Spanish citizenship by residence

Is it for you?

Citizenship by residence (nacionalidad por residencia) is for foreigners who have lived legally in Spain for years. You become Spanish, with a DNI (Spanish ID card) and passport.

Years of residence you need (article 22 of the Civil Code):

• 10 years: the general rule, for example if you are British, American or Moroccan.
• 5 years: if you have refugee status.
• 2 years: if you are a national by origin of an Ibero-American country, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea or Portugal, or of Sephardic origin.
• 1 year: in the special cases below.

The 1-year cases

• You were born in Spain.
• You have been married to a Spaniard for a year, with no legal or de facto separation.
• You are the widow or widower of a Spaniard and were not separated.
• You were born abroad and a parent or grandparent was originally Spanish.
• You spent two years in a row under Spanish guardianship or foster care.
• You did not use your right to opt for Spanish nationality in time.

Stateless people follow the general 10-year rule.

Not a resident yet? Start there: see the non-lucrative residence visa or arraigo (residence through ties to Spain).

Requirements

• Legal, continuous residence right up to your application. Only time on a residence permit counts, not time as a tourist.
• Careful with student years. A student permit is legally a stay (estancia por estudios), not residence, so in principle it doesn’t count.
• No gaps. Renew your TIE (foreigner ID card) on time. The law sets no limit on days abroad, but long absences can cast doubt on continuity.
• Good civic conduct. Your criminal records are checked and the Ministry of the Interior issues a mandatory report.
• Integration. Proved with two Instituto Cervantes exams: the DELE A2 (Spanish) and the CCSE (constitution and society).

Who skips the exams?

• Under-18s, people whose legal capacity was modified by a court, and anyone who passed ESO (secondary school) in Spain: exempt from both.
• Nationals of countries where Spanish is an official language: no DELE, but they still take the CCSE. Brazil, Portugal, the Philippines and Andorra are not on that list.
• Holders of a DELE A2 or higher, or an official A2, B1 or B2 certificate from an Escuela Oficial de Idiomas (state language school): no DELE needed.
• If you can’t read or write, or have learning difficulties, you can ask the Ministry for a waiver (dispensa) before applying.

Documents

Everything is scanned and uploaded with the online application. Foreign documents must be legalised or apostilled and, if not in Spanish, have a sworn translation (traducción jurada).

• Your full current passport, plus older ones if needed to cover your years of residence.
• Your TIE or EU citizen registration certificate.
• Birth certificate from your home country.
• Criminal record certificate from your country of origin.
• DELE A2 and CCSE certificates, or your consent for the Ministry to check them.
• Proof of the fee, paid in the applicant’s name.

Some cases need more. If your spouse is Spanish: your marriage certificate, their Spanish birth certificate and a joint empadronamiento (municipal registration). Refugees and stateless people don’t need a birth certificate or passport.

Unless you object in writing, the Ministry can check your empadronamiento, Spanish record, residence and qualifications.

Step by step

1. Work out your date: years of legal residence, with no gaps, up to the day you apply.
2. Pass the exams: the CCSE is on the last Thursday of each month except August and December. The DELE A2 has several sittings a year.
3. Get your documents ready: apostilles and translations can take weeks.
4. Pay the fee: form 790, code 026, at a partner bank, in your name.
5. Apply online on the Ministry of Justice sede electrónica (online portal) with a digital certificate or Cl@ve and AutoFirma, within two months of creating the draft. An authorised professional can also file for you.
6. Answer any request for documents (requerimiento) within three months, or your file is closed.
7. Wait for the decision: the Ministry has one year. No answer counts as a refusal, which you can appeal.
8. Take the oath (jura o promesa) within 180 days of notification, at the Civil Registry or before a notary, renouncing your previous nationality if required.
9. Registration, DNI and passport: once the Civil Registry records your nationality, you can apply for both.

How long does each stage take? See our Spanish citizenship timeline.

Official costs

The fee is due even if you are refused. Add apostilles, translations and certificates from your country.

The DELE A2 price is the one exam centres in Spain publish for 2026. Check it when you register.

Common mistakes

• Counting from your arrival instead of your first residence permit.
• Leaving gaps between cards by renewing late.
• Assuming the 2-year rule exempts you from the DELE: Brazilians, Portuguese, Filipinos and Andorrans still take it.
• Filing with an expired CCSE (valid for 4 years).
• Documents without an apostille or sworn translation, or with details that don’t match your passport.
• Missing the three-month deadline to answer a request.
• Letting the 180 days for the oath run out: the grant lapses.

Afterwards: DNI, passport and family

Citizenship never needs renewing: you only renew your DNI and passport.

• First DNI: a full birth certificate (certificado literal de nacimiento) from the Civil Registry, under 6 months old, an empadronamiento certificate under 3 months old and a photo. Fee: €12.
• Passport: apply with your valid DNI. Fee: €30.
• Children: those under your parental authority can opt for Spanish nationality (article 20 of the Civil Code).
• Spouse: marriage to a Spaniard gives access to the 1-year rule. We check when your spouse qualifies.

If you are not Spanish by origin, you can lose Spanish nationality by using only the nationality you renounced for three years (article 25 of the Civil Code).

How we help

• We review your residence history and tell you the date from which you can apply.
• We give you the document list for your country: apostille, translation and criminal record certificate.
• We guide you through the DELE A2 and CCSE: dates, exam centres and exemptions.
• We check the file before it goes in. When a filing needs a licensed representative, authorised partner professionals handle it.
• We stay with you through document requests, the oath, your DNI and passport.
• Start with a free call, or book a €50 personalised advice session.