Spanish Citizenship by Marriage: 2026 Guide for US Nationals

Gaining Spanish nationality through marriage is the process whereby a non-EU (such as a US citizen) national has the option of becoming a Spanish citizen through marrying a Spanish citizen. In general, citizenship by marriage is the fastest way of becoming a Spanish citizen.

However, you will not automatically obtain Spanish nationality just by marrying a Spanish person. There are numerous criteria that you must meet as an individual, including residency requirements and proving the genuineness of your marriage (i.e., you have not married a Spanish national only to obtain citizenship in Spain/EU).

Page Contents

• What is Citizenship by Marriage in Spain?
• What Are the Benefits of Citizenship Through Marriage?
• Spanish Citizenship by Marriage Eligibility Requirements
• How do I Apply For Spanish Citizenship by Marriage?
• Document Requirements for Spanish Nationality By Marriage?
• Financial Requirement for Citizenship
• Language and Cultural Exams Requirement
• How Much Does Spanish Citizenship by Marriage Cost?
• How Long Do I Have to Wait To Get Spanish Citizenship?
• How Can Total Law Help
• FAQ

Although Spanish citizenship through marriage is not automatically granted, it offers several advantages:

• Fast-tracked process: Assuming you meet all the other criteria for citizenship, you can submit a citizenship application after just one year of living in Spain with your spouse, compared to up to 10 years in most other cases
• Easier residency application: Marrying a Spanish citizen simplifies the process of obtaining residency in Spain, and citizenship guarantees full permanent residency rights and freedoms
• Becoming an EU citizen: As Spain is an EU country, obtaining citizenship in Spain means you become an EU citizen, which allows you to live and work anywhere within the European Union
• Visa-free travel: The Spanish passport, which is an EU passport, is a strong travel document, and Spanish and EU citizens can travel visa-free or visa-on-arrival to over 180 countries
• Voting rights: You gain the right to vote in Spanish elections and participate in politics
• Potential dual citizenship: While US citizens will usually be required to renounce their original citizenship, there are exceptions for citizens of a former Spanish territory.

Some of the key eligibility requirements for Spanish Citizenship by Marriage are as follows:

• You are married to a Spanish national and have a legitimate marriage certificate approved by the Spanish authorities
• You have been living in Spain with your spouse for at least 1 year before you begin your application for citizenship
• You can prove your marriage is authentic, that you entered Spain legally, and don’t have any criminal convictions within the past 5 years
• You can understand and speak Spanish to a proficient level and you can prove integration into Spanish culture – this is done by completing the DELE 2 language test and CCSE exam that tests your knowledge on constitutional and sociocultural aspects of being a Spanish citizen.

To apply for Spanish citizenship through marriage, you will need to submit the following documents, which must all be translated into Spanish:

• Valid US passport
• A Recent passport photo
• Foreign Identity Number (NIE)
• Residence Permit (TIE), proving you have lived in Spain for 12 consecutive months since the start date of the validity period
• Birth certificate
• Proof of legal residence cohabiting with your Spanish spouse as a married couple in Spain
• Clean criminal record certificate (covering the last 5 years)
• Health insurance coverage
• Marriage certificate to your Spanish spouse, and any divorce certificates that may be required to prove any previous marriage either of you had was dissolved before your current marriage
• Proof of passing the DELE A2 Spanish language exam
• Proof of passing the CCSE cultural knowledge exam
• Proof of financial self-sufficiency, such as payslips or bank statements proving you meet the IPREM requirements (outlined below)
• Application fee – approximately €104.05.

To become a Spanish national, you must demonstrate financial self-sufficiency.

The Spanish system uses the IPREM (Public Multiple Effects Income Indicator) to assess your income level. This figure is calculated each year. It is the minimum income on a monthly basis.

The IPREM score requirement for Spanish citizenship by marriage application is that you must earn at least 150% of the current IPREM (€600/month). This translates to approximately €900 per month (150% of the base €600/month).

You can submit payslips or bank statements to prove your financial situation. Spanish immigration authorities may overall check whether your household income or savings can sustain your stay in Spain.

To obtain Spanish citizenship by marriage, as part of the application you are required to demonstrate both language proficiency, and knowledge of the Spanish constitution, the Spanish civil code and cultural knowledge.

You must do this by completing the DELE A2 Spanish language test, with a minimum pass rate of 60/100 points, and the CCSE (Constitutional and Sociocultural Aspects exam), where you must achieve 15/25 points.

The application fee for gaining Spanish citizenship is approximately €104.05.

Please note, this is just the application processing fee, and does not include any costs associated with obtaining, translating, or printing documents, any travel fees, and other potential associated costs.

You also need to pay €85 for CCSE (Constitutional and Socio-cultural Knowledge of Spain) exam for Spanish Citizenship application.

Once you have completed the Spanish citizenship by marriage application process, you will have to wait a significant amount of time for the application to be approved before you officially acquire Spanish nationality.

The general wait time for acquiring Spanish citizenship after submitting your application is usually 1-3 years, as it takes the Spanish immigration authorities this time to review your application. Therefore, in the meantime, you must continue to reside in Spain with your spouse while you wait, and not make any arrangements that would be based around being a Spanish citizen until you have received a response from the Spanish embassy.

Assuming your citizenship application was correct and acceptable, once your submission is approved you will then become an official Spanish citizen. This will make you eligible to obtain a Spanish passport and live and work freely in Spain and the wider European Union.