diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/account/new.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/account/new.ts
index 11de24f7280..a4f66b43a0f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/account/new.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/account/new.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import {
+  formatNonAccentedCharacters,
   generateKeys,
   generateMnemonic,
   MnemonicLanguages,
@@ -100,7 +101,8 @@ export default class NewAccount extends BaseCommand {
     const res = this.parse(NewAccount)
     let mnemonic = NewAccount.readFile(res.flags.mnemonicPath)
     if (mnemonic) {
-      if (!validateMnemonic(mnemonic, NewAccount.languageOptions(res.flags.language!))) {
+      mnemonic = formatNonAccentedCharacters(mnemonic)
+      if (!validateMnemonic(mnemonic)) {
         throw Error('Invalid mnemonic. Should be a bip39 mnemonic')
       }
     } else {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/account/recover-old.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/account/recover-old.ts
index a53dc72b1a9..b15d363a975 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/account/recover-old.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/account/recover-old.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
-import { generateKeysFromSeed, generateSeed, validateMnemonic } from '@celo/utils/lib/account'
+import {
+  formatNonAccentedCharacters,
+  generateKeysFromSeed,
+  generateSeed,
+  validateMnemonic,
+} from '@celo/utils/lib/account'
 import { privateKeyToAddress } from '@celo/utils/lib/address'
 import { flags } from '@oclif/command'
 import { toChecksumAddress } from 'ethereumjs-util'
@@ -29,9 +34,10 @@ export default class RecoverOld extends NewAccount {
 
   async run() {
     const res = this.parse(RecoverOld)
-    const mnemonic = NewAccount.readFile(res.flags.mnemonicPath)
+    let mnemonic = NewAccount.readFile(res.flags.mnemonicPath)
     if (mnemonic) {
-      if (!validateMnemonic(mnemonic, NewAccount.languageOptions(res.flags.language!))) {
+      mnemonic = formatNonAccentedCharacters(mnemonic)
+      if (!validateMnemonic(mnemonic)) {
         throw Error('Invalid mnemonic. Should be a bip39 mnemonic')
       }
     } else {
diff --git a/packages/mobile/src/backup/utils.test.ts b/packages/mobile/src/backup/utils.test.ts
index a0b211e9aa7..b5189771bbc 100644
--- a/packages/mobile/src/backup/utils.test.ts
+++ b/packages/mobile/src/backup/utils.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { MnemonicLanguages, validateMnemonic } from '@celo/utils/src/account'
+import { formatNonAccentedCharacters, validateMnemonic } from '@celo/utils/src/account'
 import * as bip39 from 'react-native-bip39'
 import {
   createQuizWordList,
@@ -97,7 +97,11 @@ describe('Mnemonic validation and formatting', () => {
     'NFD'
   )
 
-  const BAD_SPANISH_MNEMONIC = 'avance colmo poema momia cofre pata res verso secta cinco tuberia yacer eterno observar ojo tabaco seta ruina bebé oral miembro gato suelo violín'.normalize(
+  const SPANISH_MNEMONIC_NO_ACCENTS = 'avance colmo poema momia cofre pata res verso secta cinco tuberia yacer eterno observar ojo tabaco seta ruina bebe oral miembro gato suelo violin'.normalize(
+    'NFD'
+  )
+
+  const BAD_SPANISH_MNEMONIC = 'avance colmo poema momia cofre pata res verso secta cinco tuberia yacer eterno observar ojo tabaco seta ruina bebé oralio miembro gato suelo violín'.normalize(
     'NFD'
   )
 
@@ -106,8 +110,8 @@ describe('Mnemonic validation and formatting', () => {
 
   const MULTILINE_ENGLISH_MNEMONIC = `there resist cinnamon water salmon
 spare thumb explain equip uniform control
-divorce mushroom head vote below 
-setup marriage oval topic husband 
+divorce mushroom head vote below
+setup marriage oval topic husband
 inner surprise invest`
 
   const MULTILINE_ENGLISH_MNEMONIC_EXTRA_SPACES = MULTILINE_ENGLISH_MNEMONIC.replace(
@@ -134,40 +138,36 @@ inner surprise invest`
   })
 
