How to Apply for Spanish Citizenship: A Step-by-Step Guide

Once you meet the residence requirement, applying for Spanish citizenship by residence is mostly a documents exercise. The application itself is submitted electronically to the Ministry of Justice, and the work is in gathering and preparing the paperwork correctly so the file is not delayed or returned. This guide walks through the process in the order it actually happens.

Step one: confirm you meet the requirements

Before anything else, check that you qualify. You need the right amount of legal, continuous residence in Spain for your category, which is ten years for most people and two years for nationals of Ibero-American countries and several other groups. You also need good civic conduct and to show integration, which for most applicants means passing the CCSE exam and, unless you are exempt, the DELE A2 language exam.

It makes sense to sit and pass these exams before you file, because the certificates are part of the application.

Step two: pass the exams

The CCSE is the test of constitutional and sociocultural knowledge, run by the Instituto Cervantes. The DELE A2 is the basic Spanish language exam, also run by the Instituto Cervantes, and nationals of Spanish-speaking countries are exempt from it. Get these done early. The CCSE certificate is valid for four years, so you have a window to file after passing.

Step three: gather your documents

This is where most of the effort goes. The exact list depends on your situation, but the core documents usually include:

• A valid passport from your country of origin
• Your residence card or certificate proving your legal residence in Spain
• Your full birth certificate, legalised or apostilled and officially translated into Spanish
• A criminal record certificate from your country of origin, legalised or apostilled and translated, plus your Spanish criminal record
• Your certificate of registration at your local town hall, the certificado de empadronamiento
• Your CCSE certificate, and your DELE A2 certificate if it applies to you
• Proof that you have paid the application fee, the tasa modelo 790 código 026

Foreign documents that need legalisation or an apostille and a sworn translation are the part that takes the longest, so start on those early.

Step four: pay the fee

The application carries a fee, paid using form 790 with code 026. The amount is around 105 euros in 2026, and it is reviewed each year. You pay it online or at a collaborating bank and keep the proof of payment to attach to your application.

Step five: submit the application electronically

The application is filed through the electronic office of the Ministry of Justice. You can do this yourself with a digital certificate, or through a representative such as a gestor or an immigration lawyer who files on your behalf. You upload the scanned documents, and the system gives you a receipt confirming the submission. Keep that receipt, because it is your proof of the filing date.

Step six: wait for the resolution

After you file, the file is reviewed and the authorities can ask for additional documents if something is missing. This is why a clean, complete application matters: requests for more paperwork add months. When a decision is made, you are notified of the grant. Processing times are long and vary case by case, so patience is part of the process.

Step seven: the oath and registration

A grant of citizenship is not the final step. After you are notified, you have a deadline to swear or promise loyalty to the King and obedience to the Constitution and the laws before the Civil Registry or a notary, and to have your Spanish nationality registered. Only after that registration can you apply for your Spanish ID document and passport.

Get the details right for your case

Document requirements and procedural details vary with your nationality and history, and the rules are set by the Ministry of Justice. Confirm the current requirements at mjusticia.gob.es, and for a complicated case a gestor or immigration lawyer can assemble the file correctly the first time and reduce the chance of delays.

The one step you can prepare for right now, at no cost, is the CCSE exam. PassCitizen has the full official CCSE question bank, organised by topic, with study mode and full mock exams and no account needed.

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