Spain
ISO2: ES
Spanish citizenship by residence (nacionalidad por residencia): minimum residence periods, qualifying legal stay, required documents, submission workflow, official sources, and dual citizenship/renunciation notes.
Passport
Citizenship by residence
- Minimum years of residence
- 10.0
- Requires permanent residence
- No
- Last updated
- Feb. 18, 2026
- Notes
- Residence must be legal, continuous, and immediately prior to the application. General minimum: 10 years. Reduced periods: 5 years (refugees); 2 years (nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, or Sephardic origin); 1 year in specific cases (e.g., born in Spain; married to a Spanish citizen for 1 year with no separation; widow(er) of a Spaniard if not separated at spouse’s death; guardianship/custody by a Spanish person/institution; child/grandchild of originally Spanish). Integration is assessed and, in practice, includes Instituto Cervantes tests (CCSE and DELE A2) with exemptions/dispensas in certain cases (minors, capacity-modified judicially, and other regulated situations). The procedure is electronic end-to-end via the Ministry of Justice e-portal (Sede Electrónica), without prejudice to other legally permitted submission channels. The regulation sets a 1-year deadline to resolve/notify (silence = dismissal). After approval, effectiveness requires completing the oath/promise and (where applicable) renunciation, and then registration in the Civil Register; the ministerial order references a 180-day window after notification to complete these post-grant steps. Foreign public documents generally require legalization/apostille and, if applicable, certified translation.
- Dual citizenship
-
Dual citizenship: Conditional
Renunciation required: YesSpecial cases: Renunciation is generally required when acquiring Spanish nationality by residence. However, renunciation is NOT required for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, and persons of Sephardic origin.
- Notes for dual citizenship
- Spain generally requires a declaration of renunciation of the previous nationality when acquiring Spanish nationality by residence. Important statutory exceptions apply to specific nationalities and origins. Applicants must also verify whether their original country treats nationality loss differently.
Qualifying residence permits
EU long-term residence / EU residence registration (EU/EEA/Swiss citizens)
Counts if lawful residence is proven; EU citizens typically evidence residence via registration/certificate and other proofs.
Counts
Family member of EU citizen residence card
Counts if lawful and continuous.
Counts
Humanitarian / exceptional circumstances residence authorization
Counts if lawful and continuous.
Counts
International protection (refugee) / statelessness documentation
Counts; reduced residence period applies for refugees (5 years).
Counts
Long-term residence (residencia de larga duración)
Counts; not strictly required, but it is a strong proof of stable lawful residence.
Counts
Short-stay visa / tourist stay
Does not count as legal residence for the nationality-by-residence clock.
Doesn’t count
Student stay authorization (estancia por estudios)
May count only to the extent it is a lawful stay recognized for the nationality-by-residence assessment; continuity and legal status must be maintained.
Counts
Temporary residence authorization (general: work/self-employed/family etc.)
Counts if the stay is legal and residence is continuous and immediately prior to the application.
Counts
Required documents
| Document | Mandatory | Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
Birth certificate (country of origin) legalized/apostilled + translated if needed
Foreign birth certificate with required legalization/apostille and translation according to applicable rules.
|
Mandatory | BOE Order annex: foreign birth certificate duly legalized/apostilled and translated when required. |
|
Criminal record certificate(s) (country of origin / last 5 years) legalized + translated if needed
Police clearance per BOE Order rules; validity typically 6 months if not otherwise stated; may require multiple jurisdictions.
|
Mandatory | BOE Order: criminal record certificate(s) per the annex and validity rules (often treated as 6 months if not stated). |
|
Full valid passport / ID
Full valid passport (and where applicable EU ID) matching the nationality used for the residence authorization.
|
Mandatory | BOE Order: full valid passport (or EU ID for EU nationals); should match the nationality reflected in the residence authorization. |
|
Proof of fee payment (tasa) - Modelo 790 Código 026
Justificante del pago de la tasa required for processing; the file is not handled without it.
|
Mandatory | BOE Order: the application is not processed without proof of paying the current fee. |
|
Spanish nationality by residence application (online form / modelo normalizado)
Online form on the Ministry of Justice Sede Electrónica; paper model exists but electronic form is the standard route.
|
Mandatory | BOE Order: modelo normalizado; in e-filing it is replaced by the online form. |
|
Valid residence card / registration (TIE/NIE or EU registration)
Evidence of legal residence status in Spain (TIE/NIE or EU registration certificate and related documentation).
|
Mandatory | Evidence of legal residence status in Spain; residence must be legal, continuous and immediately prior to the application. |
|
Certificate of empadronamiento / joint empadronamiento (if applicable)
Empadronamiento certificate, or consent for administration to check it, and joint empadronamiento where required (e.g., spouse route).
|
Optional | BOE Order: can be checked automatically if the applicant authorizes; otherwise provide a certificate. Joint empadronamiento is needed in certain special cases (e.g., spouse route). |
|
Civil status certificates for special cases (marriage/birth of Spanish spouse/defunción etc.)
