Applying for Spanish citizenship through residency

It is possible to apply for Spanish citizenship following a period of continuous legal residency in Spain. If you have lived in Spain for five years, you can then apply for permanent residence. After a further period of ten years, you are then entitled to apply to become a Spanish citizen.

Nationality by residency, also known as naturalisation, is one of the most common ways to acquire Spanish nationality.

Here is outline of the documents needed to apply for Spanish citizenship through residency and how prevent your application from being rejected.

Click on a link to that section:

• What documents do I need to apply for Spanish citizenship through naturalisation?

Find out what documents you will need to apply for Spanish citizenship through residency.

• Why can documents be rejected?

Read the common reasons why documents can be rejected in the application process.

• Can you get legal assistance with your Spanish citizenship application?

Find out how getting legal advice may benefit you.

What documents do I need to apply for Spanish citizenship through naturalisation?

To support your application for Spanish citizenship via naturalisation, you will need to prepare certain documents. These include:

• A birth certificate.
• A valid passport and your NIE number.
• Proof of your legal residence in Spain (usually ten years, unless you qualify for an exception).
• Evidence of no criminal record. The authorities will check your any police records relating to you to establish if you have a criminal background.
• Proof that you have comprehensive health insurance.
• Any marriage or divorce certificates (if relevant).
• Proof that you have passed the two tests related to language and culture knowledge: the A2 Spanish language test (DELE) and the cultural exam called the CCSE. You will need a certificate stating this.
• The document that demonstrates you have paid the Euro application fee.
• If you would like your children to have the possibility of Spanish citizenship by option later on, you should also include their birth certificates. Failure to include their birth certificates may result in rejection if they decide to apply as adults.

Find out more about the requirements for applying for Spanish citizenship through residency here.

Exceptions to the ten-year residency requirement

With regard to the obligation to have lived in Spain for ten year prior to an application for citizenship, there are some exceptions where such documented proof is not required. For example:

• People who have refugee status only need to reside in Spain for five years.
• Only a two-year residency in Spain is required of those who have the nationality of Ibero-American countries such as Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal or people of Sephardic origin.
• A one-year residency is required for individuals in the following categories:
• They have been legally subject to guardianship, or foster care of a Spanish citizen or institution for two consecutive years, even if they remain in this situation at the time of the request.
• They have been married for one year to a Spanish citizen, providing they are not legally separated.
• They are a widow or widower of a Spanish person, if at the time of the death of the spouse they were not legally separated
• They were born outside the Spanish territory even if their parents and grandparents were also born outside Spain provided that all of them were originally of Spanish extraction.
• They were born in Spanish territory.
• In all these cases, the other provision such as having no criminal record and has a sufficient degree of integration into Spanish society apply.

Which documents should be translated into Spanish?

All foreign documents you include must be properly translated and legalised through consular means.

Read our full guide to translating documents into Spanish here.

Why can documents for Spanish citizenship be rejected?

The following are some reasons as to why documents can commonly be rejected:

• Inadequate translation of the documents into Spanish.
• Failure to provide appropriate proof of Spanish residency will directly impact on the acceptance of an application.
• The failure to obtain an NIE for identification purposes.
• It is vitally important to have all your documentation, evidence of your identification etc. available before you start the process. It is strongly advised to be guided by an expert legal team. Giambrone & Partners’ immigration team can help prevent your application from being rejected, and we can help you in every step of the process.

Getting legal assistance with your Spanish citizenship application

Giambrone & Partners’ immigration team offers a specialist service within our private client department, providing expert legal advice and assistance in matters of Spanish citizenship and dual nationality laws. We can advise you on the viability of your application, ensuring that the accompanying documentation is in order. We can also guide you through any complications.

Find out more about how we can help here, or contact us today.