Spain Dual Citizenship

In most cases, Spain does not allow dual citizenship with Canada. Most foreign nationals are unable to obtain Spanish citizenship while retaining their original nationality.

If you are Canadian and wish to obtain Spanish citizenship, it is likely that you will need to give up your Canadian nationality.

However, there are certain situations in which Spanish dual citizenship is possible. For example, if you are a citizen of a Latin-American country, you may be eligible for Spanish dual citizenship.

If you are a Sephardic Jew, you may also be eligible for Spanish dual citizenship. While the Spanish government has now effectively suspended this scheme, applications which have already been submitted are still expected to be processed.

Page Contents

• Does Spain allow dual citizenship with Canada?
• Eligibility Requirements for Dual Spanish Citizenship
• How to Apply for Dual Citizenship in Spain?
• Documents to Submit for Dual Citizenship in Spain
• What If I Successfully Obtain Spanish Nationality?
• Processing Times and Cost of Applying for Spanish Dual Citizenship
• Sephordic Jews and Dual Citizenship
• What Are The Benefits of Dual Citizenship in Spain?
• How Can Total Law Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

In general, Canadian citizens will not be eligible for Spanish dual citizenship. This is because there are very few circumstances in which Spanish dual citizenship is granted by Spain. However, there are some exceptions.

If you satisfy one of the following eligibility requirements, you may be able to obtain Spanish nationality while retaining your original nationality:

• You are a Spanish citizen by origin and wish to gain dual citizenship with another country (e.g. Canada). In this case, you will generally need to declare that you intend to keep your Spanish citizenship, except in cases where Spain has signed a bilateral citizenship agreement with the country in question (such as Latin American countries). You will therefore be able to retain Spanish nationality while obtaining a new citizenship, meaning you will not need to lose Spanish nationality
• You are a citizen of a Latin-American country in which Spanish or Portuguese is an official language
• You are a citizen of Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, or France
• You are a Sephordic Jew (while this scheme is currently suspended, applications which have already been submitted will still be considered)

There are a number of steps which you will need to fulfill in order to apply for Spanish dual citizenship. In general, you will need to complete the following steps:

First, submit your application either online via the Spanish government’s SEDE electrónica or in person at your local civil registry. You will also generally need to complete two tests, both the DELE Spanish language exam and the CCSE Spanish knowledge and culture exam. You will need to pass both exams in order to be eligible for Spanish citizenship, unless you are eligible for a wager. If you are from a Spanish-speaking country, for example, it is unlikely that you will need to take the Spanish language test.

Once you have submitted the required documents, your application will be processed. If you successfully obtain Spanish nationality, you will now be eligible to vote in Spanish elections and obtain a Spanish passport. You will also gain EU citizenship, giving you the right to visa-free travel throughout the rest of the EU.

The exact documents which are required in order to apply for Spanish nationality will depend on your specific circumstances. In general, you will be expected to provide a combination of the following evidence:

• A valid passport
• Birth certificate
• Foreigner Identity Number (NIE)
• In the case of Sephardic Jews, proof of legal residence in Spain
• Clean criminal background check
• Spanish private health insurance
• Proof that you have passed the DELE Spanish language test
• Proof that you have passed the CCSE Spanish knowledge and culture test
• Proof of payment of the application fee

Note that all documents must be translated into Spanish by an authorised translation service.

If you successfully obtain Spanish nationality, there are a number of steps which you will be expected to complete.

Firstly, you will need to swear an oath of allegiance to the Spanish monarchy and confirm your intention to abide by Spain’s laws.

Additionally, you will need to enter your new status into the Spanish Civil Register.

Both of these steps are necessary and failure to complete them could jeopardise your Spanish citizenship status. As such, it is important to complete both steps as quickly as possible upon obtaining Spanish nationality.

In general, you should receive an answer on your application within one year. If you have not heard within a year, it is possible that your application will be refused on grounds of administrative inaction, in which case you can file an appeal.

A number of factors can influence how long an application takes to process, such as whether your documents are all submitted correctly, how many other applications are simultaneously being processed, and whether any additional information is requested from you. In order to avoid delays, make sure to submit your application correctly and to promptly provide any additional information which is requested.

The cost of applying for Spanish nationality is generally €60-100. There may also be additional costs associated with your application, such as the cost of translating any documents into Spanish and of obtaining a criminal record check. Additionally, some applicants choose to pay for legal assistance in order to make their application as smooth as possible.

Contact Total Law today on +1 844 290 6312 to learn more about our own range of services, including our Advice Package, our Application Package, and our Fast Track Package.

In 2015, Spain opened a path to dual citizenship for Sephordic Jews. This meant that Sephordic Jews were able to obtain Spanish nationality without needing to renounce their original citizenship. In order to be eligible, applicants via this route were expected to provide proof of their Sephordic status and that they had sufficient Spanish language proficiency and knowledge of Spanish culture and society.

Under this route, over 30,000 applicants were granted Spanish dual citizenship, with a number of applications yet to be processed.

While this programme is currently suspended, meaning that the Spanish government is not accepting new applications, any applications which have already been submitted should still be processed.

Spanish nationality offers numerous benefits. It gives you permanent access to a country with a rich culture and strong economy, easy travel to the rest of the EU, and excellent education and healthcare. Furthermore, Spain boasts numerous areas of natural beauty, meaning you will never be short of things to do.

What is more, as a citizen of Spain, you will have the right to vote in Spanish elections and to obtain a Spanish passport.

Being a dual citizen in particular means that you can retain your original citizenship, meaning that you can keep your connection to your country of origin.

While Spanish dual nationality does offer numerous advantages, there is also a high barrier to entry. This means that you will need to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the Spanish language and culture, a clean criminal record, in addition to a range of other evidence.