If you would like to become a Spanish citizen and get the passport in the country, keep reading. In this article we will solve all your doubts about Spanish citizenship. We will go over the 4 options you have to obtain it, documents and requirements for each, and application process. Including a useful tip to get in in half time! So get ready to learn how to get Spanish nationality.
What is Spanish Citizenship and how can you obtain it?
Spanish Citizenship is a right you can obtain that enables you to live indefinitely in Spain; at the same time that grants you certain benefits, like the right to vote or to freely move and work within the EU.
The most common way of becoming a citizen of Spain is by right of birth. Provided that you have been born in Spain and your parents are Spanish, you directly become a national of the Spanish territory.
Nevertheless, the Civil Code accepts other procedures that can enable you, as a foreigner, to get Spanish citizenship.
For example, as a general rule, those foreigners who have lived in Spain for 10 years can get nationality (citizenship by residency).
But there are other paths, and that is what we’ll discover in this article: like citizenship by marriage, by descent, and by option.
So make sure you keep on reading because it is highly probable that you can get it yourself. And maybe much faster than you thought!
Spanish nationality law
The Spanish nationality is regulated trough one of the most basic documents of the country, the Civil Code, published in 1889. Nevertheless, the authorities have implemented several modifications (we will study them in a second) that affect the way you can get Citizenship. Those are, for example, the ones that come specified on the Royal Decree 1004/2005.
Main benefits
There are 5 main benefits that you can enjoy when becoming a Spanish citizen:
1. Easier paperwork
If you apply for Spanish citizenship, you will have a much easier time navigating the Spanish bureaucracy whenever you need to start any legal process. This, for sure, will save you tons of time.
2. Obtaining the right to vote in Spain
Expats living in Spain for the long run may like to have the option to vote. After formalizing this process, they can.
3. Free movement
Becoming a Spanish citizen, you will have the right to enter 183 countries with your visa on hand during the arrival.
4. Getting the EU passport
You will also be granted the right to live and work anywhere you want inside the European Union.
5. No Spainexit
Spanish is not planning to leave the EU any time soon. Therefore, these benefits are not going to change either expire during the upcoming years.
Do you have any doubt? Ask anything to our lawyers here and get an instant answer:
Spanish Citizenship or permanent residency?
If you have been living in Spain for several years and would like to stay in the long run, the question regarding which is your best option will surely pop up.
What should I do, apply for permanent residency or become a Spanish citizen (thus obtaining Spanish nationality)?
Well, the reality is that both options will grant you the possibility to live in Spain indefinitely.
Nevertheless, there are a few differences in regards to these two possible paths, and clearly understanding them will be key.
About the permanent residency in Spain
If you have lived in the country for 5 uninterrupted years, you can apply for permanent residency in Spain.
This kind of permit grants non-Eu citizens the possibility to stay in Spain over the long run. You just need to renew your residence card every 5 years.
The conditions under which you will be living in the country are the same as those of Spanish citizenship; therefore it can be your preferred option, as it is perhaps the easiest one and the most straightforward.
What is then the difference between Spanish nationality?
The main downside of becoming a citizen
After 10 years of living in Spain, you can obtain Spanish nationality, thus becoming a Spanish citizen.
The main downside of using this path in order to get the long-run residency is that you will need to renounce your original nationality (in order to get the Spanish one).
So that is what you should take into consideration. If you wish to preserve your original nationality, go for permanent residency, and renew it every 5 years. If that is not a problem for you, nationality will be a better option.
There is, nevertheless, an exception to that rule. If you are from Andorra, Portugal, Equatorial Guinea, the Philippines, or from a Latin American country, you can obtain your dual nationality; therefore there won’t be any need to give up your original citizenship.
How to get Spanish Citizenship: the 4 different options
Now that you know how this process can benefit you it’s time to see the actual steps to get it. As we have already mentioned, there isn’t a single path to become a citizen.
