How to Get Spanish Citizenship: The Complete Guide for Expats (2026)

If you have Spanish ancestry, you may be entitled to Spanish nationality by origin without needing to reside in Spain at all. This is the most direct route for people with Spanish parents, grandparents, or, in certain cases, great-grandparents.

You may qualify if:

• At least one of your parents is a Spanish national.
• You were born abroad to a parent or grandparent who was originally Spanish.
• You were adopted by a Spanish national before your 18th birthday.
• You were born in Spain to foreign parents, at least one of whom was also born in Spain.

The Democratic Memory Law (Ley de Memoria Democrática 20/2022):

This law, frequently called “the Grandchildren Law” (Ley de Nietos), opened a special pathway for grandchildren and certain descendants of Spaniards who lost their nationality due to exile, political persecution, or specific historical circumstances. The deadline to apply under this law was 22 October 2025. New applications are no longer accepted, but cases submitted before the deadline continue to be processed, with resolutions expected through 2027–2028 due to backlogs.

For a detailed explanation of ancestry routes, see our guide: Reclaim Your Spanish Citizenship Under the Grandchildren Law.

Certain individuals have the right to “opt” for Spanish nationality. This includes people who are or have been subject to the parental authority of a Spanish citizen, people whose parent acquired Spanish nationality while they were minors, and people adopted by Spanish nationals after turning 18 (within 2 years of the adoption).

In exceptional cases, the Spanish government can grant citizenship by Royal Decree to individuals who demonstrate outstanding service to Spain or exceptional circumstances. This is rare and discretionary.

Regardless of the route you follow, most applicants must satisfy the following core requirements:

You must hold a valid residence permit (not a tourist visa) and have lived in Spain for the required period without interruptions that exceed the permitted absence limits described above.

You must provide a criminal background certificate from Spain and from your country of origin (and any country where you have resided in the last 5 years). All foreign certificates must be apostilled and officially translated into Spanish.

DELE A2 (Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera): A basic Spanish language test covering reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Organised by the Instituto Cervantes. You are exempt if you are a national of a Spanish-speaking country or can prove a level higher than A2.

CCSE (Conocimientos Constitucionales y Socioculturales de España): A 25-question multiple-choice test on the Spanish Constitution, government, culture, history, and society. You need 15 correct answers to pass. Most applicants take the CCSE; exemptions apply only if you completed secondary education in Spain.

Both exams are organised

In most cases, Spain requires applicants to formally renounce their previous nationality during the naturalisation ceremony. However, there are important exceptions (see the Dual Citizenship section below).

Preparing the correct documentation is one of the most critical steps. Missing or improperly prepared documents are the most common reason for delays and rejections.

1. Completed application form (Modelo de solicitud, available on the Ministry of Justice website).
2. Valid passport (current and, if changed during your stay, previous passports).
3. Residence permit / TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) showing continuous legal residence.
4. Birth certificate (original or certified copy, issued within the last 12 months, apostilled and translated into Spanish).
5. Criminal background certificate from your country of origin, the country/ies where you lived the last five years, if applicable, and from Spain, apostilled and translated.
6. Certificate of empadronamiento (padrón municipal) proving your current registered address.
7. DELE A2 and CCSE certificates (or proof of exemption).
8. Marriage certificate (if applying through marriage, apostilled and translated).
9. Proof of payment of the application fee (Tasa 790-026).

All foreign documents must be apostilled (Hague Convention) or legalised and translated by an official sworn translator (traductor jurado). Documents such as criminal records and birth certificates have limited validity (typically 3–6 months), so timing is crucial.

1. Assess your eligibility. Determine which route applies to you: residence, marriage, descent, or option. Confirm your residency period meets the requirement.
2. Gather and prepare documents. Request all certificates well in advance, but taking into account their validity period. Remember that foreign documents need apostille and sworn translation, and many have expiry dates.
3. Pass the DELE A2 and CCSE exams. Register at the Instituto Cervantes. Study the 300 published CCSE practice questions. Exams are offered several times per year.
4. Pay the application fee. The current fee (Tasa 790-026) is approximately €104.05 (2026). Pay online or at a bank and keep the stamped receipt. This fee is non-refundable.
5. Submit your application. For citizenship by residence, applications are submitted electronically through the SEDE Electrónica of the Ministry of Justice (you need a Digital Certificate or Cl@ve). For citizenship by descent or option applied from abroad, submit through your local Spanish Consulate.
6. Wait for a resolution. The law gives the Ministry of Justice 1 year to respond. In practice, processing times range from 6 months to over 2 years depending on caseload. You can track your file through the “Cómo va lo mío” online platform.
7. Take the oath or pledge of allegiance. Once approved, you must swear or promise allegiance to the King and the Spanish Constitution, and obedience to Spanish law, at a Civil Registry office or a Spanish notary.
8. Register as a Spanish national and apply for your passport. After the oath, you are inscribed in the Civil Registry. You can then apply for your Spanish DNI and passport.