   it('validates spanish successfully', () => {
-    expect(
-      validateMnemonic(
-        formatBackupPhraseOnSubmit(SPANISH_MNEMONIC),
-        MnemonicLanguages.spanish,
-        bip39
-      )
-    ).toBeTruthy()
+    const mnemonic = formatNonAccentedCharacters(formatBackupPhraseOnSubmit(SPANISH_MNEMONIC))
+    expect(validateMnemonic(mnemonic, bip39)).toBeTruthy()
+  })
+
+  it('validates spanish successfully without mnemonic accents', () => {
+    const mnemonic = formatNonAccentedCharacters(
+      formatBackupPhraseOnSubmit(SPANISH_MNEMONIC_NO_ACCENTS)
+    )
+    expect(validateMnemonic(mnemonic, bip39)).toBeTruthy()
   })
 
   it('validates english successfully', () => {
-    expect(
-      validateMnemonic(formatBackupPhraseOnSubmit(ENGLISH_MNEMONIC), undefined, bip39)
-    ).toBeTruthy()
+    const mnemonic = formatNonAccentedCharacters(formatBackupPhraseOnSubmit(ENGLISH_MNEMONIC))
+    expect(validateMnemonic(mnemonic, bip39)).toBeTruthy()
   })
 
   it('validates english multiline successfully', () => {
-    expect(
-      validateMnemonic(formatBackupPhraseOnSubmit(MULTILINE_ENGLISH_MNEMONIC), undefined, bip39)
-    ).toBeTruthy()
+    const mnemonic = formatNonAccentedCharacters(
+      formatBackupPhraseOnSubmit(MULTILINE_ENGLISH_MNEMONIC)
+    )
+    expect(validateMnemonic(mnemonic, bip39)).toBeTruthy()
   })
 
   it('does not validate bad english', () => {
-    expect(
-      validateMnemonic(formatBackupPhraseOnSubmit(BAD_ENGLISH_MNEMONIC), undefined, bip39)
-    ).toBeFalsy()
+    const mnemonic = formatNonAccentedCharacters(formatBackupPhraseOnSubmit(BAD_ENGLISH_MNEMONIC))
+    expect(validateMnemonic(mnemonic, bip39)).toBeFalsy()
   })
 
   it('does not validate bad spanish', () => {
-    expect(
-      validateMnemonic(
-        formatBackupPhraseOnSubmit(BAD_SPANISH_MNEMONIC),
-        MnemonicLanguages.spanish,
-        bip39
-      )
-    ).toBeFalsy()
+    const mnemonic = formatNonAccentedCharacters(formatBackupPhraseOnSubmit(BAD_SPANISH_MNEMONIC))
+    expect(validateMnemonic(mnemonic, bip39)).toBeFalsy()
   })
 })
diff --git a/packages/mobile/src/import/saga.ts b/packages/mobile/src/import/saga.ts
index 5e445f620fb..f5080e7d859 100644
--- a/packages/mobile/src/import/saga.ts
+++ b/packages/mobile/src/import/saga.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-import { generateKeys, validateMnemonic } from '@celo/utils/src/account'
+import {
+  formatNonAccentedCharacters,
+  generateKeys,
+  validateMnemonic,
+} from '@celo/utils/src/account'
 import { privateKeyToAddress } from '@celo/utils/src/address'
 import BigNumber from 'bignumber.js'
 import * as bip39 from 'react-native-bip39'
@@ -29,14 +33,15 @@ export function* importBackupPhraseSaga({ phrase, useEmptyWallet }: ImportBackup
   Logger.debug(TAG + '@importBackupPhraseSaga', 'Importing backup phrase')
   yield call(waitWeb3LastBlock)
   try {
-    if (!validateMnemonic(phrase, undefined, bip39)) {
+    const mnemonic = formatNonAccentedCharacters(phrase)
+    if (!validateMnemonic(mnemonic, bip39)) {
       Logger.error(TAG + '@importBackupPhraseSaga', 'Invalid mnemonic')
       yield put(showError(ErrorMessages.INVALID_BACKUP_PHRASE))
       yield put(importBackupPhraseFailure())
       return
     }
 
-    const keys = yield call(generateKeys, phrase, undefined, undefined, undefined, bip39)
+    const keys = yield call(generateKeys, mnemonic, undefined, undefined, undefined, bip39)
     const privateKey = keys.privateKey
     if (!privateKey) {
       throw new Error('Failed to convert mnemonic to hex')
@@ -65,13 +70,13 @@ export function* importBackupPhraseSaga({ phrase, useEmptyWallet }: ImportBackup
       }
     }
 
-    const account: string | null = yield call(assignAccountFromPrivateKey, privateKey, phrase)
+    const account: string | null = yield call(assignAccountFromPrivateKey, privateKey, mnemonic)
     if (!account) {
       throw new Error('Failed to assign account from private key')
     }
 