There are four main ways in which you can obtain Spanish nationality:
- By having lived enough years in the Spanish country (citizenship by residency)
- By marrying a Spanish national (citizenship by marriage)
- By being a descendant or grandchildren of a Spanish citizen (citizenship by descent)
- And trough your children (citizenship by option)
Each of them has different requirements. So make sure you fully understand them to what you should go for.
Spanish citizenship by residency
This is the most known of them all.
If you have been a legal resident in Spain uninterruptedly for a certain amount of years, you can get the Spanish residency through a process called naturalization.
So, basically, it is granted to all foreigners who have remained in the country enough time. You just need to enter Spain with your residence permit, renew it enough times, and once you reach the time frame required according to your situation, you will be granted citizenship.
How long do I need to live in Spain to get Citizenship?
The exact amount of time will depend on your situation, family ties and country of origin:
- 10 years, which is the general rule.
- 5 years if you are a refugee.
- 2 years if you are a foreigner coming from any Latin American country, from Andorra, Equatorial Guinea, Philippines, or Portugal. In those cases, as we have already mentioned, you won’t need to give up your former and original nationality, and you will get dual citizenship.
- Just 1 year for those married to a Spanish national or children/grandchildren of Spanish citizens born in Spain. We will explore these two options in the next section.
Requirements for Citizenship by residency
But it’s not that easy. Beyond living in the Spanish territory for 1,2, 5 or 10 years; you must make sure to meet the following requirements for a successful application:
- The year count starts from the validity of your first residence card. This implies that any period in between that you became irregular won’t be taken into consideration for the computation.
- Any time in Spain with a tourist or student visa won’t be taken into consideration either (as those are stay periods).
- You must have lived for the required amount of years uninterruptedly. This means that you can’t leave the country for a long period of time (more than 3 months can become a reason for denial), neither you can do it frequently.
- It is crucial to show proper civic behavior. The authorities will check your criminal background records and police records to see if there is any conflicting behavior. Having speeding tickets or having renewed your residence card late can work against you here.
Citizenship by marriage
Would you like to get Spanish nationality without the need to wait until 10 years? Then citizenship by marriage may be the right solution for you.
This type of nationality is granted to those foreigners who have been legal residents in Spain for 1 year and who are married to a Spanish citizen. Civil partnerships or divorced couples are not valid for this procedure.
So the process is simple. First of all, you need to marry a Spanish Citizen. Once you do that, you will be able to get a residence and work authorization through the family member of an EU visa.
After 12 months of living together with your spouse (this is really important), you will be able to start the application process. The requirements are exactly the same as the ones we saw in the previous section.
Bear in mind that time starts counting from the moment in which you get your residence card.
Furthermore, as you will need to submit your marriage certificate, you must make sure that the marriage is registered in Spain. So if you got married abroad, this is an extra step you will need to take.
Citizenship by option
An individual who became a Spanish national by option (also called citizenship by origin) is simply a foreigner who got citizenship because of her parents getting it before.
Let’s say, for example, that you initiate the application for your citizenship by residency. If, in that application, you include the birth certificate of your children, they will be able to become citizens of Spain later on.
The important consideration is that your children must be under 18 years old. Nevertheless, they have the right to claim citizenship for 2 complete years, so they can become nationals until they are 20. Hence, provided that you, as a parent, applied for Spanish nationality when they already were over 18, the process is not valid.
So, who can benefit from citizenship by option?
- Children of foreign citizens who were born in the Spanish territory
- Individuals who are over 18 years old but were adopted by Spanish nationals
- Those who are or have been subject to the custody of a Spaniard
As a side note, bear in mind that if you are a foreigner and your children were born in Spain, there is the possibility that they are directly considered Spanish (through what is called citizenship by presumption). If you want to learn more, in this article you will find all the requirements that would make this the case.
Citizenship by descent
Children of Spanish parents can get a Spanish passport immediately and easily. But what happens to their grandchildren? To they have the same luck?
Well, some years ago it was not possible. The nationality law simply did not include those cases. Nevertheless, with the approval of the new grandchildren’s law, the situation has changed completely.
Nowadays, if you are the grandchildren of a Spanish citizen and you are inside any of the following group, you too can apply for the nationality:
- If you are the children of those who got their nationality trough historical memory but who couldn’t get the nationality by option when the law came into force as they were older than 18 years old.
