# Spain Citizenship Requirements Spain's ordinary nationality-by-residence route requires ten years of legal, continuous residence immediately before applying. Reduced periods, integration evidence and renunciation exceptions depend on the applicant's cohort. Scope: Ordinary adult nationality by residence; reduced statutory cohorts are distinguished from the baseline, and descent, option and exceptional grants are not fully covered. Jurisdiction: Spanish nationality. Sources reviewed 2026-09-17; review due 2026-12-16. General information, not legal advice or a finding of eligibility. Requirements depend on the route, applicant and filing date. Verify the official instructions before applying. ## Ordinary legal residence The baseline is ten years of legal, continuous residence immediately before the application. It is not a physical-presence day total or a processing estimate. Evidence: documented. [Spain — Official State Gazette: Civil Code, Articles 21–25 — nationality by residence and completion conditions](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1889-4763). Source location: Civil Code Article 22(1) and (3). ## Reduced periods are cohort-specific Recognised refugees need five years. Two years applies to nationals by origin of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea or Portugal, and Sephardic applicants. Article 22(2) defines separate one-year birth, option, guardianship and family cohorts. Evidence: conditional. [Spain — Official State Gazette: Civil Code, Articles 21–25 — nationality by residence and completion conditions](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1889-4763). Source location: Civil Code Article 22(1)–(3); all periods retain legal, continuous, immediately preceding residence. ## Conduct and grant decision Good civic conduct and sufficient integration must be proved. The Justice Minister may refuse for reasoned public-order or national-interest grounds. Evidence: conditional. [Spain — Official State Gazette: Civil Code, Articles 21–25 — nationality by residence and completion conditions](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1889-4763). Source location: Civil Code Articles 21(2) and 22(4). ## Spanish language and civic knowledge Ordinarily, applicants must pass DELE Spanish at CEFR A2 or higher and the CCSE constitutional and sociocultural test. Listed nationality exemptions, a prior qualifying DELE diploma and specified official educational certificates can replace the language examination; the two-year residence cohort is not identical to the DELE-exempt cohort. Evidence: conditional. [Spain — Official State Gazette: Royal Decree 1004/2015 — nationality-by-residence regulation, consolidated September 2024](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2015-12047). Source location: Royal Decree 1004/2015 preamble (CEFR), Article 6(1), (5), (7)–(8), and additional provision four. ## Waivers and accessible examinations Disability accommodations are available. Applicants unable to read or write or with learning difficulties may request a waiver before applying; it is not automatic. Those schooled in Spain who completed compulsory secondary education can submit the relevant proof with the nationality application without a prior waiver request. Evidence: conditional. [Spain — Official State Gazette: Order JUS/1625/2016 — test exemptions and waiver procedure, consolidated October 2022](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2016-9314). Source location: Order JUS/1625/2016 Article 10(5), as amended by Order JUS/1018/2022. ## Renunciation and treaty exceptions A renunciation declaration is generally required. Exceptions cover people from Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal, Sephardic people originating from Spain, and French citizens under the bilateral convention. The French exception does not reduce the residence period; the other nationality's law must also be checked. Evidence: conditional. [Spain — Official State Gazette / Directorate-General for Legal Security and Public Faith: Instruction of 31 March 2022 — Spain–France nationality convention](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2022-5573). Source location: Instruction of 31 March 2022, introduction and section II.2 interpreting Civil Code Articles 23 and 24. ## Oath and registration The required oath or promise, applicable nationality declaration and Civil Registry registration complete acquisition. A grant lapses if the required appearance is not made within 180 days after notification. Evidence: conditional. [Spain — Official State Gazette: Civil Code, Articles 21–25 — nationality by residence and completion conditions](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1889-4763). Source location: Civil Code Article 21(4) and Article 23. ## Official application The Justice Ministry's electronic service accepts nationality-by-residence applications and supporting documents, with a separate service for requests to waive the Cervantes tests. Evidence: documented. [Spain Ministry of Justice: Electronic application for Spanish nationality by residence](https://sede.mjusticia.gob.es/es/tramites/nacionalidad-espanola). Source location: Solicitud de nacionalidad española por residencia; Solicitud de Dispensas de las pruebas del Instituto Cervantes. ## Scope and limitations - No general safe absence allowance is established by this review. Residence continuity, the exact reduced-period category and documentary proof require individual review. - Renunciation declarations do not determine another country's loss rules. This is an acquisition-route summary, not a complete account of later nationality-retention duties or a promise of approval. ## Explore this passport - [Passport rank and travel access](https://multipassrank.com/passport/spain) - [Tax residence & income](https://multipassrank.com/passport/spain/taxes) - [Country-profile JSON, including sources and scoped requirements](https://multipassrank.com/api/v1/country-profiles/ES) - [Multiple-citizenship policy guide](https://multipassrank.com/dual-citizenship-countries) [Canonical page](https://multipassrank.com/passport/spain/citizenship)