     // Set key in phone's secure store
-    yield call(storeMnemonic, phrase, account)
+    yield call(storeMnemonic, mnemonic, account)
     // Set backup complete so user isn't prompted to do backup flow
     yield put(setBackupCompleted())
     // Set redeem invite complete so user isn't brought back into nux flow
diff --git a/packages/sdk/base/src/string.ts b/packages/sdk/base/src/string.ts
index fd52e4fa5e9..052145c853c 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/base/src/string.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/base/src/string.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@ export function appendPath(baseUrl: string, path: string) {
   return baseUrl + '/' + path
 }
 
+// https://stackoverflow.com/questions/990904/remove-accents-diacritics-in-a-string-in-javascript
+export function normalizeAccents(str: string) {
+  return str.normalize('NFD').replace(/[\u0300-\u036f]/g, '')
+}
+
 export const StringBase = {
   appendPath,
+  normalizeAccents,
 }
diff --git a/packages/sdk/utils/src/account.test.ts b/packages/sdk/utils/src/account.test.ts
index 4162393fedc..2c81427f2af 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/utils/src/account.test.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/utils/src/account.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import {
+  formatNonAccentedCharacters,
   generateKeys,
   generateMnemonic,
-  MnemonicLanguages,
   MnemonicStrength,
   validateMnemonic,
 } from './account'
@@ -213,7 +213,41 @@ describe('Mnemonic validation', () => {
       const password = await generateKeys(mnemonics[i], 'password')
       expect({ derivation0, derivation1, password }).toEqual(expectedPrivateKeys[i])
     }
-    expect(validateMnemonic(spanishMnemonic, MnemonicLanguages.english)).toBeFalsy()
     expect(validateMnemonic(spanishMnemonic)).toBeTruthy()
   })
+
+  it('should generate the same keys for a mnemonic with and without accents', async () => {
+    const spanishMnemonics = [
+      'avance colmo poema momia cofre pata res verso secta cinco tubería yacer eterno observar ojo tabaco seta ruina bebé oral miembro gato suelo violín',
+      'avance colmo poema momia cofre pata res verso secta cinco tuberia yacer eterno observar ojo tabaco seta ruina bebe oral miembro gato suelo violin',
+      'avance colmo poema momia cofre pata res verso secta cinco tubería yacer eterno observar ojo tabaco seta ruina bebé oral miembro gato suelo violin',
+    ]
+
+    const expectedPrivateKeys = {
+      derivation0: {
+        address: '0xB49cb22C4e392b2A738B64D40Cc4C62793e4EAa0',
+        privateKey: '63ecbc2975ef76257a9a9571e4bdcd5b48363422d82ba7317a33499afae1b931',
+        publicKey: '0318ccbbb9fabe4505009735de92d10062880507cc556274d6ca8629e323488e53',
+      },
+      derivation1: {
+        address: '0x49Bc3DE20a93eCd6469711Cf100ac7c2AC7C3Ada',
+        privateKey: '0ae744c1ea19c92b0078612ea5a832c037bc9c4591cc357e23e69f95bdee33ef',
+        publicKey: '02f95265f5e68529b67858c5353b51efecbfd3864c41355684b44c72d84316436d',
+      },
+      password: {
+        address: '0xF34a69ACD7112591cAAfB0e9F2D54B00aEeb6073',
+        privateKey: 'bd26487c13a7c4fca1d960415c7f7cbb5e2814ac30ce82f084c04dfd503a09e7',
+        publicKey: '03ec45bfcf67678782e4c0e8bc9ceea0c2861f939db9433d0b513598baf3721d4d',
+      },
+    }
+
+    for (let mnemonic of spanishMnemonics) {
+      mnemonic = formatNonAccentedCharacters(mnemonic)
+      expect(validateMnemonic(mnemonic)).toBeTruthy()
+      const derivation0 = await generateKeys(mnemonic)
+      const derivation1 = await generateKeys(mnemonic, undefined, 0, 1)
+      const password = await generateKeys(mnemonic, 'password')
+      expect({ derivation0, derivation1, password }).toEqual(expectedPrivateKeys)
+    }
+  })
 })
diff --git a/packages/sdk/utils/src/account.ts b/packages/sdk/utils/src/account.ts
index 3ecd328ced3..04441b2df31 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/utils/src/account.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/utils/src/account.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
   MnemonicStrength,
   RandomNumberGenerator,
 } from '@celo/base/lib/account'
+import { normalizeAccents } from '@celo/base/lib/string'
 import * as bip32 from 'bip32'
 import * as bip39 from 'bip39'
 import { keccak256 } from 'ethereumjs-util'
@@ -54,24 +55,75 @@ export async function generateMnemonic(
   return bip39ToUse.generateMnemonic(strength, undefined, getWordList(language))
 }
 
