Citizenship of Spain

The Spanish passport is the fifth most important passport in the world in the ranking of passport strengths. It allows visa-free travel to 175 countries. Another significant advantage is European Union citizenship, which enables free movement and work in any EU country and voting in European elections.

Information

Foreign nationals who have been residing in the country continuously for 5 years or more and meet the conditions set by regulations can obtain a long-term residence permit. Periods of previous and current residence in other EU countries as a holder of the EU Blue Card are also taken into account when applying for such a residence permit.

After living in Spain for 5 years, an applicant can apply for permanent residency, and after 10 years, for citizenship. However, there are exceptions that allow obtaining citizenship earlier than this term.

Ways of Obtaining Spanish Citizenship

There are four main programs for granting citizenship to foreigners.

By Place of Residence

After legally residing in the country for a set period of time (corresponding to the status of relocant), the applicant can obtain a permanent residence permit through a procedure called naturalisation. To participate in the programme, it is necessary to enter the Kingdom with a residence permit, extend it a sufficient number of times to reach the period of time that meets the criteria for citizenship.

The exact duration will depend on the specifics of the relocator, their family ties, and country of origin:

• 10 years - general basis.
• 5 years - for those with refugee status.
• 2 years - for applicants coming from Latin American countries, Andorra, Equatorial Guinea, the Philippines, or Portugal.
• 1 year - for applicants married to a Spanish citizen or for children/grandchildren of citizens of the Kingdom of Spain.

In addition to the compulsory period of residence, other criteria must be met for successful naturalisation.

There are many ways to come to Spain, legally live there, get permanent residence, and then citizenship. For example, you can come on a work visa, a freelancer visa, or to start studying. But today, one of the most common ways is a digital nomad visa. According to it, specialists working remotely can live in the country for up to 5 years, after which they can change their status to permanent residence, and after another 5 years they can obtain citizenship.

Basic requirements:

• The required period starts from the issuance of the first residence permit.
• Time spent in the country on tourist and student visas does not count towards the minimum residency period.
• The minimum required residency period must be continuous. Exiting the country for more than 3 months is not allowed, and this could be grounds for denial.
• Law-abiding behavior is mandatory. Submitting a citizenship application involves a background check for criminal records and police reports. Even an unpaid traffic fine can be grounds for denial.

Citizenship through Marriage

The program is available to relocated individuals who have been legally residing in the country for at least 12 months and are married to a Spanish citizen. After 1 year of married life, the foreigner can initiate the procedure for obtaining citizenship. The requirements for the applicant are similar to those of the previous program.

In addition to meeting the residency duration criteria, it is important to provide proof of marriage in Spain.

Citizenship by Choice

The program is available to children of the kingdom's citizens. The parents of the applicant do not necessarily have to reside in the kingdom at the time of the application. There are also no conditions or deadlines for permanent residence. However, the parents must have been born in Spain.

People adopted by Spanish citizens or those under the guardianship of citizens also have the right to participate in this program. However, the program applies only if the parents or guardians provide the child's birth certificate at the time of applying for a residence permit. In this case, the child has the right to obtain citizenship within two years.

Important

An adult applicant cannot participate in this program. However, there is an exception: if the applicant's parents received a residence permit when the applicant was under 18 years old. If a stateless applicant is between 18 and 20 years old at the time of their application, they have the right to apply for citizenship by choice.

Citizenship by Descent

A relocant can obtain a Spanish passport if their ancestors were born in the country. However, there are certain requirements that must be met to participate in this program.

Key requirements:

• Having a grandmother who was born in the kingdom before the 1978 Constitution came into effect and who, at that time, was married to a non-Spanish citizen.
• Being the child or grandchild of someone who obtained citizenship through historical memory but was unable to receive a passport due to age.
• Having grandparents who left Spain before having children (thus making it impossible to grant citizenship to their children).

Advantages of Spanish Citizenship

By becoming a citizen, an immigrant becomes a member of the Schengen Area. This allows for travel between European countries without undergoing border control.

In addition, the advantages of an Spanish passport include:

• All the rights of an EU citizen, including indefinite residence in any European country, rights to education, work, etc.
• Preferential treatment for employment within the country.
• Visa-free travel across the entire European Union.
• The right to vote and be elected to government positions.
• Simplified family reunification process.
• Access to free healthcare and social benefits.
• The ability to conduct business in any EU country.
• Low interest rates on loan programs.

Dual Citizenship

The country allows the principle of dual citizenship, but with an exception. An applicant for Spanish citizenship is permitted to retain their current citizenship provided that they are currently a citizen of Andorra, Portugal, Equatorial Guinea, the Philippines, or any Latin American country. Citizens of other states must renounce their original citizenship after taking the oath of allegiance to Spain.