1. There are two time dimensions to consider:

   1. The qualifying residency period — how long you must live in Spain before you can apply (1, 2, 5, or 10 years depending on your route).
   2. The administrative processing time — how long it takes to receive a decision after you submit your application.

   Legally, the Ministry of Justice must resolve applications within 1 year. If they do not, silence is considered negative (silencio administrativo negativo), which enables you to file a judicial appeal. In practice, current processing times in 2026 range from approximately 6–12 months for straightforward cases to 12–24 months for complex ones or during periods of high volume.

   For citizenship by descent applied through a Spanish Consulate, processing typically takes 3–12 months.

   Tip: Having all documents correctly prepared and using the electronic submission system tends to result in faster processing. At Klev & Vera, we manage the entire process from document preparation through to the oath of allegiance, keeping our clients informed at every stage.

The application fee is non-refundable. Professional legal assistance, while optional, significantly reduces the risk of rejection due to document errors or procedural mistakes, especially for complex cases involving foreign documentation from multiple countries.

This is one of the most common concerns for our clients, particularly those from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The rules are nuanced.

Spain allows dual citizenship without requiring renunciation for nationals of the following countries, based on bilateral treaties and historical ties:

• Ibero-American countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Venezuela.
• Other treaty countries: Portugal, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea.
• France: Since April 2022, under a bilateral agreement signed between Spain and France.
• Sephardic Jewish descendants: Can retain their original nationality when acquiring Spanish citizenship.

Note: Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Haiti are not considered Ibero-American for this purpose.

If your country is not on the list above, Spanish law technically requires you to formally renounce your previous nationality during the naturalisation ceremony. This renunciation is made as a declaration before the Spanish Civil Registry.

However, there is an important practical nuance: the renunciation made in Spain does not necessarily have legal effect in your home country. For example, the United States considers that its citizenship can only be lost through a voluntary and intentional act performed at a U.S. consulate, not through a declaration made before a foreign authority. As a result, many American citizens continue to hold and use both passports in practice.

Similarly, British citizens are not automatically stripped of UK citizenship simply by making a declaration in Spain, though the UK requires a separate formal renunciation process if someone truly wishes to give up British citizenship.

We always recommend that clients from non-treaty countries seek specific legal advice on the implications of renunciation in their home country. The Klev & Vera team can guide you through both the Spanish and practical aspects of this process.

U.S. citizens must generally complete 10 years of continuous legal residence in Spain before applying for citizenship, unless they qualify through marriage (1 year) or ancestry. The Golden Visa programme, which previously offered a residency pathway through property investment, ended in April 2025. Americans should be aware that the formal renunciation of U.S. nationality made during the Spanish naturalisation ceremony does not typically result in loss of U.S. citizenship (see Dual Citizenship section above). Klev & Vera maintains a dedicated U.S. phone line (+1 646 475 67 89) and regularly advises American clients on investment, residency, and citizenship strategies in Spain.

Since Brexit, British citizens are treated as non-EU nationals for immigration purposes. The standard residency requirement is 10 years, though marriage to a Spanish citizen reduces this to 1 year. British nationals who were legally resident in Spain before 31 December 2020 and registered under the Withdrawal Agreement retain certain protections, and their years of residence count toward the citizenship requirement. The dual nationality question is particularly relevant for UK nationals, as Spain formally requires renunciation. Klev & Vera is available via our UK phone line (+44 203 868 94 90).

Nationals of Ibero-American countries enjoy a significant advantage: the residency requirement is reduced to just 2 years, and they are not required to renounce their original nationality. Additionally, nationals of Spanish-speaking countries are generally exempt from the DELE A2 language test (though the CCSE cultural exam is still required). This makes Spain one of the most accessible EU citizenships for people from Latin America.