-export function validateMnemonic(
-  mnemonic: string,
-  defaultLanguage?: MnemonicLanguages,
-  bip39ToUse: Bip39 = bip39Wrapper
-) {
-  const mnemonicWords = mnemonic.trim().split(' ')
-  const languages = defaultLanguage
-    ? [defaultLanguage]
-    : getAllLanguages().filter((lang) => lang !== defaultLanguage)
+export function validateMnemonic(mnemonic: string, bip39ToUse: Bip39 = bip39Wrapper) {
+  const languages = getAllLanguages()
   for (const language of languages) {
-    const wordList = getWordList(language)
-    if (mnemonicWords.every((word) => wordList.includes(word))) {
-      return bip39ToUse.validateMnemonic(mnemonic, getWordList(language))
+    if (bip39ToUse.validateMnemonic(mnemonic, getWordList(language))) {
+      return true
     }
   }
+
   return false
 }
 
+export function formatNonAccentedCharacters(mnemonic: string) {
+  const languages = getAllLanguages()
+  const normMnemonicArr = normalizeAccents(mnemonic)
+    .toLowerCase()
+    .trim()
+    .split(' ')
+
+  for (const language of languages) {
+    if (isLatinBasedLanguage(language)) {
+      const wordList = getWordList(language)
+      const normWordListMap = createNormalizedWordListMap(wordList)
+      const languageMatches = arrayContainedInMap(normMnemonicArr, normWordListMap)
+
+      if (languageMatches) {
+        return replaceIncorrectlyAccentedWords(mnemonic, normMnemonicArr, normWordListMap)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  return mnemonic
+}
+
+const createNormalizedWordListMap = (wordList: string[]) => {
+  const normWordListMap = new Map()
+  for (const word of wordList) {
+    const noramlizedWord = normalizeAccents(word)
+    normWordListMap.set(noramlizedWord, word)
+  }
+  return normWordListMap
+}
+
+const arrayContainedInMap = (array: string[], map: Map<string, string>) => {
+  for (const item of array) {
+    if (!map.has(item)) {
+      return false
+    }
+  }
+  return true
+}
+
+const replaceIncorrectlyAccentedWords = (
+  mnemonic: string,
+  normMnemonicArr: string[],
+  normWordListMap: Map<string, string>
+) => {
+  const mnemonicArr = [...mnemonic.trim().split(' ')]
+  for (let i = 0; i < normMnemonicArr.length; i += 1) {
+    const noramlizedWord = normMnemonicArr[i]
+    const nonNormalizedWord = normWordListMap.get(noramlizedWord)
+
+    if (nonNormalizedWord) {
+      mnemonicArr[i] = nonNormalizedWord
+    }
+  }
+
+  return mnemonicArr.join(' ')
+}
+
 export async function generateKeys(
   mnemonic: string,
   password?: string,
@@ -131,6 +183,18 @@ export function generateKeysFromSeed(
   }
 }
 
+function isLatinBasedLanguage(language: MnemonicLanguages) {
+  if (
+    language === MnemonicLanguages.chinese_simplified ||
+    language === MnemonicLanguages.chinese_traditional ||
+    language === MnemonicLanguages.japanese ||
+    language === MnemonicLanguages.korean
+  ) {
+    return false
+  }
+  return true
+}
+
 // Unify the bip39.wordlists (otherwise depends on the instance of the bip39)
 function getWordList(language?: MnemonicLanguages) {
   switch (language) {
diff --git a/packages/sdk/utils/src/string.ts b/packages/sdk/utils/src/string.ts
index 296dcda888b..6aba2ea3e7d 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/utils/src/string.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/utils/src/string.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-import { appendPath } from '@celo/base/lib/string'
+import { appendPath, normalizeAccents } from '@celo/base/lib/string'
 // Exports moved to @celo/base, forwarding them
 // here for backwards compatibility
-export { appendPath } from '@celo/base/lib/string'
+export { appendPath, normalizeAccents } from '@celo/base/lib/string'
 export const StringUtils = {
   appendPath,
+  normalizeAccents,
 }