Spanish citizenship for Americans: how long it takes and how to apply

For most Americans, Spanish citizenship comes after ten years of living in Spain. There are shorter routes for people with a Spanish spouse or Spanish family, and for citizens of countries with historic ties to Spain. This page covers the main ones.

The routes

Route	Residence needed	Who it covers
Residence, general rule	10 years	Most Americans
Residence, reduced	5 years	Recognised refugees
Residence, reduced	2 years	Nationals of Latin American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal, and people of Sephardic origin
Residence, reduced	1 year	People married to a Spanish citizen for at least a year, widows and widowers of Spaniards, people born in Spain, and children or grandchildren of people who were Spanish by origin
Origin (descent)	None	Children of a Spanish mother or father, and some other cases

An American who also holds the nationality of a Latin American country can use the two-year route as a national of that country.

Citizenship by residence

What counts as residence

The years must be legal, continuous and immediately before the application.

• Time on a non-lucrative visa, a digital nomad visa, a work permit or long-term residency counts.
• Time on a student visa generally doesn’t count toward citizenship.
• Long or frequent absences can break continuity. There is no single number in the law that everyone agrees on, so keep absences short and keep records.

Long-term residency arrives after five years and lets you stay indefinitely. Many people stop there. See the residency overview.

Other requirements

• Good civic conduct. Criminal record certificates from Spain and from your country of origin, with apostille and translation.
• Integration. Shown by passing two exams run by the Instituto Cervantes: the DELE language exam at level A2 or above, and the CCSE test on the constitution and Spanish society.
• Documents. Birth certificate with apostille and sworn translation, passport, TIE, town hall registration history and the fee.

The process

1. Pass the DELE and CCSE exams. Certificates are valid for a limited time.
2. Collect your birth and criminal record certificates, with apostilles and translations.
3. File the application, normally online through the Ministry of Justice. Many people file through a lawyer.
4. Wait for the decision. The official limit is one year, and waits of one to three years have been common.
5. After approval, swear the oath within the deadline, which is 180 days, and register at the civil registry.
6. Apply for your Spanish ID card and passport.

Citizenship by descent

Spanish nationality passes mainly from parent to child. If your mother or father was Spanish when you were born, you are probably Spanish by origin and can register at a Spanish consulate.

Grandchildren are harder. A law known as the Democratic Memory Law let many grandchildren of Spaniards, and descendants of people exiled during the civil war and dictatorship, claim citizenship. Its application window closed in October 2025. People who booked or filed in time are still being processed.

If your connection is through a grandparent and you missed that window, two things are worth checking with a lawyer: whether your parent can first recover or claim Spanish nationality, and whether you qualify for the one-year residence route as the child or grandchild of someone Spanish by origin.

Dual citizenship

Spain recognises dual nationality with Latin American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal and, more recently, France. It has no such agreement with the United States.

In practice:

• An American who naturalises by residence is asked to declare that they renounce US nationality as part of the oath.
• That declaration is made to the Spanish authorities. The United States has its own rules on how citizenship is lost, and they require a formal act before a US official.
• People who are Spanish by origin, for example through a Spanish parent, are in a different position from people who naturalise.

This is an area where the formal rule and everyday practice differ, and where a mistake is serious. Talk to a lawyer about your own situation before you apply.

What citizenship adds over long-term residency

• The right to live and work in any EU country.
• A Spanish passport and the right to vote in national elections.
• No more card renewals or absence limits.

It doesn’t change your tax position by itself. Spain taxes by residence, not citizenship, and the US taxes its citizens wherever they live. See taxes in Spain.

Where to start

If you are at the beginning, citizenship is a decision for much later. The first step is a residence visa: see the non-lucrative visa or the digital nomad visa. If you think you have a claim through family, ask an immigration lawyer before you apply for a visa at all, because it may be a faster route.

Common questions

How long do you have to live in Spain to become a citizen?

Most Americans need ten years of legal, continuous residence immediately before applying. The period is one year for people married to a Spanish citizen and for a few other groups, and two years for nationals of Latin American countries and some other countries with historic ties to Spain.

Does Spain allow dual citizenship with the US?

Spain has dual nationality agreements with Latin American countries and a few others, but not with the United States. Americans who naturalise are asked to declare that they renounce their previous nationality. That declaration is made to Spain. Losing US citizenship is a separate matter under US law, so take legal advice on your own case.

Can I get Spanish citizenship through my grandparents?

Children of a Spanish parent can usually claim citizenship by origin. A special law that let many grandchildren of Spaniards apply closed to new applications in October 2025. Other descent cases depend on the details, so check with a Spanish consulate or lawyer.

What exams do you take for Spanish citizenship?

Two, both run by the Instituto Cervantes: the DELE Spanish language exam at A2 level or higher, and the CCSE test on Spain's constitution, society and culture. Some applicants are exempt from the language exam.