Spanish Nationality: A Comprehensive Overview of Obtaining Citizenship
You must be a citizen of Spain (or hold a residency permit) in order to dwell there continuously. There are several routes to becoming a citizen of Spain. Furthermore, figuring out which is best can be challenging. The right to reside in Spain for an extended period of time is conferred upon holders of Spanish citizenship. It follows at least five years of continuous permanent residency (as granted by a residence permit). Also, find out the Cost of Spanish Citizenship. And also, the Benefits of Spanish Nationality.
How to Obtain Spanish Citizenship: Four Alternatives
The Spanish nationality can be acquired in four primary ways:
- by having spent a certain number of years in the nation of Spain (citizenship by residency).
- by becoming a citizen by marriage to a Spanish national.
- by having Spanish citizenship through ancestry (citizenship by descent).
- Via your offspring (opportunistic citizenship).
Spanish Citizenship by Residency
Of them all, this is the most well-known.
You can obtain Spanish residence through a procedure known as naturalisation if you have been a lawful resident of Spain continuously for a predetermined number of years.
Essentially, this is given to any foreign national who has spent a sufficient amount of time in the nation. All you have to do is present your residency permit to enter Spain. reaffirm it numerous times. You will also receive citizenship if you fulfil the time range necessary for your particular circumstance.
How long do I need to live in Spain to get Citizenship?
The standard guideline is ten years.
five years in the case of a refugee.
Two years if you are a foreign national arriving from Portugal, Andorra, Equatorial Guinea, the Philippines, or any other Latin American country.
Just one year for those who are married to Spanish nationals or for the descendants of Spanish nationals who were born in Spain.
Spanish Citizenship By Marriage
Would you be interested in obtaining Spanish nationality without having to wait ten years? Then being naturalised through marriage can be the best course of action for you.
Foreigners who are married to a Spanish citizen and have lived legally in Spain for a year are eligible to apply for this sort of nationality. Divorced or civilly partnered couples are not eligible to use this procedure.
You can begin the application procedure once you have lived with your spouse for a full year—this is a crucial step. The prerequisites are precisely the same as those we observed in the preceding section.
Additionally, you have to confirm if the marriage is registered in Spain because you will need to produce your marriage certificate. This is an additional step that you will need to perform if you are married overseas.
Spanish Citizenship by descent
If your grandparents were born in Spain, it is occasionally feasible for you to become a citizen of Spain. However, in order to obtain nationality by ancestry, you must fulfil the following requirements:
- having a grandma who was married to a non-Spanish national and was born in Spain prior to the 1978 Constitution.
- Being the grandchild or child of someone who acquired nationality by historical memory, but not being able to choose nationality at the time (being older than 18).
- having grandparents who left Spain before having children, making it impossible for them to obtain Spanish nationality for their offspring at the time.
Spanish Citizenship by option
Children of Spanish citizens can use this path to become citizens.
It is not necessary for the applicant’s parents to reside in Spain at the time of the application, nor is it necessary that they do so for a set amount of time.
Still, the parents had to have been Spanish natives.
Citizenship by option is also available to those who were adopted by Spanish nationals or who were under the care of Spanish nationals.
This is only applicable if the child’s birth certificate was sent in by the parent or caretakers when they applied for a residency visa.
The child then has a two-year window in which to request citizenship. Adults cannot choose to become citizens unless their parents are granted permanent residence.
How do I Apply for Spanish Nationality
You must complete an application for Spanish citizenship and bring it to the local Civil Registry Office after researching your options and selecting the one that best meets your needs.
You can use a tool provided by the Spanish Ministry of Justice to check the status of your application both at the time of submission and at any time thereafter. For those who require prompt approval of their application, this may be helpful.
Whichever path you choose, you’ll also require the following supporting documentation:
- Marriage certificate
- Proof of payment of the application fee
- Spanish language certificate
- Empadronamiento (resident register)
- Valid passport
- Evidence of working history in Spain
- Proof of finances
- Background records from your country of origin
What is the Cost of Spanish Citizenship
The fee is the same for both applying for Spanish nationality through residency and applying for nationality as a descendant of Sephardic: € 104.05.
But bear in mind that the prices of these kinds of levies change often (often annually), particularly once the new state budgets are approved.
The main benefits of a Spanish Nationality
Upon obtaining Spanish citizenship, you stand to get the following key advantages:
- Tourist visa waiver for travel to the United States.
- Free movement in the Schengen Area.
- Access to Spain’s social services and benefits.
- Safety and quality of life.
- Being able to work in any country in Europe.
- Political Rights
- Access to scholarships and discounts.
- Consular benefits.
Where to get a Spanish Nationality
Where can I get Spanish citizenship? The easiest and best way to get Spanish nationality is through marriage with a Spanish national. If you are from another country, there is another possibility: The Act on the Law Applicable to Foreign Nationals Living in Spain provides for multiple ways of obtaining Spanish nationality by naturalization and by origin. But, if you are looking to get a valid Spanish Nationality. And you have been looking for where to do so. Then, here is the place for you to easily get valid Spanish nationality from. Apply for Spanish Nationality. Cost of Spanish Citizenship. Benefits of Spanish Nationality.
