Spanish immigration procedure

Spanish nationality by residence

You have been living in Spain with legal residence for some time and want to become Spanish. There are nine different routes, each with its own residence period and documents: we check which one you qualify for and that you already meet the period before charging you anything, and we prepare and file the application.

Fees

€498.99 incl. VAT

VAT and immigration fee included. Does not include apostilles or legalisations, sworn translations, consular fees, the card fee (TIE) or the immigration office appointment.

  • We verify requirements and criminal records before filing
  • We organise and review all your documents
  • Guided filing and case tracking
Check whether my case fits

Is this your case?

  • You live in Spain with legal and continuous residence, and you already meet the period for your route: ten years in the general case, five if you have recognised refugee status, two if you are from an Ibero-American country, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea or Portugal, and one year in some cases, such as having been born in Spain or having been married to a Spanish citizen for a year.
  • You have passed, or can take, the Instituto Cervantes tests that apply to you: the constitutional and sociocultural knowledge test always, and the DELE A2 if you are not from a Spanish-speaking country and do not have Spanish secondary education (ESO) or a Spanish certificate from an Official School of Languages. If the application is for a minor, neither test is required.
  • You have no criminal record, in Spain or in your country of origin.

For these cases it is a different procedure

  • You have not yet completed the legal residence period your route requires: it cannot be filed yet, and we tell you so in the questionnaire before charging you.
  • You have a criminal or police record: it has to be studied before filing, so we look at it in a consultation.

If you are not sure, take the test and we'll tell you which one applies to you.

How it works

  1. We check your route and your period

    You answer the questionnaire on this page and, before charging you anything, we tell you which of the nine routes you qualify for, whether you already meet the residence period it requires and which Instituto Cervantes tests you need.

  2. We ask only for your documents

    Each route is proven with different documents. You receive the list for yours, not a generic one with everything that might be needed.

  3. We file and follow your application

    We prepare the application on the official form, file it and keep you informed at every step until the decision.

Check whether your case fits

Before charging you anything. It is a few questions and we tell you whether we can handle it or whether it is better to review it in a consultation.

Enter the code we emailed you and go straight to your details, without answering anything.

Which documents you need

To file your application for Spanish nationality by residence we need these documents:

  1. Complete copy of your valid passport, all pages, including blank ones.
  2. Copy of your valid TIE, EU family member residence card or EU citizen registration certificate.
  3. Birth certificate from your country of origin, legalised or apostilled and translated by a sworn translator.
  4. Criminal record certificate from your country of origin, issued less than six months ago (unless the certificate itself states a different validity), legalised or apostilled and translated by a sworn translator.
  5. Diploma of the CCSE test (constitutional and sociocultural knowledge) from the Instituto Cervantes.
  6. DELE diploma, level A2 or higher, from the Instituto Cervantes.
  7. Depending on your case:
    • If you are married:
      • Marriage certificate from the country where you got married, legalised or apostilled and translated.

On top of these come the documents specific to your route (the Civil Registry certificates proving your tie or your birth). The questionnaire on this page tells you which applies to you.

We do not ask you for the municipal registration certificate or the Spanish criminal record certificate: the Ministry checks them directly with the authorisation you sign on the application itself.

Documents issued in another country must come translated into Spanish by a sworn translator and legalised or apostilled. That cost, and the Instituto Cervantes exams, are not included in the price of the pack.

You don't need to have everything today: when you hire us we send you this list and review it with you.

Frequently asked questions

It depends on your route. In the general case, ten years. Five are enough if you have recognised refugee status, and two if you are a national by origin of an Ibero-American country, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea or Portugal, or if you are Sephardic. And one year is enough, among other cases, if you were born in Spain, if you have been married to a Spanish citizen for a year without being separated, or if you are the widow or widower of a Spaniard. In all cases the residence has to be legal, continuous and immediately before the application.

Yes, two Instituto Cervantes tests: the constitutional and sociocultural knowledge of Spain test, known as the CCSE, and the DELE Spanish exam at level A2 or higher. Exempt from the DELE are nationals of Spanish-speaking countries, those who have already passed it, those with Spanish secondary education (ESO) obtained in Spain and those with a Spanish certificate at level A2, B1 or B2 from an Official School of Languages. Minors under eighteen take neither.

Yes. We prepare your file while you obtain the diplomas, but the application cannot be filed without them: we file it as soon as you have them. The tests are run by the Instituto Cervantes and are paid separately.

Nationality requires proving good civic conduct, and it is assessed until the grant. A criminal record has to be studied before filing: whether it is cancelled or can be cancelled. And a police record, such as an arrest or proceedings, can also lead to a refusal if how it ended is not proven. If you tell us in the questionnaire, we look at it with you in a consultation.

The rules give the Administration one year to decide and notify from when the application enters the register. In practice it usually takes longer, because there are many pending files. If that period passes without a reply, the application is deemed rejected, and then it can be appealed.

Yes. Each minor has their own application and their own fee. If under fourteen, their legal representatives sign it with the authorisation of the Civil Registry officer; between fourteen and eighteen, the minor signs it assisted by their representatives. They do not take the Instituto Cervantes tests.

Our fees and the Ministry of Justice fee, which we pay when filing the application. It does not include the Instituto Cervantes tests or the translation and legalisation of your foreign documents, such as the birth certificate or the criminal record certificate from your country.

Applicable legislation