- Grandchildren of Spanish women who were born in Spain and married to non-Spanish citizens before the creation of the 1978 Constitution.
- Grandchildren of Spanish nationals who got the nationality of another country after leaving Spain before their children were born (so their Children couldn’t become Spanish citizens).
- Grandchildren of citizens of Spain who, even when having the possibility to get citizenship by option, lost the chance as they became older than 18 years old.
Application process and general requirements
The application process to get Spanish citizenship is really straightforward. It can be divided into the following stages:
- You need to prepare all the required documents, including taking the required exams (A2 and CCSE).
- You must submit your application.
- Wait for a response, and get an appointment for the pledge of allegiance.
- With the document you will be given during step number 4, you can attend your local police station and finally get your passport and DNI.
- Finally, you will have to request a concordance certificate so that all public and private institutions you registered with your NIE can validate your new ID info
Let’s review each of them carefully.
Required documents to get the nationality, plus preparation
The first step is to prepare the following documents. Consider that, depending on the type of citizenship you intend to get, some of them may differ:
- Identification: complete passport and NIE
- Your current residence permit. This implies that you can’t be in an irregular situation in the moment of our application.
- Birth certificate
- Criminal records. As we already mentioned, it is important that you don’t have any background records registered; even though you can get a positive resolution if you had a minor and isolated issue
- Marriage certificate (in case you are getting citizenship by marriage)
- Current census and historic (“padrón”)
- Once you pass the 2 required exams, DELE A2 and CCSE, you will get a certificate that must be included on the application file
- If you would like to grant your children the possibility to get citizenship by option, include their birth certificate
- Document proving that you paid the corresponding fee, which is about 100€
- Demonstration of the possession of sufficient economic means
About Spanish citizenship test: DELE A2 and CCSE
In order to get Spanish passport and become a national in the country, you must pass two different citizenship exams:
- The DELE A2, which is the basic language test that demonstrates you have a high-enough Spanish level. If you come from any Latin American country, there’s no need to take this exam.
- The CCSE, which is a cultural test. If you studied school or high school in Spain, this test is not required. It is a 45-minute multiple-choice test in which they basically ask about the Spanish government, art, television, culture, and geography.
Both exams are organized by the Cervantes Institute.
It is this second test the one that scares applicants the most. But it shouldn’t be like that. Why? Because the Cervantes Insitute publishes all the questions online (usually there are a total of 300). So you can easily practice completing all of them beforehand, so you know what you can expect.
Furthermore, if you fail, you can retake it. You have 3 different opportunities until you need to pay again (85€).
Submitting your application
Once you meet all the requirements and finish with all the paperwork, you need to send it to the authorities.
In that sense, you have two different options:
- You can submit your file in person, at the Civil Registry.
- You can do it online, starting here.
Our recommendation? Do it online. It will save you a lot of time (no need to get an appointment), and you will receive your resolution much faster.
Nationality processing time: how much time does it take?
Answering precisely how long does it take to get Spanish citizenship is quite complicated. But, usually, the process takes about 2 to 3 years in total.
Nevertheless, there is a really useful tip you can use to speed the process up radically.
Once you submit your application, the Spanish government has a period of 1 complete year to legally submit their response (which you can check here through the “cómo va lo mío” platform).
During that time, your file will go through several stages or statuses. If you click here, you will access one of our articles in which you will find all those stages and the meaning of each.
Keep in mind that from the moment you send your application until you receive your resolution, it is totally possible to travel outside Spain, but only if you comply with the 2 requirements we see in this post (not to lose your residence and to make the appointment for the oath on time).
It will be after that period when you can start making things faster. Why? Because, if after 12 months you did not get a response, it simply means that your application got rejected due to administrative silence.
But as there is no reason for that denial, you can initiate an appeal to claim a review. After that, you will get a response in 3-4 months.
If you start getting an appointment for the flag’s jury at the same time you submit your appeal, it is possible to get Spanish citizenship in just 1 year and a half.
