Spanish nationality by residency

Spanish nationality

This is one of the ways of acquiring Spanish citizenship. Through this procedure, a foreigner who has been residing in Spain legally and continuously for some time can apply for and acquire Spanish nationality. The nationality by residence is the most common way to obtain the Spanish nationality, among the requirements is to prove a previous legal residence time, good civic conduct and integration.

One of the ways to obtain the nationality is by residence, which requires the residence of the person in Spain for ten years legally, continuously and immediately prior to the petition. There are cases in which the required period of residence is reduced.

these are:

Five years:

for the granting of Spanish nationality to those persons who have obtained refugee status.

Two years:

for nationals of Latin American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal or persons of Sephardic origin.

One year:

Those who were born in Spanish territory.

The one who did not duly exercise his right to acquire the Spanish nationality by option.
The one who has been legally subject to the guardianship (under the supervision of a guardian), guardianship or foster care (the foster care that allows the reduction of legal residence to one year is the one in which there is a resolution of the public entity that has in each territory entrusted the protection of minors and the foster care that are judicially recognized) of a Spanish citizen or institution for two consecutive years, even if he/she continues in this situation at the time of the application.
The one who, at the time of the application, has been married to a Spaniard for one year and is not legally unmarried.
The widow or widower of a Spaniard, if at the moment of the death of the spouse they were not separated, in fact, or judicially.
The one born outside Spain of father or mother, (born also outside Spain), grandfather or grandmother, as long as all of them had been originally Spanish.
In addition, the interested party must accredit good civic conduct, and sufficient degree of integration in the Spanish society.