Immigration lawyers in Spain
Spanish Citizenship
A Spanish passport is an EU passport. How long it takes depends almost entirely on where you are from and who your parents and grandparents were. We handle the whole application — from working out your shortest route to the day you swear the oath.

How long for you?
How long for you?
Nationality by residence is the main route, and the residence period required is not the same for everyone. Most people qualify for a shorter one than they think.
| Residence | Who qualifies | What we check first |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | Born in Spain · married to a Spanish citizen · widowed from one · or a child or grandchild of someone who was originally Spanish | Your parents’ and grandparents’ birth records. This is the shortest route and the most often missed. |
| 2 years | Nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal, and applicants of Sephardic origin | Your nationality, or documented Sephardic ancestry |
| 5 years | People with recognised refugee status | Your recognition and the date it took effect |
| 10 years | Everyone else | That your residence has been legal, continuous and immediately prior to the application |
| By optionNo residence period | Children of a Spanish parent, people under the parental authority of a Spaniard, and other cases set out in the Civil Code | Whether you are inside the time limit, which is short and easy to miss |
| By descentAutomatic | Children born to a Spanish parent | Registration at the civil registry, rather than an application |
The Democratic Memory Law route is closed
The window to apply under the Democratic Memory Law — the “grandchildren law” — closed on 22 October 2025 and has not been extended. New applications are no longer accepted under that law. Files submitted before the deadline are still being processed normally.
If you missed it, that is not the end of the matter. Children and grandchildren of someone who was originally Spanish can still obtain nationality after one year of legal residence in Spain. It is a different route, with a residence requirement the Memory Law did not have, but it leads to the same passport.
Key advantages
Key advantages
An EU passport
Live, work and study anywhere in the European Union, with no permit.
Keep your nationality
Ibero-American, Andorran, Filipino, Equatoguinean, Portuguese and Sephardic applicants are not asked to give up theirs.
No more renewals
No cards, no expiry dates, no immigration office ever again.
It passes to your children
Your descendants become Spanish too.
Full political rights
Vote and stand for election, and access the public sector.
Consular protection
Spanish protection anywhere in the world.
Requirements
Requirements
| Legal residence | Continuous, legal, and immediately before you apply, for the period that corresponds to your case |
| Good civic conduct | Assessed on your whole record, not only on criminal convictions |
| Integration | Evidenced through the two Instituto Cervantes exams below |
| CCSE exam | Constitutional and sociocultural knowledge of Spain. Required of every adult applicant. |
| DELE A2 exam | Spanish language, at A2 level or above. Not required if you are a national of a country where Spanish is an official language. |
| Criminal records | From Spain and from your country of origin — apostilled and sworn-translated |
| Fee | Administrative fee paid before filing |
On the exams
Both are booked through the Instituto Cervantes and both have limited sitting dates, which fill up. They are the step most likely to delay a file that is otherwise ready, and the only one you cannot do at the last minute. Book them first, not last.
Required documents
Required documents
Core file — every applicant
- Application form, completed and signed
- Valid passport and residence card (TIE)
- Full birth certificate — apostilled and sworn-translated
- Criminal record certificate from your country of origin — apostilled and sworn-translated
- Spanish criminal record certificate
- Padrón certificate showing your registered address
- CCSE and DELE A2 certificates, where required
- Proof of fee payment
Add to the core file, by route
- Married to a Spanish citizen: marriage certificate from the Spanish civil registry, your spouse’s certificate of nationality, and a joint padrón certificate
- Child or grandchild of a Spaniard: the birth certificate of your Spanish parent or grandparent, and the chain of certificates linking you to them
- Refugee status: the recognition decision and documentation of your status
- Sephardic origin: the certification and supporting evidence of your ancestry
The documents listed here are indicative. Every case has to be assessed individually: depending on your route, your country of origin and your family history, the registry may ask for more. Tell us your situation and we will send you the list that actually applies to you.
The application process
The application process
| Where you apply | Online, to the Ministry of Justice |
| Who files | We file on your behalf |
| Resolution | Up to one year from the date the file is complete |
| If they do not answer | The application is deemed refused, and the route from there is an appeal to the courts |
| After approval | You swear or promise allegiance to the Constitution at the civil registry, within the deadline set in your resolution |
| Then | Registration as a Spanish national, and your DNI and passport |
Step by step
From the first call to your DNI
1
Assessment
Free 15-min call. We work out your shortest route, including through your parents and grandparents.
Day 0
2
Exams
We tell you which ones you need and you book them early.
Book first
3
Documents
Shared Drive folder. Apostilles, translations and civil registry certificates.
4–10 weeks
4
Filing
We file online to the Ministry of Justice on your behalf.
5
Resolution
We follow up and answer any request for further documents.
Up to 1 year*
6
Oath & DNI
The ceremony at the civil registry, then your DNI and passport.
Within the deadline
*One year is the legal maximum. In practice, timescales vary a great deal, and the file has to be complete for the clock to be meaningful.
Our service
What we do for you
Included
- Assessment of every route open to you, including through your family history
- Review of whether your residence counts as continuous and legal
- Personalised document checklist
- Shared Drive folder and full document review
- Drafting and filing online to the Ministry of Justice
- Communication with the authorities
- Requests for further documents (requerimientos)
- Monitoring of the file and of both deadlines
- Support with the oath, and with your DNI and passport
- Direct contact with your case manager throughout
Not included
- Administrative fees (tasas)
- Apostilles and sworn translations
- CCSE and DELE exam fees, and preparation for them
- Obtaining certificates from foreign registries
- Court appeals if the application is refused
Fees
Fees and payment
Up-front Payment
€600 + VAT
Per applicant
- When you payAt the start of the assignment
- Formalised withUpon payment
Administrative fees (tasas), apostilles, sworn translations and exam fees are not included.
Get the full document checklist
The complete list for your route, with the exam deadlines. Tell us your situation and we will send you the version that applies to you.
Let our clients do the talking
What do our clients say?
Consultations
Still have questions?
Our immigration specialists in Spain are happy to answer them.
15 min
Quick eligibility check — free
45 min
Case review
60 min
Full strategy session
Consultation fees are deducted from our fees if you go ahead.
Related services
Looking for something else?
Contact us
Request your document checklist
Tell us about your case and we will get back to you within 24 hours with the next steps and the documents that apply to you.