Complete Guide to Spanish Nationality by Residence in 2025

Stone path leading to a Spanish-style arch.

Obtaining Spanish nationality is a goal for thousands of residents who have made Spain their home. Although the path can seem complex, the legal framework—defined by the Civil Code and the administrative updates of 2025—sets out a clear route. The key to success lies in meticulous preparation and a deep understanding of each requirement.

Fundamental Requirements for Spanish Nationality by Residence

Before starting any procedure, it is essential to ensure you meet all the required conditions. These pillars are non-negotiable, and properly proving them will determine the outcome of the application. Below, we break down the Spanish nationality requirements 2025 that every applicant must satisfy.

Periods of Legal and Continuous Residence

The best-known requirement is the time of residence. The general rule sets a period of ten years of legal, continuous, and immediately prior residence to the application. However, there are important reductions. For example, Spanish citizenship for Latin Americans, as well as for nationals of Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, or Portugal, requires only two years. For people with refugee status, the period is five years. The Civil Code also contemplates a reduction to one year for specific cases, such as being married to a Spanish citizen for one year and residing in Spain. Continuity of residence is a point of special attention in 2025, so prolonged absences from Spanish territory may be grounds for denial.

According to the Ministry of Justice, the length of residence is the first filter and varies significantly depending on the applicant’s country of origin and personal circumstances.

Table of Required Residence Periods for Nationality

Proof of Good Civic Conduct

This concept goes beyond the mere absence of a criminal record. It entails an overall assessment by the Ministry of Justice of the applicant’s behavior. Not only criminal records in Spain and in the country of origin are considered, but also any police or administrative history. The existence of records that have not been expunged is, in practice, an almost insurmountable obstacle.

Degree of Integration: DELE and CCSE Exams

Proving integration into Spanish society is a formal requirement. This is demonstrated by passing two tests managed by the Instituto Cervantes: the Spanish diploma DELE (level A2 or higher), which certifies a basic knowledge of the language, and the CCSE Spanish nationality exam (Constitutional and Sociocultural Knowledge of Spain). Those who hold Spanish ESO or Bachillerato qualifications, as well as nationals of countries where Spanish is an official language (DELE exemption only), are exempt from taking these tests.

Essential Personal Documentation

The application must be accompanied by a series of valid documents. The most important are the full passport, the Foreigner Identity Card (TIE)—whose proper maintenance is vital and about which you can find more information in our guide to the NIE—and the up-to-date certificate of municipal registration (empadronamiento). The validity and proper legalization of each document is crucial to avoid requests that delay the process.

Step-by-Step Application Process in 2025

Carnation flower in a modern vase with a Spanish patio.

With the requirements clear, the next step is to tackle the application procedure. In 2025, the process is predominantly online, which speeds up timelines but demands greater digital rigor. Below, we guide you through each stage of how to apply for Spanish nationality.

1. Collection and Verification of Documents: This phase is more than a simple gathering. Documents from your country of origin, such as the birth certificate and criminal record certificate, must be recent, duly legalized (with the Hague Apostille), and, if not in Spanish, translated by a sworn translator authorized in Spain. An error in legalization or translation can halt your file.
2. Passing the Integration Exams: Register in advance for the DELE and CCSE exam sessions through the Instituto Cervantes website. Use the official manuals to prepare; the CCSE exam, in particular, is based on a public and predictable syllabus.
3. Completing the Application and Paying the Fee: Submission is done through the Ministry of Justice’s online platform. To do so, you will need a Digital Certificate or to be registered in the Cl@ve system. During the process, you must pay Fee 790-026, the amount of which is updated annually. You can consult the current immigration fees to plan your costs.
4. Submission and Waiting Periods: Once the application is sent, you will receive a case number that allows you to check its status. Although the legal deadline for a decision is one year, Spanish nationality timelines in practice can vary. If a year passes without a response, “negative administrative silence” applies, which means the application is considered denied and the path opens to file an appeal.
5. Oath of Nationality and Final Registration: Notification of the grant is the penultimate step. From there, you must book an appointment at the Civil Registry of your address for the act of oath or promise of loyalty to the King and obedience to the Constitution and the laws. After this act, the birth registration is carried out and, finally, you will be able to process your Spanish DNI and passport.

Alternative Routes to Obtain Spanish Citizenship

While residence is the most common route, Spanish law contemplates other ways to acquire nationality that respond to blood ties or special circumstances. It is useful to know them, as one may better fit your profile. If you do not meet the residence requirements, you can explore other options in our guides on immigration and nationality.

• Nationality by Option: This is a right granted to people in specific situations, such as those whose father or mother was Spanish and born in Spain, or those who were adopted by a Spaniard after turning 18.
• Democratic Memory Law: This law, of a temporary nature, opened a route for descendants of Spaniards who suffered exile during the Civil War and the dictatorship. Its timelines and requirements are very specific and must be carefully reviewed.
• Nationality by Value of Simple Presumption: Protects children born in Spain to foreign parents whose national law does not grant them a nationality by being born abroad. In this way, the child is prevented from being stateless.
• Nationality for Sephardim: It was a law of historical reparation that allowed descendants of Jews expelled from Spain in 1492 to apply for nationality. Although the general application period ended in 2019, it set an important precedent.

Frequently Asked Questions and Practical Tips for Applicants

Olive branch on a closed Spanish passport.

The process to obtain Spanish nationality by residence generates many questions. Here we answer the most common ones and offer tips based on experience so your path is safer.

Can I travel outside Spain while my application is being processed?
Yes, but in moderation. Short trips justified by vacations or work are not usually a problem. However, prolonged or very frequent absences may be interpreted by the administration as a break in continuous residence—one of the pillars of the process—and could jeopardize your application.

What if I have a criminal record?
Honesty is the only option. Hiding a criminal record leads to automatic denial. If such records exist, the administration will assess the type of offense, the sentence served, and, most importantly, whether the records have been officially expunged. Serious offenses or recent records are a very serious obstacle.

Do I have to renounce my nationality of origin?
The general rule requires renunciation. However, there is a crucial exception: nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, and Portugal do not have to renounce their previous nationality. They can maintain dual nationality.

Practical Tip: The Value of Professional Legal Advice
Although it is possible to complete the process on your own, the complexity of the procedure makes the advice of a specialist lawyer not an expense, but an investment in peace of mind. A professional can identify potential problems in your file, ensure that the documentation is correct, and respond effectively to any official request, avoiding the most common mistakes that cause denials.

Practical Tip: Keep a Pristine File
From day one, keep a digital and physical copy of every document submitted, every fee paid, and every communication received. The online submission receipt with the case number is your most important document. This organized file will be your best defense in the event of any incident or if you need to appeal a decision.

Important Legal Notice

EspanaExtranjeria is not an official site of the Government of Spain. The information is general and educational and may contain unintentional errors or become outdated. Always verify with official sources before carrying out procedures. If you need legal advice about your case, consult a specialist lawyer. When we link to regulations or official offices, it does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by those bodies.