But remember that you can make an appointment for the oath at the Civil Registry but also before a notary, something that could speed up the process immensely if you are in a big city where the Civil Registry is very saturated and it would take months to give you an appointment.
Loss and preservation
Finally, it is important to mention that it is entirely possible to lose nationality by residence once obtained.
If you move abroad and within 3 years you do not use it, the Spanish consulate will initiate a process of withdrawal.
That is why once you get it, it will be essential to use it, and in case it is not possible to make a declaration in the same consulate that you want to keep it.
Get legal assistance with your nationality application
If you feel this is too much information and would like to have your life simplified, you don’t need to worry, our team of specialized immigration lawyers in Spain is here to help you out.
We can manage the whole application process for you: determining which is the best path for you to follow, asking you for the concrete documentation and information you will need to get your application approved, plus filling out and sending everything ourselves. You will just need to sign!
Furthermore, we can make the process faster; so you avoid long waiting times.
What are you waiting for in order to get your Spanish Nationality?
I WANT TO GET SPANISH CITIZENSHIP NOW
Spanish nationality consultancy
I want to apply the citizenship my father is a spannish citizen but am 30 years and I have stayed and work in Spain for eight now I want to know how to apply
Hi!
We can help you! Just send us an email at [email protected] and we will define the required steps you should take in order to apply.
Thanks!
My great grandmother/greatgranfather were born and raised in Utrera Spain. Do I qualify fir Spaniard Citizenship?
We would need to analyze it in more depth. For that, please send us an email at [email protected]
Thanks!
Is it compulsory to write the DELE exam?
In case the person can’t write but has been in Spain over that 17 years. What can he do?
Hi Mary,
One of the mandatory requirements to get Spanish citizenship is passing the exam DELE A2 and the cultural exam.
However, there are some cases that the applicant can be exempt to do both exams (for example if you studied in Spain). We should have more details about your case to know if that person has to do it or not.
My name is Pedro Sanchez and I will like to know if one can go ahead to swear without waiting for the resolution letter after seeing that your application has been granted?
Hi Pedro,
You need to contact the Civil Registry in which you have your address registered (Spanish Consulate if you live abroad), and check if they have received it.
Kind regards!
hi good day…I have a permanent residence card /larga duracion how if i married a danish man?? its possible to get a larga duracion Eu?? Thanks in advance.
You can only get the “larga duración UE” in case you modify your current residence permit into the “permanente UE”.
In case you marry a Danish citizen you will get a card for 5 years (but it is not larga duración and not larga duración UE neither).
Buenos tardes. I need info. I am Marissa Elio, I am married a spaniard, last April 26 2019,I want to apply Spanish citizen. Do I need to take exam to get Spanish citizenship? Thank you
Hi Marissa!
One of the requirements to get Spanish citizenship, if you are from a non-Spanish speaking country, is to take an exam, yes. If you have any other doubt, being related to the process or to the requirements, do not hesitate to contact our lawyers via email at [email protected], we will be glad to help!
Hi
I am married to Spanish nationality and we are expecting a baby next year. Can I obtain the nationality without taking those exams.I am from Filipinas and been living here 3 years already. Thank you.
Hi Sherly,
Unless you have studied school in Spain, you need to take the required exams. AS you are from the Philipines, it is possible to get nationality now that you surpassed the minimum required.
My application has been granted but my problem is that the lawyer who submitted my application didn’t add the names of my children in the application form even though I told him I have children,can I correct this error when going for my passport after swearing the oat?or can I still process the passport for my children after I receive mine passport?
Hi Peter,
In order to give you an answer, please send us the application form you submitted at [email protected] so we can analyze it carefully.
Thanks!
Hi I Got married last year to a Spanish man although we have to living together for the past 4 years what papers will I need to submit the citizenship?
Hi Cathy,
If you got married to a Spanish man and want to get citizenship thanks to that, you need to live for 1 year with that person to obtain it.
hola. i want to ask I´m currently study vocational course (pharmacy) here in Spain. I don’t have student visa. I have 2 year working visa. Do I still need to get DELE and CCSE?
