Spain Dual Citizenship: Guide for US Citizens

Dual citizenship means holding Spanish nationality and the nationality of another country simultaneously. Spain’s nationality rules are set out in the Spanish Civil Code, which covers how Spanish nationality can be acquired, lost, and recovered.

Spain does not provide a separate application route called “dual citizenship.” Instead, a person applies for Spanish nationality through an available route, such as nationality by residence, descent, option, or exceptional grant. Whether they can retain another nationality depends on the route used, their country of origin, and the declarations required under Spanish law.

For Spanish nationality by residence, applicants must meet the residence period that applies to their circumstances. They must also show good civic conduct and sufficient integration into Spanish society. This can include the CCSE cultural and constitutional knowledge test and, where required, the DELE A2 Spanish-language test.

Spain exempts nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, and Portugal from the requirement to renounce their previous nationality when acquiring Spanish nationality through certain routes.

US citizens are not included in this exemption and should obtain advice on how Spanish and US nationality rules apply to their circumstances.

Page Contents

• What is Dual Citizenship in Spain?
• Does Spain Allow Dual Citizenship With the US?
• Spain’s Sephardic Jew Citizenship Programme
• Benefits of Dual Citizenship in Spain
• How to Get Dual Citizenship in Spain?
• Required Documents for Dual Citizenship in Spain
• Processing Times and Fees for Obtaining Spanish Dual Citizenship
• What Happens If My Dual Citizenship in Spain Is Approved?
• What Happens If My Application Is Rejected?
• Do I Need to Reside in Spain to Obtain Dual Citizenship?
• How Can Total Law Help
• FAQ

Spain does not have a dual-nationality agreement with the US. A US citizen can apply for Spanish nationality if they qualify through a route such as residence, descent, or option. However, the rules on retaining US nationality differ from those for people from countries and territories covered by Spain’s renunciation exemption.

When a US citizen acquires Spanish nationality through a route covered by Article 23 of the Spanish Civil Code, they must declare before Spanish authorities that they renounce their previous nationality. This declaration is required under Spanish law.

Making this declaration does not automatically result in the loss of US citizenship. Under US law, a person may lose US nationality only if they voluntarily expatriate with the intention of giving up US nationality. A formal renunciation of US citizenship must take place before a US diplomatic or consular officer outside the US.

Countries and Territories Covered by Spain’s Renunciation Exemption

Spain exempts nationals of origin of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, and France from the requirement to declare renunciation of their previous nationality when acquiring Spanish nationality through the relevant route.

The countries and territories covered are:

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

Puerto Rico is a US territory rather than a sovereign country. Spain treats Puerto Rico as falling within the Ibero-American category for Spanish nationality purposes. France is included under Spain’s dual-nationality arrangements with France, while the other listed countries and territories fall within the statutory categories recognised by Spanish nationality law.

What Does This Mean for US Citizens?

The US is not included in Spain’s renunciation exemption. A US citizen who has no qualifying second nationality must make the Spanish declaration of renunciation when acquiring Spanish nationality through the relevant route.

A US citizen who also holds the nationality of a listed country or territory may be treated differently. Their position depends on whether they are a national of that country or territory, and the Spanish nationality route they use.

Holding a US Green Card does not change the rules. Spanish nationality law considers the applicant’s nationality of origin and eligibility for Spanish nationality, rather than US permanent resident status.

Spain’s nationality rules and US citizenship law can have different legal effects. Applicants should obtain tailored legal advice before making nationality declarations, taking an oath, or applying to renounce US citizenship.

Spain introduced a special nationality procedure for Sephardic people of Spanish origin through Law 12/2015 of 24 June. The law recognised the historic connection between Spain and the descendants of Sephardic Jews, whose ancestors left Spain during the late 15th century.

The law entered into force on 1 October 2015. It allowed eligible applicants to seek Spanish nationality by carta de naturaleza without first completing a period of legal residence in Spain. Applicants granted nationality under this route were not required to declare renunciation of their existing nationality to Spanish authorities.

To qualify under the former standard procedure, an applicant had to prove both Sephardic origin from Spain and a special connection with Spain. Evidence could include genealogical records, certificates from recognised Jewish community bodies, Spanish-language ability, family names, or other documentation accepted under the procedure.

The ordinary application window under Law 12/2015 closed on 1 October 2019. Spain extended the original three-year filing deadline by one year, from 1 October 2018 to 1 October 2019. New routine applications under this procedure cannot be filed after that date.

Applicants who filed a valid application by the deadline were given time to correct or complete missing evidence. Spain extended the final deadline for these outstanding submissions until 1 September 2021. This extension did not reopen the programme for people who had not submitted an application by 1 October 2019.

Law 12/2015 contains a separate provision for cases involving exceptional circumstances or humanitarian reasons after the ordinary deadline. These cases are not an automatic or open-ended route to nationality. The Council of Ministers decides whether to grant nationality following a proposal from the Ministry of Justice.

