TL;DR: Most Americans can apply for Spanish citizenship after 10 years of legal, continuous residence in Spain immediately before applying, or after 1 year in specific cases such as being married to a Spanish citizen for at least a year. You also need a clean criminal record, the DELE A2 Spanish test and the CCSE culture test, and you must declare that you renounce your US nationality. The rules are the same everywhere in Spain: no region asks for Catalan, Basque or any other regional language.
Spanish nationality is a matter for the Spanish State, set out in the Civil Code. That means the requirements, exams and fee are identical in Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao or anywhere else. Below are the seven things every American applicant needs to get right.
1. Enough years of legal residence
The general rule is 10 years of legal, continuous residence in Spain immediately before you apply. Shorter periods apply only in specific cases:
| Period | Who it applies to |
|---|---|
| 10 years | General rule, including most US citizens. |
| 5 years | People with refugee status. |
| 2 years | Nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal, and people of Sephardic origin. US nationality alone does not qualify. |
| 1 year | Among others: people born in Spain; people married to a Spanish citizen for at least one year and not separated; widows and widowers of Spanish citizens; and people whose parent or grandparent was originally Spanish. |
2. Residence that counts: legal and continuous
Only time spent in Spain with a residence permit counts, for example a non-lucrative visa, a Digital Nomad Visa or a work permit. Time as a student on a study stay authorisation is a stay, not residence, so it does not count towards the 10 years. Long absences can also break continuity, so keep track of your trips.
3. Good civic conduct and a clean record
You must show good civic conduct. In practice that means no criminal record in Spain, and a criminal record certificate from the US (an FBI Identity History Summary) and from any other country where you have lived in recent years, apostilled and translated into Spanish.
4. Integration tests: DELE A2 and CCSE
All applicants over 18 must pass the CCSE, a short test on the Spanish Constitution and society, run by the Instituto Cervantes. Americans must also pass the DELE A2 (or higher) Spanish language exam, because only nationals of countries where Spanish is an official language are exempt. No regional language test is required anywhere in Spain.
5. Renouncing your US nationality (on paper)
Spain does not allow US citizens to keep their previous nationality: when you take the oath, you must declare that you renounce it. Under US law, however, that declaration does not automatically end your US citizenship. Read our guide to dual citizenship in Spain for the details.
6. The application: online, €104.05 fee, up to a year to decide
- Prepare your documents: passport, residence card (TIE), birth certificate, criminal record certificates, DELE and CCSE certificates, and municipal registration (empadronamiento).
- Pay the fee: form 790, code 026, currently €104.05.
- Apply online through the Ministry of Justice electronic office, with a digital certificate or through a lawyer.
- Wait for the decision: the legal deadline is one year from when your file is complete, although in practice it often takes longer. If there is no answer by then, the application is treated as refused, and you can appeal.
7. The oath and Civil Registry
Once citizenship is granted, you have 180 days from notification to swear or promise allegiance to the King and obedience to the Constitution and laws, and to register at the Civil Registry. If you miss that deadline, the grant lapses. After registration you can apply for your Spanish ID card (DNI) and passport. See our article on the Spanish citizenship oath.
How Americans usually build their 10 years
- Retirees and people with passive income usually start with the non-lucrative visa.
- Remote workers usually use the Digital Nomad Visa.
- Students can change to a residence permit when they finish their studies (for example, a work permit or a permit to look for work). The years counted for citizenship start from that point.
How we can help
We check your eligibility and your residence history, prepare the file and submit it for you. See our Spanish citizenship service or book a free 15-minute consultation.
Frequently asked questions
How many years do Americans need to live in Spain to get citizenship?
Generally 10 years of legal, continuous residence immediately before applying. It can be 1 year in specific cases, such as marriage to a Spanish citizen for at least one year.
Can Americans keep US citizenship after becoming Spanish?
Spain requires you to declare that you renounce your US nationality, but under US law that declaration does not automatically end your US citizenship.
Do I need to speak Catalan or Basque?
No. Nationality is decided by the Spanish State and the only tests are the DELE A2 (Spanish) and the CCSE, wherever you live in Spain.
Do my years as a student count?
No. Time on a study stay authorisation is not legal residence for nationality purposes. The count starts when you hold a residence permit.
How much does it cost?
The government fee is €104.05 (form 790, code 026), plus the cost of the DELE and CCSE exams, translations and apostilles.
How long does the process take?
The legal deadline to decide is one year from when the file is complete; in practice it can take longer. After approval you have 180 days to take the oath.
