Spanish Citizenship

What do you need to know about getting Spanish citizenship?

• How long do I need to live in Spain before I can apply for Spanish citizenship?

  The general rule is that you need to live in Spain for 10 years, continuously and legally before applying for citizenship.

  Some categories can apply for the Spanish nationality with the reduced periods of residence in Spain.

  • 5 years for:
    • people with refugee status in Spain.
  • 2 years for:
    • nationals of Latin American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal or persons of Sephardic origin.
  • 1 year for:
    • those who were born in Spain,
    • those who did not duly exercise their right to acquire Spanish nationality by option,
    • people legally under guardianship or foster care of a Spanish citizen or institution for two consecutive years,
    • people married to a Spanish national for at least one year,
    • the widow or widower of a Spaniard (if at the time of the spouse’s death they were not separated, either legally or de facto),
    • and those born outside of Spain related to the following (provided that all of them were originally Spanish):
      • father or mother (including if born outside Spain),
      • grandfather or grandmother (only if born in Spain).

• How long does it take to get Spanish nationality?

  When you apply for Spanish nationality by residence in Spain, the law says the applications must be answered within 1 year of filing. In reality it can take anywhere between 3 months to 3 years to receive a resolution. If you apply for your passport as a Spaniard by origin through the Spanish Consulate of your country of residence, the resolutions usually take anywhere between 3 months and 1 year.

• I live in the USA but my parents were originally Spanish, can I recover Spanish citizenship?

  Yes, you can apply to recover your Spanish citizenship by origin. We can assist you in filing your nationality application through the Spanish Consulate that corresponds to your place of residence.

• My grandparents were originally from Spain, can I get Spanish citizenship?

  Democratic Memory Act 20/2022 (now frequently called “the Grandchildren Law”) allows grandchildren of Spanish citizens to recover their Spanish citizenship. The following persons can apply:

  • Those born outside Spain to a father or mother, grandfather or grandmother, who were originally Spanish, and those born outside Spain to a father or mother, grandfather or grandmother, who were originally Spanish and who, as a consequence of having suffered exile for political, ideological or religious reasons or for reasons of sexual orientation and identity, have lost or renounced their Spanish nationality.
  • Sons and daughters born abroad of Spanish women who lost their nationality because they married foreigners before the entry into force of the 1978 Constitution.
  • Sons and daughters of legal age of those Spaniards whose nationality of origin was recognised by virtue of the right of option in accordance with the provisions of the Law of Democratic Memory (Law 20/2022) or the so-called Law of Historical Memory (Law 52/2007).

  You need to file your application within 2 years of entry into force of the Democratic Memory Act 20/2022, that means before 21st of October 2024.

• How long can I be outside Spain to qualify for citizenship?

  For the applications by residence of 10 years, you can’t be out of the country for more than 6 consecutive months. For the applications with the reduced periods of residence, you can’t be out of the country for more than 3 consecutive months. Under the current criteria of the Ministry of Justice shorter absences from Spain are not cumulative.