Investment Citizenship Program

The Spanish Golden Visa is a program offering investors a long-term residence permit in Spain in exchange for their investments. It's important to note that this is not a direct path to citizenship. An investor not participating in other programs can obtain Spanish citizenship after 10 years.

According to Law 14/2013 on Support for Entrepreneurs and Their Internationalization, individuals making investments in the country's economy are eligible to receive a residence visa. The Spanish "Golden Visa" ensures faster processing of applications. Investors and their dependents are granted Spanish residency status in just 20-60 days.

Investment requirements for participation in the "Golden Visa" program:

• Investment of €500,000 in real estate.
• Investment of €2 million in Spanish government bonds.
• Investment of €1 million in shares of Spanish companies.

Applicant Requirements:

• Absence of illegal immigration status.
• Age of majority.
• No criminal record, not listed in sanctions lists.
• Insurance coverage of at least €30,000 at the time of application.
• No outstanding fines or taxes in Spain, and no debts in other European countries.
• Evidence of financial stability sufficient to live without working in Spain.
• Certificate from a financial institution or the Bank of Spain (Central Bank) confirming that the investor is the sole owner of the investments for a period of 5 years or more.
• No previous denials of residence in European countries, the UK, the USA, Australia, Canada, or New Zealand.

The Spanish "Golden Visa" is initially issued for 1 year. After that, the applicant has the right to apply for a conversion of the visa to a residence permit for investors, which is valid for 2 years.

Recent Reforms of the Citizenship Program

The 2022 reform of Spanish legislation aims to simplify the issuance of residence permits and work permits, and provides a range of benefits for foreign students.

Overall, this reform focuses on the following key points:

1. Expanding the list of professions that are difficult to fill with local specialists.

2. Reducing the time needed to hire foreigners in their country of origin.

3. Extending the resident work permit from 2 to 4 years.

4. Expanding opportunities for obtaining work permits for self-employed individuals.

5. Granting students automatic rights to work with their student visas.

6. Transitioning from a student visa to a work permit for up to 3 years.

7. Expanding opportunities in the family reunification process.

Step-by-Step Application Process

The procedure begins with the preparation of documents, including preparation for an exam that tests knowledge of the constitution, society, and cultural heritage of Spain. The exams include DELE A2 – a Spanish language test, and CCSE – an exam on local culture, geography, society, and government.

The main steps in the application process can be identified as follows:

Gathering documents and submitting an application

The Ministry of Justice of Spain has created an online platform that allows you to submit an application and check its status in real-time. The platform is called "como va lo mío." Typically, an online application submitted through this platform is processed more quickly and saves time compared to visiting local authorities.

At the same time, it is necessary to pay the state fees along with collecting, certifying, and translating the documents.

List of Fees:

• Application fee of €104.05.
• €60–100 for official document translations and notarizations.
• €30 for passport issuance (upon application approval).

List of Documents

1. Current passport
2. Current residence permit
3. Birth certificate
   
4. Certificates of no criminal record
   
5. Marriage certificate (if applicable)
   
6. DELE A2 and CCSE exam certificates
   
7. Receipts for payment of fees and duties
   
8. Proof of sufficient financial means to live in the country without social assistance
   

Review and Decision

After submitting an application, there is a legal period of 12 months for providing a lawful decision, which may be extended if additional checks on the applicant are conducted. The application status can be tracked on the website.

In practice, a verdict is usually delivered within 12 months, but sometimes the process can take 2-3 years. If no response is received within a year, there is a high risk of the application being rejected. In such a case, it is necessary to clarify the status and, if there are grounds, file an appeal requesting a review.

Important

From the moment the application is submitted until a decision is made, leaving the borders of Spain is only allowed within the established time limits: with a temporary residence permit – no more than 6 months within one year; with a long-term residence permit – no more than 1 consecutive year outside the EU.

The decision will be communicated to the applicant or his representative according to the place and manner indicated at the time of application. The reply sent by the authorities will also indicate the appeals available, as well as the deadlines for lodging them and the appropriate authority to which they should be lodged.

Disadvantages of Spanish Citizenship by Investment

Spain's "Golden Visa" program, which grants the right to live in the country through investment, attracts the attention of many investors worldwide. However, despite the appealing prospects, there are certain drawbacks to consider.

Information

One of the main disadvantages is the lack of a direct path to citizenship. Investors are required to reside in the country for at least the legally prescribed period before being granted a passport. This significantly reduces the appeal of the program for individuals interested in obtaining citizenship in the short term.

Additionally, the investment requirements of the program may be too high for some potential participants.

Considering the compliance with all the requirements and formalities, it might be worth looking into more promising and accessible countries that offer citizenship with fewer requirements.