for your CRBA. The fee is $100.00.

Remember, you must bring the original versions of every document you uploaded for your CRBA application, and your child must be present. Generally, both parents must also be present.

You can apply for your child’s passport at the same appointment. Be sure to complete the U.S. passport application prior to your appointment (including payment of a $135 fee) and bring the originals of all documents you uploaded for your passport application. Both parents must sign the application.
 
You’ll need to bring original copies and photocopies of the following documents:
 
·      One 2”x2” (5x5cm) passport picture for your child.
·      A document listing the legal guardians of your child.
·      Identification for both parents.
·      A physical copy of the completed passport application form (DS-11).
 

Important considerations:
 
For the CRBA, the U.S. parent(s) must report their physical presence in the United States, detailing each trip abroad. In other words, it’s crucial you don’t include time abroad in your list of days staying within the United States. If the dates are incorrect, the processing could be suspended until you correct the dates.

“The hardest part for us was to list every country we had ever visited, when and why.  Other than that, pretty easy. We did through the consulate in Valencia. Good luck,” says Sara, who moved from Boston, Massachusetts to Valencia.
 
It’s very important for both listed parents to attend the appointment. If only one parent can attend, you’ll need to submit a Statement of Consent. If you have sole legal custody of your child, you’ll need to bring proof, such as a court order.
 
Bring your child’s passport photo in a separate envelope (to not use it) but don’t staple it to the passport application.

How long does it take?
 
Generally, it takes approximately eight weeks to receive your child’s passport, which will be mailed to you. Be prepared to receive multiple mailings; your passport and citizenship papers will come separately. If you’ve requested both a passport book and a passport card, you’ll get 3 different mailings. If you’d like, you can pay for faster shipping.
 
If you have questions, don’t be shy about contacting your consulate. “It’s a simple process. Visit the US embassy website for any information you need. You can call or email any questions you have,” says Sarah, who moved from San Francisco to Barcelona.

Congratulations on your multinational family!

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