Spanish Citizenship by Residency

Applying to become a citizen of a new country is the process whereby a foreign national who has in most circumstances spent a significant amount of time living and working in that country, or has family ties to it, applies to acquire full legal status and pledging allegiance to that country.

Acquiring Spanish nationality is an exciting prospect for many foreigners who have spent the past decade residing and working in Spain, often choosing to raise a family or retire in the country. To obtain Spanish nationality means you will be considered official Spanish citizen, with benefits such as:

• The ability to work in any job and start a business without visa restrictions
• To rent, purchase property, and reside without needing to apply for a residence permit or visas
• To vote in national and EU elections, and be able to participate in politics
• To gain EU citizenship, and therefore be able to travel, live and work freely across all 27 EU member states
• To access Spanish and wider EU healthcare, education, and social security systems
• To be able to pass on your Spanish and EU citizenship to your children
• Bring your family to live with you in Spain
• The ability to obtain a Spanish passport, allowing visa-free and visa-on-arrival travel to over 180 countries around the world.

Page Contents

• What is Citizenship in Spain?
• What is Spanish Citizenship by Residency?
• Am I Eligible for Spanish Citizenship by Residency?
• How to Apply for Spanish Citizenship by Residency?
• How Much Does Spanish Citizenship Cost?
• How Can Total Law Help
• FAQ

The most common route to apply for Spanish citizenship is through the legal residency route. In most cases, applicants can become eligible for citizenship if they have had uninterrupted permanent residence in Spain for 10 years. The time spent in Spain must be continuous, meaning the applicant cannot have spent more than 180 consecutive days abroad during the 10 year residency period.

There are some exceptions to the 10 year residency rule, such as:

• 2 years of residency for those whose country of origin is an Ibero-American country
• 5 years for those who came to Spain and continued to live in the country under refugee status

In general, you will be eligible to obtain Spanish citizenship if you meet the following requirements according to age:

• 18 and above – you can apply so long as you have no dependents
• 14-18 years old – your legal guardian is accompanying you with your application
• 14 years old and under – your legal guardian is submitting your application on your behalf.

Each applicant must also meet the following Spanish citizenship requirements:

• Completed continued residency in Spain with a valid residence permit (TIE card) for 10 years, without ever overstaying the validity period and consistent residence permit renewal
• Continuous residency – i.e. you did not spend extends periods of time living outside of the country (3-6 months maximum)
• Clean criminal record, conducted within 3 months of submitting a citizenship application
• Not have an illness that is a threat to public health
• Can speak Spanish to a proficient level, proven by passing the A2 Spanish language exam (unless you are already from a Spanish-speaking country or your mother tongue is Spanish)
• Can prove Spanish constitutional and sociocultural knowledge by passing the CCSE culture test, unless you went to a high school in Spain.

Please note that you will not be eligible for citizenship through residency if:

• You have spent more than 3 consecutive months outside of Spain during the 10-year period
• You are counting time spent in Spain on a tourist or student visa as part of the 10-year residency requirement – these are not considered valid for a citizenship application
• You have a criminal record or violated Spanish immigration laws within the 10-year residency period

Once you have ensured you meet the eligibility criteria to get Spanish citizenship by residency, you can then proceed to gather all relevant documents required for the application process. Please note, all documents must be submitted in Spanish, and so you may need to have some of your documents professionally translated.

In general, you will need to submit the following documents:

• Citizenship application form
• A valid passport
• Birth certificate
• Your current residence permit
• Proof of residing in Spain for 10 years consecutively – this can be done by submitting previous expired TIE cards, or a log of all former eligible visas
• Your DELE 2 language exam results (you must have achieved a score of at least 60/100)
• Your CCSE cultural exam (you must have achieved a score of at least 15/25)
• Proof of legal current address – this can be done with utility bills, a rental agreement, or proof of property purchase
• Proof of financial means – i.e. that you are affording to live through your job in Spain, or by other means of foreign income or savings
• Clean criminal background records
• Comprehensive health insurance covering at least €30,000 of medical expenses
• Your children’s birth certificates, if you want them to be able to apply for Spanish citizenship in the future.

Each person’s circumstances are unique, so you may be required to submit other types of documents along with those outlined above. For example, you may under certain circumstances need to submit marriage or divorce certificates to your partner or former partners, if applicable.

Once you have gathered all of the above documents, you will need to book an appointment at the Civil Registry in Spain to submit your application. After you have completed your application process, you can then expect to wait 1-3 years for your application to be approved by the Spanish government.

Once approved, you will be registered in the Spanish Civil Registry, and will become eligible to obtain a Spanish passport and national identification card.

Due to the long wait time for citizenship application processing, it is very important that you are sure that your application is 100% accurate. Waiting 3 years only to have your application rejected can be incredibly frustrating and upsetting. This is why Total Law is here – we offer legal assistance with your citizenship application, so that you can have peace of mind knowing you are in the best position or being accepted as a Spanish citizen.

To chat with one of our team today, call us on +44 (0) 333 305 9375, or get in touch with us online.

Before submitting your Spanish citizenship application, you’ll need to pre-pay a fee of €102. There are a few ways to do this:

1. Online Payment via Tax Agency:
   • You can pay through the Tax Agency’s payment portal using a specific form available on their website.
   • Once paid, you’ll receive proof of payment from the Tax Agency’s website or a receipt from your bank, as long as they offer online banking services. This receipt will include a Complete Reference Number (NRC) and a copy of form 790-code 026 marked “For Administration.” You can submit this with your application.
2. Other Payment Methods:
   • Online Banking: If you have an account with a bank that supports online payments and you have an electronic signature, you can pay through your bank’s online services. You’ll first need to get form 790-code 026 from the government website and use the reference number when paying online.
   • In-Person in Spain: You can take the completed form 790-code 026 to a participating bank in Spain to pay in person. The bank will validate the payment on the “For Administration” copy of the form, which you’ll need to submit with your application.