People of Sephardic origin may also qualify for Spanish nationality through nationality by residence. Spanish law allows a reduced two-year legal-residence period for people of Sephardic origin, provided they meet the other requirements for nationality by residence.

Holding Spanish nationality can offer significant personal, professional, and travel benefits. A Spanish national is also an EU citizen, which can create rights in Spain and other EU countries. Whether a person can retain another nationality depends on their circumstances and the nationality laws that apply to them.

Spanish nationals can:

• Live, work, and study in Spain without an immigration time limit
• Enter and leave Spain using a valid Spanish passport or national identity document
• Live, work, study, or seek employment in another EU country, subject to EU free-movement rules and registration requirements where applicable
• Apply for a Spanish passport and travel according to the entry rules set by each destination country
• Vote in Spanish elections if they meet the relevant registration requirements
• Vote and stand as a candidate in European Parliament elections, subject to the applicable electoral rules
• Access public services and social-security benefits where they meet the relevant contribution, residence, income, or eligibility conditions
• Apply for public-sector roles, although nationality, security, professional qualifications, and other conditions may apply
• Pass Spanish nationality to children under the circumstances set by the Spanish nationality law
• Seek consular assistance from Spanish authorities while abroad, subject to the rules that apply in the country where they are located

EU citizens have the right to live, work, and study in other EU countries. They may also vote and stand in European Parliament elections, while municipal-election rights apply when residing in another EU country.

There is no separate application for dual citizenship in Spain. Applicants apply for Spanish nationality through the route to which they are eligible. The required documents depend on whether the application is based on residence, option, origin, or a carta de naturaleza.

Applicants for Spanish nationality by residence should prepare the documents required by the Ministry of Justice. The authority may request further evidence where needed to assess the application.

The documents can include:

• A completed Spanish nationality application form
• A full, valid passport from the applicant’s country of nationality, including copies of all pages and, where required, the passport held during the relevant residence period
• A valid Foreigner Identity Number, known as an NIE, and evidence of lawful residence in Spain
• A full birth certificate issued by the applicant’s country of birth, legalised or apostilled where required and accompanied by an official Spanish translation where applicable
• A criminal-record certificate from the applicant’s country of nationality or origin, legalised or apostilled, and officially translated where required
• Spanish criminal-record information, where required by the competent authority
• Evidence that the applicant has completed the required period of legal, continuous residence in Spain
• Evidence of good civic conduct and integration into Spanish society is relevant to the application
• A DELE A2 certificate and a CCSE certificate, where the applicant is required to take these tests
• An approved test-waiver decision or proof of a statutory exemption, where the applicant does not need to take one or both tests
• A receipt confirming payment of the Spanish nationality application fee
• Marriage, divorce, civil-partnership, or birth certificates where they are relevant to the applicant’s nationality route or personal circumstances

The Ministry of Justice requires applicants to provide a complete, valid passport, a properly legalised and translated birth certificate, and a criminal record certificate from the country of origin for most adult nationality-by-residence applications.

Documents for Nationality by Descent or Option

Applicants claiming Spanish nationality by option or through a parent may need different documents. The required evidence can include:

• The applicant’s full birth certificate
• The Spanish birth certificate of the Spanish parent
• Evidence of the parent-child relationship
• Identity documents for the applicant and the relevant parent
• Marriage certificates or civil-status records, where relevant
• Documents showing that the applicant meets the legal conditions for nationality by option

Foreign civil-status documents must be legalised or apostilled where required. They must also be officially translated into Spanish where they are not issued in Spanish.

Evidence of Residence

Nationality by residence requires legal, continuous residence in Spain for the period applicable to the applicant. The standard period is 10 years, although shorter periods apply in defined circumstances

For example, nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, and people of Sephardic origin may qualify after two years of legal residence. A spouse of a Spanish national may qualify after one year of legal residence if the legal requirements are met.

A US citizen does not qualify for the two-year period solely because they hold a US passport or a US Green Card. Their eligibility depends on their personal circumstances and the nationality route used

Important Document Rules

Documents issued outside Spain may need an Apostille or legalisation before submission. Documents not issued in Spanish may also require an official translation

Applicants should check the Ministry of Justice requirements and the applicable Civil Registry or consular guidance before filing. Requirements can differ by nationality, route, the country that issued the document, and the applicant’s individual circumstances.

The current fee for a Spanish nationality application by residence is €104.05, although applicants should confirm the fee immediately before payment, as government fees can change.

There is no separate dual-citizenship application in Spain. The processing time and fee depend on the route used to apply for Spanish nationality

For Spanish nationality by residence, the Ministry of Justice must resolve and notify the applicant within one year of receiving the application from the competent authority. The legal timeframe may be interrupted if the Ministry requests reports, further documents, or other information needed to decide the application.

Applicants should not rely on the one-year statutory period as a guarantee that a decision will be issued within 12 months. Actual processing times can vary due to application volumes, document checks, requests for additional information, and the applicant’s individual circumstances.

