HOW TO GET SPANISH CITIZENSHIP THROUGH RESIDENCY

HOW TO GET SPANISH CITIZENSHIP THROUGH RESIDENCY FOR BRITISH PEOPLE
The principle advantage of being Spanish means that as you can travel, work and  move freely in the EU zone.  Spouses and children can become citizens after a 1 year period.  You will be able to vote in Spanish general elections. 
THERE ARE 4 WAYS TO GET SPANISH CITIZENSHIP.
-   By residency
-   By option (both parents are Spanish nationals)
-   By descent (proving Spanish historical family connections)
-   By marriage (to a Spanish citizen and living in Spain for at least 1 year)
This article  is specifically for UK nationals who are currently resident in Spain.
WHAT CONDITIONS NEED TO BE MET TO APPLY FOR CITIZENSHIP
-   Citizenship for UK nationals is only available for those who have lived in Spain legally for a minimum of 10 years.
-    You will need to be able to prove that you have no criminal record and that you are financially stable
-    You will need to pass two exams
A.   The CCSE which consists of 25 different multiple choice questions and lasts approximately 45 minutes and you will need to get a minimum of 60% correct answers.  It tests your knowledge of Spanish culture, history, traditions, politics, geography and administrative procedures.  There are several free apps available to teach you all the possible questions and answers. It would take the average person around 10 hours of study to be able to get an almost perfect score.  
B.     The DELE A2 is the language exam to certify that you have a sufficient level of the language to understand and communicate in Spanish.  I has 4 different parts - 
      1.  Reading and comprehension (60 minutes), 
      2.  Listening and comprehension (40 minutes), 
      3.  Writing with 2 tasks (45 minutes)
      4.  Oral expression which includes a short monologue, describing
           pictures and an informal conversation (15 minutes)
In all the exam lasts about 3 hours.  
Many Spanish schools offer the exam.  A2 is not especially difficult. The majority of  people who have been living and working in Spain for 10 years would have a much higher level than A2 so for most people it is not even necesary to study. 
HOW TO APPLY FOR SPANISH CITIZENSHIP
Once you have decided that you want to apply and can fulfil the above criteria, need to apply to the Registro Civil (Civil Registry) in your area to begin the process.  A list of all the Registry offices in Spain can be found on the following link: https://www.registrocivil.es/info/
You will need to prepare all the required documentation (originals and photo copies) which include:
-   Proof of passing both the CCSE and DELE A2 exams
-   Personal documentation including a current passport and birth 
     certificate 
-   Criminal record search from the UK (with a date of less than 3 months).
     The cost is £55 and can be ordered via the following link: 
     https://www.gov.uk/copy-of-police-records
-   Criminal record search from Spain (El certificado de Antecedentes 
     Penales) can be ordered via the following link: 
     http://www.exteriores.gob.es/.../Con.../Paginas/Penales.aspx
-   Proof of income to confirm that you are financially stable
-   Proof of residence in Spain for the required length of time
     (green card or A4 certificate)
-   Completed application form (which is available from your local Registro 
     Civil (https://www.registrocivil.es/info/)
When you have submitted your application and it is approved, you will then be required to pledge your allegiance to the the King of Spain and renounce your British citizenship* after which you will then be able to apply for your Spanish passport.  The whole process usually takes 1-2 years but with the current Covid situation, it could take nearer 3.  (The pledging of allegiance is called the Jura at which point you will need to apply for your DNI - for details of this, please see member Mary Page's comment in the comments below.  She estimates that it will add a further €300 to the cost).
The total cost of all the fees is between €400 and €500 plus legal fees if you use a lawyer.  It is not a complicated process but most people do opt to use a lawyer especially when not confident in their level of Spanish.  For those who would like to do the whole process online, the link is:
https://sede.mjusticia.gob.es/.../nacionalidad-espanola
You will need a digital signature but the instructions for this are included in the link.
*   The question of renouncing British Citizenship is very contentious.  Whilst you are required to do so by the Spanish authorities, no proof of having done so is required.  Unless you actually go through the process of renouncing your citizenship, you will remain a British citizen and will have the ability to renew your British passport.  The following link explains the process:  
https://www.gov.uk/renounce-british-nationality/apply.  
You may or may not be able to re-apply for British Citizenship later on and it would be at the discretion of the Home Secretary.  It is explained in this link: https://www.gov.uk/renoun.../resume-your-british-nationality
However, if you attempt to use your British passport in Spain and the Spanish authorities become aware, you could loose your Spanish citizenship.
NB. Some of the Spanish government links are not functioning properly at the moment due to the pandemic.



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Last Modified on February 19th, 2024
Created on December 21st, 2022
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