Spain Dual Citizenship 2026: Are UK Nationals Eligible?

Spanish dual citizenship is possible only for citizens from certain countries. The Spanish civil code usually does not allow dual nationality for foreign citizens who wish to obtain Spanish citizenship. Dual citizenship in Spain is allowed only if you fall under any of the following categories:

• Spanish citizens by birth can acquire citizenship in a second country
• People from Spanish speaking countries or who have Spanish or Portuguese origins due to the historical ties of the nation with Spain or Portugal. You will likely be eligible if you come from:
• • A Latin American Country
  • A South American Country
  • An Iberian country

Spanish Citizens by Birth

Spanish nationals by birth are those born in Spain or one of its territories, most often to at least one Spanish parent.

Spanish law accepts Spanish citizens seeking dual nationality in another nation. They will not be required to lose Spanish nationality. Spanish nationals may choose to renounce their Spanish citizenship in favour of the other country, but this is otherwise unnecessary unless the second country does not allow dual citizenship.

For example, a person of Spanish origins can apply to become a citizen of the UK. They will be able to hold dual Spanish British citizenship as long as they make a declaration to the Spanish authorities that they wish to retain their Spanish nationality. This is possible also because the UK allows dual nationality.

However, British-born nationals who wish to acquire Spanish nationality may not be able to acquire dual citizenship in Spain. They have to be willing to renounce their British citizenship status in favour of becoming a Spanish citizen. This must be viewed as a permanent decision, because if an individual chooses this route, they may not be able to reacquire their UK citizenship.

Citizens of Eligible Countries

Due to the historical Spanish Empire, Spain maintains close diplomatic and political ties to many former colonies and territories of Spain located most notably in the Iberian Peninsula, Latin America and South America. Spain allows foreign nationals from these countries to gain double citizenship in Spain.

Citizens of the following countries are allowed to maintain their citizenship from their country of origin and also acquire Spanish citizenship:

• Iberian countries: Andorra, France and Portugal
• Latin American countries: Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico and El Salvador
• South American Countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Equatorial Guinea, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela
• Southeast Asia: The Philippines

So, if you are a British national and also hold citizenship in any of the above countries, you may use that passport to gain Spanish nationality. This way, you will be able to retain your UK citizenship even after acquiring citizenship in Spain.

Can I Get Dual Citizenship as a Sephardic Jew in 2026?

On 11 June 2015, the Spanish Parliament approved an act granting Spanish Citizenship to Sephardic Jews. The law, which came into effect on October 1, 2015, made the acquisition of Spanish citizenship possible for Sephardic Jews without renouncing their current citizenship and without requiring residency in Spain.

However, the application window was eventually shut in 2021. Today, Sephardic Jews may apply for citizenship through the usual routes but will be eligible for dual citizenship only if they are from one of the abovementioned countries.

Citizenship by Option (Under 18)

Citizenship by option is a citizenship route for children and young people under 20. It is available to those whose parents gained Spanish residency while they themselves was less than 18 years old. This route includes those who are adopted or under legal guardianship of the Spanish citizens.

In order to be eligible, the following must apply:

• The Spanish parents submitted the minor’s birth certificate when they applied for a residence permit
• The minor resides in Spain for 2 years before they apply for citizenship
• The Spanish parents were born in Spain.

The Spanish parents do not need to have been living in Spain for a significant time as they are already citizens by birth. However, the child must have lived in the country for 2 years before they are eligible to apply for Spanish citizenship.

Spanish Citizenship by Descent

Spanish citizenship by descent is a legal route for eligible foreign nationals to acquire Spanish nationality based on their ancestry. Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify if at least one of your parents is/was a Spanish national. Both biological and adopted children of a Spanish national can claim citizenship in Spain by descent.

The right to become a Spanish citizen by descent is based on what is known as the principle of ‘jus sanguinis’ (i.e., ‘right of blood’). It means that nationality in Spain can be acquired through your ancestry rather than by your place of birth (i.e., the principle of ‘jus soli’ or ‘right of the soil’).

Spanish Citizenship by Marriage

Spanish Citizenship by marriage is considered the quickest route to Spanish citizenship. Legal weddings are the only eligible type of partnership for this purpose. Civil or unmarried partnerships do not qualify for a citizenship pathway in Spain.

To be eligible for Spanish citizenship through marriage, you must:

• Be legally married to a Spanish citizen (and who was a Spanish citizen when you married them)
• Register your marriage officially at the Spanish civil registry. This is done automatically if your marriage takes place in Spain, but if you are married abroad, you must register your marriage when you arrive in Spain
• Reside in Spain for at least one year with your Spanish spouse. You can prove this by submitting your visa status, residence permit, and/or rental agreement and utility bills to your Spanish address

Citizenship by Residency/Naturalisation

For those who do not have a Spanish parent or are not married to a Spaniard, the best way to obtain Spanish citizenship (or to obtain dual nationality where possible) is through the residency or naturalisation option.

To become a citizen through residency, the Spanish authorities require the applicant to have a minimum of 10 years of legal residence in Spanish territories. You will be required to prove that during the decade residing in Spain, you have spent most of your time in the country, with no more than 3 consecutive months spent outside of Spain at any given point in the 10-year period.

Time spent living in the country on a Spain visa for tourists (Schengen visa) or student visa will not be counted towards the required residency period.