As a former Spanish territory, the Philippines is included in the 2-year reduced residency period. Filipino nationals can also retain their Philippine citizenship when acquiring Spanish nationality. The topic of “Spanish citizenship by surname” frequently arises in Filipino communities: it is important to clarify that having a Spanish surname does not automatically entitle a person to citizenship. The surname may support a descent claim, but a formal legal process is still required.

For many expats, the choice between citizenship and permanent residency depends on whether they are willing to go through the renunciation process and whether they value the political rights and EU-wide freedom that citizenship provides.

Yes, but only in specific circumstances:

• If you voluntarily acquire another nationality and exclusively use that nationality for 3 years without declaring your intention to retain Spanish citizenship.
• If you voluntarily renounce it.
• If you are a Spanish citizen born abroad to Spanish parents also born abroad, and you do not declare your intention to retain Spanish nationality before turning 21 (or within 3 years of emancipation).

Recovery of Spanish citizenship: If you have lost your Spanish nationality, it is possible to recover it. You must be a legal resident in Spain, declare your intention to recover nationality before the Civil Registry, and register the recovery. In some cases, residence in Spain is not required (for emigrants and their children). Klev & Vera regularly assists clients in the United States and other countries with the recovery process through Spanish Consulates.¡

The standard requirement is 10 years of continuous legal residence. This is reduced to 2 years for nationals of Ibero-American countries, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, Andorra, and people of Sephardic origin; 5 years for refugees; and 1 year for spouses of Spanish citizens, people born in Spain, and people born abroad to a parent or grandparent who was originally Spanish.

If you are applying for citizenship by descent or by option, you can submit your application at the Spanish Consulate in your country of residence. Citizenship by residence must be applied for from within Spain.

Yes. Most applicants must pass two exams: the DELE A2 (Spanish language) and the CCSE (constitutional and cultural knowledge). Nationals of Spanish-speaking countries are generally exempt from the DELE. People who completed secondary education in Spain are exempt from both.

The government fee is approximately €104.05 (Tasa 790-026). Additional costs include exam fees (DELE ≈€130, CCSE ≈€85), sworn translations, apostilles, and optionally, professional legal fees. Total costs typically range from €400 to €1,000+ depending on the complexity of your case.

Spain requires formal renunciation for most nationalities. However, nationals of Ibero-American countries, Portugal, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, France, and Sephardic Jewish descendants are exempt. For others (including U.S. and UK citizens), the renunciation made in Spain may not have legal effect in your home country, meaning many people effectively retain both passports in practice. Consult a legal professional for advice specific to your situation.

If your grandparents were originally Spanish, you may be eligible for citizenship by origin or through the standard descent route. The special pathway under the Democratic Memory Law (the Grandchildren Law) closed for new applications on 22 October 2025. However, standard descent routes through the Civil Code remain available, and previously submitted applications continue to be processed.

Once you submit your application, the Ministry of Justice has 1 year to respond. In practice, straightforward cases in 2026 are being resolved in 6–12 months, while complex cases can take 12–24 months. If no response is received within 1 year, the application is considered approved by administrative silence.

The Spanish citizenship process involves navigating complex documentation requirements, strict deadlines, and bureaucratic procedures that can be challenging for anyone — and particularly for applicants managing the process across borders and in a language that may not be their first.

At Klev & Vera International Law Firm, our immigration team provides end-to-end support:

• Eligibility assessment: We review your personal situation and recommend the optimal route to citizenship.
• Document preparation: We compile, review, and ensure all documents are correctly apostilled, translated, and up to date.
• Application submission: We handle the electronic filing through the SEDE Electrónica or the corresponding Consulate.
• Follow-up and tracking: We monitor your application and respond to any requests from the Ministry of Justice on your behalf.
• Oath scheduling: We coordinate the final steps, including the oath of allegiance and registration in the Civil Registry.

Our Managing Partner, Anna Klevtsova Shabánova, is a certified lawyer with the Barcelona Bar Association (ICAB, No. 35034) with an LLM in International Human Rights Law and over 20 years of experience in international law. Having gone through the immigration and nationalisation process herself as an expat in Spain, Anna brings firsthand understanding to every case. The Klev & Vera team is fluent in English, Spanish, Russian, French, Catalan, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Tagalog.

We serve clients worldwide, with dedicated phone lines in Spain (+34 93 17 60 190), the United Kingdom (+44 203 868 94 90), and the United States (+1 646 475 67 89). Contact us today to start your journey to Spanish citizenship.