After nationality is granted, the applicant must complete the required declaration, oath or promise, and Civil Registry registration. The grant becomes effective only after these steps are completed. The applicant has 180 days from the date of notification of the decision to complete the required declarations before the Civil Registry.

Spanish Nationality Application Fee

The government application fee for Spanish nationality by residence is €104.05. This fee applies when an applicant files a nationality-by-residence application and must be paid using the relevant Ministry of Justice payment form.

The application fee is separate from other expenses that may arise during the process, including:

• DELE A2 and CCSE examination fees, where the applicant must take the tests
• Apostille or legalisation fees for foreign documents
• Official Spanish translation fees
• Fees for obtaining birth certificates, police certificates, or other civil-status records
• Legal or immigration advice fees, where the applicant chooses to seek professional assistance
• Travel costs for appointments, testing, or Civil Registry formalities

A fee may be eligible for repayment if it was paid in error. Applicants should check the Ministry of Justice guidance before paying, as fees and payment procedures can change.

If an application for Spanish nationality by residence or carta de naturaleza is approved, the applicant must complete further legal formalities before the grant becomes effective

The applicant has 180 days from the day after notification of the grant to appear before the competent authority and complete the required steps. If these steps are not completed by the deadline, the nationality grant will expire.

The required steps can include:

• Taking an oath or making a promise of fidelity to the King and obedience to the Spanish Constitution and laws
• Declaring renunciation of the previous nationality, where required under Spanish law
• Choosing the applicable Spanish civil-law regional status, known as vecindad civil, where required
• Having the acquisition of Spanish nationality entered in the Spanish Civil Registry

The oath or promise is completed before the Civil Registry official or another competent authority. The wording confirms fidelity to the King and obedience to the Constitution and laws.

The Civil Registry records the acquisition of Spanish nationality after the required declaration, oath or promise, and any required renunciation declaration has been completed. The acquisition is entered in the Register within five days of these formalities under the nationality-by-residence procedure.

After Civil Registry Registration

Once Spanish nationality has been registered, the person can apply for Spanish identity and travel documents, including a Spanish passport and a National Identity Document (DNI).

A Spanish national may need to use their Spanish passport or DNI when entering or leaving Spain, depending on the applicable border and travel-document rules. This should not be confused with Spain’s nationality-retention rules.

Retaining Spanish Nationality

Some Spanish nationals living outside Spain can lose their Spanish nationality under specific circumstances. For example, a Spanish national of origin who lives abroad and voluntarily acquires another nationality, or exclusively uses a nationality held before emancipation, can avoid loss by declaring their intention to retain Spanish nationality within 3 years

These rules depend on how the person acquired Spanish nationality, where they live, their age, and their other nationality. They do not mean that every dual national must travel only on a Spanish passport for three years after acquiring Spanish nationality.

If the Ministry of Justice does not issue and notify a decision within one year of receiving a Spanish nationality-by-residence application, the application is treated as refused through negative administrative silence, known in Spain as silencio administrativo negativo.

This does not mean that the authorities have assessed the evidence and issued a substantive refusal. It means that the one-year decision period has passed without an express decision. The applicant may still receive a decision after this point.

Applicants may challenge an express refusal or a refusal by administrative silence. They can:

• Submit an optional reconsideration appeal, known as a recurso potestativo de reposición, to the authority that issued the decision
• File a judicial administrative appeal, known as a recurso contencioso-administrativo, before the National Court, known in Spain as the Audiencia Nacional

For an express decision, the deadline for a judicial administrative appeal is two months from the day after notification. Where the application is treated as refused through administrative silence, the deadline is 6 months from the day after the presumed refusal arises.

If the applicant first submits a reconsideration appeal and no decision is issued within one month, the appeal is also deemed refused by administrative silence, and the applicant may then begin judicial proceedings.

Do not state that the Ministry of Justice will respond to an appeal within 3 or 4 months. The applicable timeframe depends on the type of appeal and the procedural stage. An applicant should obtain legal advice before challenging a nationality refusal or relying on administrative silence.

There is no separate dual-citizenship application. A person must qualify for Spanish nationality through an available route, and nationality by residence requires legal, continuous residence in Spain for the statutory period.

The standard residence requirement is 10 years. A reduced two-year period applies to nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, and Portugal, as well as to people of Sephardic origin. Recognised refugees may apply after 5 years of legal residence.

A person married to a Spanish national may qualify after one year of legal residence in Spain if they have been married for that period and are not legally or de facto separated. Marriage itself does not automatically grant Spanish nationality.

US citizens do not qualify for the two-year residence period solely because they are US citizens. They may qualify for a reduced residence period only if another statutory category applies to them, such as being a national of origin of a qualifying country or a person of Sephardic origin.

The dedicated Sephardic nationality procedure under Law 12/2015 closed to new routine applications on 1 October 2019. Sephardic origin can still be relevant to the two-year residence period for nationality by residence, but it does not provide a current standard route to apply from outside Spain without residence.