Applying for Spanish citizenship - Frequently asked questions Who can apply for Spanish citizenship by descent? You can obtain Spanish citizenship by descent if: Your mother or father is a Spanish national Both your parents were born in Spain You were adopted by Spanish a national prior to your 18th birthday You have Spanish grandparents What are the benefits of obtaining Spanish citizenship? Here are some of the advantages of becoming a Spanish citizen, whether you are applying for reasons of travel, work, or have family commitments: 1.

Travelling is easier Travel is less stressful for you and your family, particularly if you travel to and from Spain on a regular basis. The right to vote For most people, native-born or otherwise, the right to vote in the country in which you reside is an important part of life.

What are the steps for applying for Spanish citizenship through descent? For more information please click here What documents do I need to obtain for a Spanish citizenship application? The documents you need will vary depending on your route to citizenship and may include: Your current passport and residency documentation, if applicable Spanish marriage certificate Proof of employment in Spain Criminal background check A document confirming you have passed the DELE A2 and CCSE exams Proof of payment regarding the application fees How much does it cost to apply for Spanish citizenship?

Is there an alternative way to apply for Spanish citizenship if I do not have Spanish relatives? There are a number of alternative ways to apply for citizenship in Spain, including: Application through marriage; if you are married to a Spanish citizen By residence or possession of status; if you have lawfully lived in Spain for ten years or more. Sephardic ancestry is an exception to this — you can read our guide to applying for Spanish citizenship through Sephardic ancestry for more information.

Do you need assistance in applying for Spanish citizenship? Can you get a Spanish passport if your husband is Spanish? In this case, the term for opting for nationality is the two years from the determination of parentage or birth. Those persons whose adoption by Spanish nationals occurs after reaching eighteen years of age. In this case the right to opt for Spanish nationality is valid for a term of two years after the legalisation of the adoption. Nationality by residence This method of acquisition of nationality requires continued legal residence in Spain for ten years immediately prior to the application.

These are: Five years: for the granting of Spanish nationality to those persons who have obtained refugee status Two years: for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal or persons of Sephardic origin. One year: Persons born in Spanish territory. Persons who have not exercised their right to Spanish nationality by option. Nationality by naturalisation This method of acquiring nationality is ex gratia and is not subject to the general rules of administrative procedure.

More information Ministry of Justice How can Spanish nationality be acquired? Twitter SpainMFA. We are the fourth country in the world with the most World Heritage Sites.

Links of Interest. Sede Palacio de Santa Cruz. Plaza de la Provincia, 1. Moreover, the Spanish Civil Code has paved the way for the following benefits that come with being a citizen of Spain:. That means all the above-listed benefits you gain with your Spanish citizenship are here to stay for the long haul. Of course, when it comes to living in Spain, there are quite a few options to choose from.

Put simply, the primary difference between permanent residency and citizenship is the ability to retain your original nationality.

Additionally, it can take up to 10 years of living as a permanent residency in Spain to become an official Spanish citizen, while permanent residency only takes 5 years before you can apply for your permit. However, there are a few exceptions. There are actually four different ways you can acquire your Spanish citizenship, but they all come with different requirements. As mentioned earlier, to become a Spanish citizen through residency, you must be living in Spain for up to 10 years.

This is the process commonly referred to as naturalization. Of course, you must be living and working in Spain year-round to attain naturalization. Becoming a Spanish citizen via marriage is a pretty straightforward process. All if you have to do is marry a Spanish citizen and live in the country for one year. However, this only grants you a residence permit in Spain and authorization to work within the EU through your spouse. That means you may have to wait a few extra months before you can actually apply for your citizenship.

Of course, the requirements are a bit more stringent. For example, your parents would have to have included your birth certificate when submitting their application for citizenship. Additionally, the children would have to be minors under the age of 18 and will have the option to claim their citizenship for two years after the fact.

Unlike becoming a citizen by option, you can also become a citizen through your heritage. For example, children of Spanish nationals can get a Spanish passport almost immediately. When it comes to applying for citizenship in Spain, the application process and required documents are pretty straightforward. Our team of relocation specialists and legal representation can help you with every detail of your citizenship application, exam preparation, and more.

However, if you become a Spanish citizen, you must give up your original nationality and passport, unless you qualify for an exemption see below. You will enjoy the same rights as other Spanish citizens and become an EU citizen with freedom of movement throughout the EU.

You can also vote in local and European elections. And as a consequence of the withdrawal process known as Brexit, any citizen of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland residing in Spain is viewing their legal status with some uncertainty.

British expats already living in Spain could consider Spanish citizenship if they meet the necessary criteria for EU accession. This, however, would mean renouncing their British citizenship. It is also possible that in the future British expats may be required to apply for a Blue Card, an EU-wide approved work permit that allows highly skilled, non-EU citizens to work and live in Spain and other EU countries.

Spanish citizenship can be applied for by persons over 18 years of age by themselves, those who are 14 years of age or older with legal assistance, or through a legal guardian for those under 14 years of age. You can apply for Spanish nationality after 10 years of residence in Spain.

You can also acquire Spanish nationality by marriage or by birth in this case 1 year of residence in Spain is required , even if you or your Spanish parents were born outside Spain. For this, you will also be asked to prove that you are a "good citizen", with no criminal record, and that the authorities consider that you have a "sufficient" degree of integration into Spanish society, for example, being able to speak Spanish an exam is taken , as well as, a "constitutional knowledge" exam, which encompasses knowledge in the political, social and cultural fields of Spain.

You have to apply telematically or through the registries of the Government Delegations or Subdelegations. You must bring the required supporting documents for your Spanish citizenship application, plus a completed Spanish citizenship application form. Once they have lived legally in Spain for five uninterrupted years, citizens of non-EU countries can apply for an EU permanent residence permit.

A long-term residence permit allows you to remain in Spain working indefinitely, under the same conditions as Spanish citizens. Once you have this permit, you can work freely and enjoy Spain's social services and benefits. In general, you can move around other EU member states for up to 3 months, and even longer for certain purposes and as long as you are granted a permit to do so in order to apply for temporary residence cards in other EU countries, you must have EU long-term residence in Spain beforehand.

If you have a blue card from another EU member state and have lived elsewhere in the EU for the same period, this may also allow you long-term residence in Spain. However, as long as you have lived two years in Spain in advance. Spain charges a non-refundable fee to process your citizenship application, fixed, even if your application is rejected.

In the fee per nationality application was After the acquisition of the Spanish nationality there are some procedures that you will have to carry out in the Civil Registry closest to your domicile in Spain the civil registry corresponding to your place of registration.

In the event that you have acquired Spanish nationality by residence, by letter of nature or by option you will have to:.