DELE and CCSE are the exams to be done in case you want to apply for the Spanish citizenship.
My grandmother was from Spain, I am attempting to determine how to apply for this dual citizenship opportunity. Can you tell me how to proceed? We live in the US and we do not want to move to Spain but my children may want to later in life. Thanks Silvan
Hi Silvana!
As your case is a bit more concrete, we would really appreciate if you could send us an email to [email protected] so a specialized lawyer can analyze your case carefully and determine how to get the dual citizenship in that situation.
Thank you very much for reaching out to us.
добрый день, я и два ребёнка 2 и 4 года граждане Беларуси, моя жена гражданка украины, мы хотим выехать в испанию с дальнейшим проживанием там по карте резидента без права на работу, знаем что на нашу семью нам надо будет положить 46 тыс евро в испанский банк. работа у нас удалённая связанная с ютубом, но официальной работы нету, можно ли как то получить карту резидента?
Good day, I and two children of 2 and 4 years old are citizens of Belarus, my wife is a citizen of Ukraine, we want to go to Spain with a further stay of a bank there. Our work is remote, associated with YouTube, but there is no official work, is it possible to get a resident card like that?
Hi!
I would really suggest you send us an email to [email protected] so we can analyse your situation in more depth and find a solution for you and your family. At our offices we also have the Honorary Consulate of Belarus, therefore we can be of even more help to you.
Thanks for reaching out to us, we will be waiting for your email.
Im a permanent resisdence already but i would like to apply spanish Cetizen
Hi Minda!
How long have you been living in Spain with the permanent residency? Because getting the Spanish Citizenship depends on that.
Thank you very much for reaching out to us, for further details you can as at [email protected]
hi,
do i need to write exams in other to become spanish citizen
Hi Collins!
That depends on where you are actually residing. If you are from a Spanish-speaking country, you don’t have to take any exam. But, if the opposite is true, then you have to.
Thank you very much for reaching out to us, for any other doubt do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]
how many hours is one required in spain to study spanish language on order to write exams for spanish citizenship?
Hi Mercy,
Courses usually take about 40 hours in total.
I want to apply the citizenship my father and my daughter is a spannish citizen but am 38 years and I have stayed and work in Spain for 14 yrs now I want to know how to apply.thank you
Hi!
We would really like to help you get Spanish Citizenship and manage the whole procedure for you. Would you like sending us an email at [email protected] so we can start as soon as possible?
Thank you very much!
when you make the pledge or at any stage of citizenship, do they actually physically take your uk passport off you? are they allowed to ? I know it has happened but not sure if they actually can ?
Hi Claire!
No, they only take it when they finally approve the Spanish citizenship (not during the application process) and you obtain the Spanish passport.
Hope we have solved your doubts!
Hi
I live and work in England but my daughter lives in Spain with her Spanish mother so she is half Spanish by birth.
Can I apply for nationality via my daughter?
In that case, it would be much better to apply for the family reunification. You can find more information here:
https://balcellsgroup.com/residence-visa-for-family-reunification-in-spain-for-2019/
or ask us anything at [email protected] if you still have any doubt.
Have a nice day Dave!
Good Evening
My name is Miguel Ferreiro I am 17 years old and live in South Africa and have a South African passport. My father was born in Spain but sadly passed away. I would like to get a Spanish passport if I can,and how?
Thank you
Hi!
First of all, thank you very much for reaching out to us Miguel. As you are eligible for the Spanish Citizenship, we would really appreciate if you could send us an email at [email protected] so we can help you out with the whole process.
Thanks a lot!
Hi.i have a question.how can i change my british passport in spanish passport.for me to get spanish nationaly have to live here for 10 years or is there any other solution.don’t need english.
Hi Mohsin!
That will depend on your origin country, as there are some that require less than 10 years. That is why we would require more information to correctly answer to you.
For any other doubt do not hesitate to ask us!
Hello. How to apply online I have all the required documents. I believe online on the SEDE ministerio de justicia website is the page in which I need to apply. But I am unable to submit as the page says not able to open??
can you assist.
