If you have lived in Spain for over 10 years or have a child who was born in Spain, you can apply for Spanish citizenship.
Applying for citizenship on this basis requires having held a permanent residence permit for ten years in the period immediately before the application. There are cases in which the required residence period is shorter:
- five years
- if the person is a refugee
- two years
- if the individual is a national of a country of Iberoamerica, Andorra, Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal
- if the individual is a Sephardi Jew
- one year for individuals:
- born in Spanish territory
- who did not exercise their right to their nationality by option within the established period of time
- who have been under the legal tutelage or protection (the legal protection must be decided by the right institution responsible for the care of minors and foster parents appointed by the court) of a Spanish citizen or institution for two consecutive years, even in situations when the individual is under foster care at the moment of applying for citizenship
- who have been married for one year to a Spanish national and are not legally or de facto sparated
- are widow(er)s of a Spanish national if at the time of death they were not legally or de facto separated, or
- who were born outside of Spain, if one of their parents or grandparents (also born outside of Spain) was Spanish by origin
Morover, the applicant should show that they are a good citizen and integrated into the Spanish society.
Individuals who can apply for Spanish citizenship:
- the applicant himself if he is 18 or over or has the capacity for legal decision-making
- minors over 14 in the presence of legal guardians
- legal guardians of minors under 14
- disabled people or carers of disabled people depending on the court assessment of capacity for legal decision-making