Marriage certificate, Spanish spouse birth certificate, spouse death certificate, and related civil registry certificates where relevant.
|
Optional | BOE Order annex: additional civil registry certificates are required depending on the reduced-residence route (spouse, widow(er), born in Spain, descendant, etc.). |
|
Instituto Cervantes CCSE certificate (or exemption/dispensa resolution)
Proof of passing CCSE, or documented exemption/dispensa where applicable.
|
Optional | Your Europe/BOE framework: integration is evidenced in practice via CCSE; exemptions apply for minors and persons with capacity modified judicially; dispensa may apply in regulated cases. |
|
Instituto Cervantes DELE A2 (or exemption/dispensa resolution)
Proof of passing DELE A2 (or higher), or documented exemption/dispensa where applicable.
|
Optional | Your Europe/BOE framework: language proficiency is evidenced in practice via DELE A2 (or higher) unless exempt/dispensed; some applicants are exempt by regulation. |
Submission offices
Ayuntamientos / Oficinas de asistencia en materia de registros (presentación por vías legalmente previstas)
PUBLIC_REGISTRY
The regulation/order allow submission via legally permitted channels, although Spain’s intended route is electronic via the Sede.
Registro Civil del último domicilio en España (jura/promesa e inscripción tras concesión)
CIVIL_REGISTRY
After a favorable decision, the acquisition becomes effective once oath/promise (and renunciation if applicable) is completed and the nationality is registered in the Civil Register.
Sede Electrónica – Solicitud de nacionalidad española por residencia (tramitación telemática)
Online
Primary online channel. The BOE Order states the procedure is electronic end-to-end from submission to resolution.
Official sources
Administración.gob.es (Your Europe) – Acquiring Spanish nationality by residence (periods + final steps + renunciation exceptions)
Government
Official EU-facing page: statutory residence periods (10/5/2/1), tests info, and renunciation exceptions for certain nationals.
en
Ministerio de Justicia – Nacionalidad española por residencia (resumen de requisitos)
Government
Official overview: legal, continuous, immediately prior residence; good civic conduct; integration.
es
Sede Electrónica (Ministerio de Justicia) – Trámite: Nacionalidad española por residencia
Government
Official e-filing portal (certificado digital/Cl@ve, Autofirma, guides, fee form 790-026, and expediente consultation).
es
BOE – Ley 36/2002 (publica la redacción del art. 22 del Código Civil)
Law / Regulation
Shows the legal text establishing the residence periods for nationality by residence (10/5/2/1).
es
BOE – Orden JUS/1625/2016 (tramitación + ANEXO documentación)
Law / Regulation
Electronic processing order; includes Annex with documentation lists; fee payment rule; post-grant effectiveness steps and timing.
es
BOE – Real Decreto 1004/2015 (Reglamento del procedimiento de nacionalidad por residencia)
Law / Regulation
Procedure regulation: electronic processing, competence, and links to Civil Code requirements.
es
Latest ranking snapshot
As of Feb. 22, 2026
- Travel freedom185.00
- Residency rights31.00
- Quality of life185.80
- Economic freedom66.30
- Tax friendliness20.00
Methodology (as of 2026-02-22): composite ranking uses weighted, min-max normalized scores across (1) Travel freedom 25% from Henley Passport Index 2026 (visa-free/visa-on-arrival count), (2) Economic freedom 25% from Heritage Index of Economic Freedom 2025 (overall score), (3) Residency rights 20% proxy based on free-movement blocs (EU+EEA+Switzerland highest; Mercosur medium; others baseline), (4) Disposable income after taxes 20% from Numbeo Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax), USD, (5) Quality of life 5% from Numbeo Quality of Life Index 2026, (6) Tax friendliness 5% from Nomad Passport Index (Taxation column only). Raw indicator values are stored in this table; composite scoring is computed externally.