I am india, my wife is Spanish and so is my daughter. furthermore I have been married for 3 years and have been living in spain for more than a year. I have done my exams and passed all of them (CCSE & DELE a2). all in order. I just want to know how to submit it online?
gracias
Hi Zeeshan!
In this situation, it would be much better if you could contact one of our lawyers so she or he can carefully analyze your situation and help you out with this issue. You just need to send us an email at [email protected], and we will be glad to help!
Hola! I am an American, my Mother is Spanish and my Father was American but his family was Spanish. I would like to retire in Spain in a few years and want to know if I can get citizenship of origin. To complicate things, my mother became an American citizen several years ago even though her entire family still lives in Spain. Do I still qualify?
Hi Joe,
As the situation is really concrete and specific, in that case our lawyers should analyze it with more depth. That is why we would really appreciate if you could send us an email at [email protected] to check whether you qualify for the Spanish citizenship or not.
Kind regards.
Hi
My name is abdou
I have tarjeta comunitaria
Valid for 5 years my father is Spanish I want to know when I can apply span nationality and if I will do exam or not
Hi Abdou,
Yes, you’ll need to pass the CCSSE exam (culture exam) and the DELE A2 (language exam). Contact us in order to analyze if you are eligible or not.
Kind regards!
I’m from a country that requires only 2 years of living in Spain to become a citizen. I am currently living in Spain under student visa for 1 year. Does a student visa count towards the 2-year requirement?
Hi Rosa,
The years that effectively count to get Spanish citizenship are those under a residence permit, which must be for a year or more. If we are talking about what is called “estancia por estudios”, then that won’t count.
Hope we have solved your doubt.
Hi,
In relation to the question, after having lived in Spain for 2 years with the student card, will that count towards the 2-year requirement? I am also coming from a country that requires only 2 years of living in Spain to become a citizen.
Hi Maria,
The years lived in Spain under the student visa count half for both the citizenship and the permanent residency.
My father was in the US military and stationed in Spain where my parents lived for over 2 years. My sister and I were born in Spain. Can I apply for dual citizenship and, if so, what do I need to do?
Hi Gwen!
In order to guide you throughout all the legal steps required to get the Spanish citizenship, please send us an email at [email protected] so our specialized lawyers can get in touch with you as soon as possible.
Thanks a lot 🙂
Hello my name is Caroline Brabyn and I am planning on applying for my citizenship in the next couple weeks, and I need help. My grandmother is Spanish and my father was born in madrid but wasnt spanish so i am appyling for nationality by residence under the 1 year residency for decendants. I have passed all the exams and am just waiting for my apostile on my fbi document to come back. It is supposed to arrive on the 14th and my NIE expires on the 15th of june. If i apply on the 17th will that be a problem? I have been living in Spain since september 2017 as an english Auxiliar with a student NIE card. Am i going to come across any problems? Also i tried to start the process online but i couldnt get the attatchments to work on any computer so im going to have to present it in person. If my Nie has expired will they still accept it, and also do i have to stay in spain after I apply, while i wait for a response?
Hi Caroline!
As your case is really specific, we would really appreciate if you could send us an email at [email protected], so a specialized immigration lawyer can analyze it and give you a precise answer. Sorry for not replying here, but we need to ask several more questions in order to give you a detailed answer.
Kind regards!
Can I get Spanish nationality while retaining my Gambian citizenship. Thank you.
Hi Ousman,
Just a few countries are eligible to have the double nationality and not rejecting the original one once they get the Spanish citizenship. In the case of Gambia, you won’t be able to retain it, unfortunately.
Hope we have answered your question,
Kind regards.
Hi good day,my name is lola,i just got my permanent resident permit,is throu living together,me and my spanish boyfriend is not together eny more,how can i apply for spanish nationality, thank
In order to get the Spanish nationality, you need to have lived in Spain for 10 total years.
Kind regards!
Hey
My girlfriend has made an application and now is waiting for the acceptance / denial. Is there any way this process can be speeded up by paying a fee (for example in the UK you can pay £800 for a decision the next day.) Is this possible
Hi Sam,
Unfortunately, we don’t have that option in Spain.
here for anything you may need!
