The Civil Registry of Lanzarote continues to have problems giving telephone appointments for people who are trying to obtain Spanish nationality. A resident of the island has written a complaint to La Voz, in which she pointed out that previously "they had to sleep an entire weekend at the doors of the registry to get an appointment", but that since they put the telephone number it seemed that this situation was going to be fixed. However, the number keeps communicating and, according to this neighbor, "it is impossible for them to answer the call." This is her complaint:
"In April-May of this year, they enabled a telephone number, a 928, which had to be called on Thursdays and Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to get an appointment. There were so many complaints that they extended the hours from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., although they still have one telephone and only one person to answer the calls.
In our case, we have been calling from five different telephones every Thursday and Friday and it only communicates. It is impossible to talk to them and when I go there to ask for explanations, the official on duty tells me: "Ah, of course, if you call from five different telephones you are saturating the line, that's why you can't get an appointment." Impressive.
In addition, the official told me that that was my problem, that he is lucky that he does not have to request an appointment for Spanish nationality. Impressive but, unfortunately, true. To request an appointment you have to call Thursdays and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at telephone number 928 599 177. I urge you to call, you will see that it communicates for four hours, but you will be surprised if you call at 8:00, 8:30, 8:45, 1:30 or 2:00 p.m., because it also communicates.
In fact, in one of my complaints I requested that the number of appointments that were being given daily through this telephone be made public. If there is any appointment, will it be that they are offered to the agencies? Otherwise, it is technically impossible to deliver 100 weekly appointments, as the official on duty at the window says.
The fact is that when you gather all the documents that they request to obtain Spanish nationality, that is, criminal records, means of living, birth certificate, which of course have to be apostilled and translated by an official translator? When you have spent a significant amount of money and a lot of time, you realize that some documents have a "specific validity period", that is, that if we cannot get an appointment, or present the documents, these will expire. I say, don't they really find a more effective way to manage appointments? Do they apply this same efficiency in the rest of their tasks? I hope not.
Of course, I have submitted complaints in writing and my husband (the affected) has also, but the situation is not resolved. I have written to the Ombudsman, I have called the Central Registry of Madrid and the only possibility that occurs to me is to register in another place that is not Lanzarote, where the officials on duty really work and thus be able to get an appointment and present the documentation."
