Spain Dual Citizenship

In general, citizens of the Philippines are eligible for Spanish dual citizenship. This means that it is generally possible for Filipino citizens to obtain Spanish citizenship while retaining citizenship of the Philippines.

If you are a resident of the Philippines who does not have citizenship, however, you may not be eligible. This is because there are very limited circumstances in which Spain grants dual citizenship to non-Spanish nationals. In general, a path to dual citizenship is only open if you are a citizen of a Latin-American country, a citizen of one of a selection of other countries which have agreements with Spain, or if you are a Sephordic Jew.

Page Contents

• Does Spain allow dual citizenship with the Philippines?
• Who Can Apply for Dual Spanish Citizenship?
• Application Process for Dual Citizenship for Spain
• Documents Required for Dual Citizenship in Spain
• Cost and Processing Time for Spanish Dual Citizenship
• Are Sephardic Jews Still Entitled To Spanish Dual Citizenship?
• What Are The Benefits of Dual Spanish Nationality?
• How Can Total Law Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

There are only a limited number of groups of applicants who are eligible for Spanish dual citizenship. These are as follows:

• Spanish citizens by origin are eligible for Spanish dual citizenship. In most cases, they will be required to declare their intention to keep their Spanish citizenship. However, this declaration is not necessary in the case of certain countries with which Spain has a bilateral agreement, such as the Philippines and Latin-American countries.
• Citizens of Latin-American countries in which Spanish or Portuguese are an official language are also eligible for Spanish dual nationality.
• Citizens of the Philippines, Andorra, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, and France are also eligible for Spanish dual nationality.
• Previously, Spain also offered a route to Spanish dual nationality to individuals who could prove their status as Sephardic Jews. While this route has now been discontinued, applications which have already been submitted are still expected to be processed.

If you are a citizen of the Philippines, it is likely that you will be eligible for Spanish dual citizenship. However, if you do not have Filipino citizenship status, you will need to ensure that you fall within one of the above categories.

In order to apply for Spanish dual nationality, you will need to complete a number of steps. These steps are generally as follows:

Firstly, you should submit your application either online, via Spain’s SEDE electrónica, or in person, at your local civil registry. You will need to provide all of the required documentation.

Once your application has been submitted, it will then be processed. During the processing period, you may be asked to provide additional evidence, which you should make sure to do promptly in order to avoid delays to your application.

If you are successfully granted citizenship, you will need to complete a number of formalities in order to secure your status as a Spanish citizen. For example, you will need to swear an oath of allegiance to Spain’s monarchy and confirm your intent to abide by Spain’s laws. Additionally, you will also be expected to enter your new citizenship status into the Spanish Civil Register. If either of these formalities are not completed, you risk losing your Spanish citizenship status.

Once you have successfully obtained Spanish citizenship, you will be able to apply for a Spanish passport.

There are a number of documents which you will need to provide as part of your application for dual Spanish nationality. While the exact documents will depend on your specific circumstances, you will generally require a range of the following:

• Valid passport
• Birth certificate
• Foreigner Identity Number
• Clean criminal background certificate
• Spanish private health insurance
• Marriage certificate, if applicable
• Proof that you have taken both the DELE Spanish language exam and the CCSE Spanish knowledge and culture exam. You will need to pass both exams, unless you are eligible for a waiver
• In the case of Sephardic Jews, proof that you are a legal resident in Spain

Note that all of your documents must be translated into Spanish. You will need to ensure that you use an authorised translation service.

Spanish nationality applications generally have application fees of €60-100. In many cases, there may also be additional costs associated with your application, such as the cost of Spanish private health insurance and of translating your documents into Spanish. In some cases, applicants also choose to seek legal assistance in order to streamline their application process. Contact Total Law today on +44 (0) 333 305 9375 to learn more about how we can help.

In terms of processing time, your application should be processed within 1 year of submission. If you do not hear back within 1 year, your application may be rejected on grounds of administrative inaction (silencio administrativo). If this occurs, you will be able to submit an appeal.

You can help to minimise delays to your application by making sure that you submit your application correctly and that you promptly provide any additional information which is requested.

In 2025, Spain passed a law which allowed Sephardic Jews to obtain Spanish dual citizenship. As part of this programme, over 30,000 Sephardic Jews were granted Spanish dual citizenship, with a number of applications yet to be processed.

However, this scheme has now effectively been discontinued by the Spanish government, with no immediate plans to reopen it. This means that new applications are not currently being accepted.

If you have already submitted your application, it is likely that it will still be processed, so you may still be able to successfully obtain Spanish nationality without needing to renounce your original nationality. However, there is no guarantee that applications which have already been submitted will be successful.

Spanish nationals enjoy a number of advantages. As such, many eligible Filipino citizens choose to pursue Spanish dual citizenship. If you obtain Spanish dual nationality, you will gain the benefits of Spanish citizenship without needing to lose the connection to your original nationality or to relinquish your original passport.

Spanish nationality brings a wide range of benefits. You will be eligible to vote in Spanish elections and to obtain a Spanish passport. You will also be authorised to live permanently in Spain, where you can engage in visa-free work, travel, and study. You will also be able to live, work, and study in other European Union countries, without requiring a visa. This is because being a citizen of Spain automatically makes you an EU citizen.

Spain also has a wide range of other things to offer, including a warm climate, beautiful beaches, vibrant towns and cities, excellent education and healthcare, and convenient travel to the rest of the EU. It also has a rich culture, meaning you will never be short of things to do.

In sum, becoming a dual citizen of Spain offers a wide range of advantages, many of which are often of appeal to Filipino citizens who are eligible for Spanish dual nationality.