Hi! All of my grandparents were Spanish, but my parents were born out of Spain, as was I. Am I eligible to apply for Spanish citizenship as the grandchild of a Spaniard?
Hi!
It is possible that the new grandchildren’s citizenship law can apply to you. But, as there are just some specific cases in which it is truly possible, we would need to analyze your situation in depth. Would you mind sending us an email at [email protected]?
Thanks!
Can you tell me how much is the cost for you to do the process for me? I think I can prove that my ancestros were sephardic-jews. I have the documentation and how long it will take after you submit the application.
Hi Johnny,
Our cost is 1000€ for the whole application procedure.
We will prepare and submit all the required documents immediately once you send them to us. For that, we are at your complete disposal at [email protected]
Thanks!
Hello – I was born in America to a Spanish mother. I want to apply to become a Spanish citizen – I’m having a hard time finding the applications online. Does someone have a direct website where these forms can be found?
Hi Erika,
If you send us an email at [email protected] one of our lawyers will analyze your situation and give you exact guidance in regards to how to obtain the citizenship in Spain (as there are several options and that would depend on your specific case).
Thanks!
I am on a student visa and just completed one year of living here in spain. I am in the process of renewing it, but this year they are so behind on renewals that they are still on July. How long does it take someone like me on a student visa to become a permanent resident. I heard many different things so now i am confused.
The years as a student count half for the permanent residency, and they do not count for citizenship.
Hello,
I will be living in Spain for a short period of time for studies. I am a resident of Germany and therefor I don’t need a visa.
Is it possible to marry my Spanish boyfriend in Spanish territory as a “tourist” and get the 1-year residency permit, then apply for citizenship afterwards?
I also have the possibility to apply for 6-month Spanish student visa. Will that be helpful or not?
Even if you are a German resident, you must ask for a residence permit in Spain. In this sense, the easiest way is getting a student visa.
In parallel, you can marry your boyfriend. However, getting married in Spain with a foreigner is a very long process so it will not help you with getting the visa as fast as the student visa.
Hello, i am resident of Spain and i moved here because my husband lived here. He applied his passport ‘this year. How can I get the passport, if my husband gets his passport this year, can I apply for mine ? Secondly I can’t speak Spanish, so will it effect my passport?
Yes, in order to get your passport you must pass a Spanish test. If your husband is Spanish you can apply for the nationality after one year living in Spain. If not, you need 2 or 10 years according to your country of origin. You will find all the information in this same article.
I have a passport from a UE country(Ireland). I live permanently in Spain(over 10 years). Is there any advantage to have a Spanish passport?
If you have lived for 10 years in Spain, you can get citizenship. Send us an email at [email protected] and we will guide you step by step.
We went to the registry to submit the paperwork for our daughter who is 17 years old (she was born in Spain). They would not accept the papers as they said she must register via internet. However strange that seems to me, even if we try to do that it seems that the link on the official page is permanently broken.
Is there any other way?
If you want to apply for the Spanish citizenship it must be done online. It is mandatory to use a digital certificate.
If you are interested we can help you to review the documents and submitting the application. Send us an email to [email protected]
Hi,
I am British and have lived and worked in Madrid for the last 14 years and have decided to go ahead with applying for nationality. I am divorced and have two Spanish children. I travel maybe 8 times a year for work mostly for a day or two but in some rare cases upto 3 weeks. Q1) Would this amount of travelling be an issue? Q2) I understand that I will apply for being resident for more than ten years but as a legal guardian and responsible for two Spanish nationals is this also taken into consideration although they don´t live with me? Q3) Also on the need to get the apostille for criminal records, does this need to be done by a UK notario or a Spanish one. I see that the UK Government now also a birth certificate service in foreign EU languages, so I understand that should be sufficient. Q4) Can you say how much it costs for managing the nationality application?
In order to assess which would be your best option, ideally you should have a consultation with one of the lawyers to advise you on your case since the consultation is very broad. You can send an email to [email protected]