Dual Citizenship Spain

Dual citizenship or dual nationality is the legal state of being a citizen of two countries simultaneously. In Spain, it means that you are a citizen of Spain and another country. With this status, you can enjoy the rights and privileges of both countries.

Generally, Spain does not allow dual citizenship. You have to renounce your nation of origin to obtain Spanish citizenship according to the Spanish civil code.

However, in certain circumstances, you can hold a Spain dual citizenship (doble nacionalidad españa) without renouncing your original citizenship.

Citizens of Spanish-American countries (former Spanish colonies), Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, and Sephardic Jews and their descendants can obtain dual citizenship in Spain if they meet the eligibility criteria. The process of getting this dual citizenship can often be long and complicated, but getting a Spanish dual citizenship can be very advantageous.

Note that Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and Haití are not considered Ibero-American countries for this purpose, but Puerto Rico is.

Page Contents

• Does Spain Allow Dual Citizenship?
• Eligibility Criteria for Dual Citizenship in Spain
• How to Obtain Dual Citizenship in Spain?
• Required Documents for Applying for Dual Citizenship in Spain
• Application Fee and Processing Time for Dual Citizenship in Spain
• The Formalities of a Spanish Dual Citizenship
• Benefits of Dual Nationality in Spain
• Implications of a Dual Nationality in Spain
• Comparative Analysis with Other Countries: Dual Citizenship Policies
• How Total Law Can Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

As a Spanish citizen by origin, you can acquire the citizenship of another country. However, you will have to declare that you intend to retain your Spanish citizenship. If the citizenship you want to acquire is that of a country with a bilateral citizenship agreement with Spain, you don’t have to make this declaration.

Individuals who can show they are Sephardic Jews can also get dual citizenship in Spain. You are eligible for dual citizenship in Spain if you are a national of any of these countries:

• Andorra
• Argentina
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Chile
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Cuba
• Dominican Republic
• Equatorial Guinea
• Ecuador
• Philippines
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Mexico
• Nicaragua
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Portugal
• Puerto Rico
• El Salvador
• Uruguay
• Venezuela
• France

If you are not a citizen of any of these countries, you will have to renounce your original citizenship to get the Spanish one. However, you need more than being from a country with a bilateral citizenship agreement with Spain to obtain dual citizenship.

If you are not a Sephardic Jew or descendant of one, you have to show proof that you have continuously stayed in Spain for at least two years with a valid visa. You also have to pass the Spanish language exam and the CCSE sociocultural exam. You must also prove that you have access to sufficient financial resources to support yourself and any dependents you might have as a citizen.

Once you meet these criteria, you can go ahead to apply for your Spanish citizenship.

You can obtain dual citizenship in Spain by simply applying for Spanish citizenship. You can either apply in person at a civil registry or apply online via the Spanish government’s SEDE electrónica.

If your native language is not Spanish, you will need to take two tests as a part of your application – the DELE (Spanish language exam), where a minimum A2 level pass is required, and the CCSE sociocultural exam. You can also get a total or partial waiver from the Spanish authorities for these tests. This waiver will be used in your application instead of your test results. A partial waiver allows you to take the test in an adapted form that accounts for all of your disabilities and incapacities.

Once you have gotten all the required documents together, you can go on to submit an application, pay the required fees, and do the interview. When you pass, you take the Spanish citizenship oath. Note that you are not exactly doing anything to get dual citizenship apart from applying for your Spanish citizenship. Dual citizenship comes automatically since you don’t denounce your original citizenship.

The documents required for applying for dual citizenship are the same documents required for obtaining Spanish citizenship.. The documents you will need to have include:

• A valid Spanish passport and your NIE ( Foreigner Identity Number)
• Your birth certificate
• Proof of current legal residence in Spain if you are not a Sephardic Jew, showing you are not in an irregular residency situation.
• A criminal record certificate showing you don’t have any criminal records
• Your current census certificate and previous census records (“padrón”)
• Health insurance
• Marriage or divorce certificates
• Proof of passing the A2 Spanish language test (DELE) and the cultural exam called the CCSE
• A waiver if you couldn’t complete any of the two tests
• Proof of sufficient financial resources
• Proof that you have paid the required application processing fee, approximately €100

If you are unsure of how to obtain any of the required documents, you can speak to one of our immigration lawyers. Our lawyers can provide you with accurate guidance that will save you from the hassle of a rejected application on the basis of incorrect or missing paperwork.

A Spanish citizenship application form requires payment of a non-refundable application fee of about €100. The Spanish authorities might also levy you a fee for the issuance of any certificates or documents you need to complete the application.

Note that the application fee will not be refunded back to you even if your application is rejected. So, it is essential to avoid any errors in your application so you won’t have to pay these fees twice. Once you have applied correctly, you will need to give the application time to be processed.

Typically, a Spanish citizenship application takes about 12 months from the application date, which you can track through the “cómo va lo mío” platform. It can differ based on the circumstances of your application and the proper filing of your documents.

However, if your application is not processed within 12 months, your application for dual citizenship may be refused as a result of administrative inaction (known as ‘silencio administrativo’). You can file an appeal to the Spanish authorities if that is the case.

If your citizenship application is successful, you will get a notification from the Spanish authorities. However, your journey to dual citizenship does not end when you obtain Spanish citizenship.

From the date of the acceptance notification, you have about six months to complete the formalities that confirm your status as a dual national. You would have to:

• Swear an oath of allegiance to the King of Spain and confirm that you intend to abide by Spain’s laws.
• Enter your new status as a dual-national Spanish citizen in the Spanish Civil Register.

You must complete the necessary formalities within the required time to avoid losing your Spanish dual citizenship.

Getting dual citizenship in Spain does not come easy. So, why would you want to take yourself through all of that stress to hold two passports legally? Here are some reasons you might want to go through the trouble:

• You can live and work anywhere in Spain and its territories.
• You and your family can enter Spain without a visa.
• You can now travel to over 190 countries, including the member states of the European Union, without a visa.
• You can vote and hold public office in Spain.
• You might be able to transfer this dual nationality to your children and immediate family.
• You maintain an emotional connection to your native country.
• You can get diplomatic assistance from both countries when you travel overseas.

For people with international businesses and ties, there is no question that Spanish dual citizenship can be beneficial indeed.

While holding dual citizenship has a lot of benefits, you also have to be aware of its implications, as it means you hold a legal relationship with two countries at the same time. Does that mean that you have to obey the laws of both countries?

You might not have to obey the laws of both countries. Most dual nationality treatments state that the applicable legislation would be the one from the country in which you are currently living. So, you can avoid getting into any contradiction in any situation.

However, you might get conflicted if both nations go to war or you hold businesses in both countries and have to pay separate taxes. You might also not be able to get into countries that are on bad terms with the countries of which you are a national.