How to become a Spanish citizen: all legal paths to second citizenship

To obtain Spanish citizenship, you will need to live there for 10 years. Naturalisation takes place in three stages: 

1. You get a temporary residence permit, for example, a Digital Nomad Visa.
2. After 5 years of living in Spain as a resident, you can apply for permanent residency.
3. After 5 more years of living in Spain as a permanent resident, you may become eligible to apply for citizenship.

To learn more about the procedures and statuses, read our article where we explain in detail on differences between a residence permit, permanent residence, and citizenship.

It is not possible to immediately obtain a passport by investment: the applicant first receives a temporary residence permit and then a permanent residence permit. After ten years, they can apply for a Spanish passport.

First stage: Golden Visa

Before April 2025, investors could get a Spanish residence permit on special terms. This path is no longer available.

However, those who got Spain’s Golden Visas before the state closed the programme may still follow the naturalisation path to pursue citizenship. 

A Golden Visa is initially issued for a year, then extended twice for 2 years. Current Golden Visa holders may extend their permits if they maintain the investment property or other asset that was eligible for the Golden Visa. 

Second stage: permanent residency

After 5 years, the investor can obtain a permanent residence permit. This gives almost the same rights as citizenship. The holder can live in Spain without any restrictions: they are allowed to  work, do business, and get an education. They can also stay in other EU countries for up to 90 days without registration or obtain a permanent residence permit by using a simplified procedure. 

The main requirement for obtaining permanent residence is to have lived permanently in Spain for 5 years before submitting the application. Additionally, the applicant will need:

• valid medical insurance policy;
• proof of financial independence through a legal and documented source of income
• documents confirming ownership of real estate or a rental agreement. 

When issuing a residence permit, the authorities also check that the applicant is law-abiding and is in the process of integrating into Spanish society. 

Permanent residency can be maintained for life. The residence card must be renewed every 5 years. 

Stage three: citizenship

5 years after receiving permanent residency, the holder can apply for Spanish citizenship. They will need to have lived continuously in the country for the 10 years preceding the application, be integrated into Spanish society and know Spanish.

Standard naturalisation consists of the same stages as the path for an investor with a Golden Visa. To obtain citizenship, the applicant first needs to obtain a residence permit followed by a permanent residence permit. The whole process takes at least 10 years.

The naturalisation process is more complicated than citizenship by investment:

• during the entire application period, the applicant needs to constantly confirm the specific purpose of their stay in Spain, for example, work or study;
• applicant’s spouse and children will need to obtain separate permits;
• as there is strong demand for Spanish residence permits, the government limits applications by setting an annual quota. As a result, the process can take much longer than 10 years to complete.

Naturalisation terms

Spain’s nationality law is governed primarily by the Civil Code and developed through supplementary regulations administered by the Ministry of Justice.

The general pathway available to most foreign nationals requires 10 years of legal and continuous residence prior to application. ‘Legal’ means holding a valid residence permit; ‘continuous’ stands for that absences must remain within permitted limits — typically no more than 10% of the required period per year, though this is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

However, Spanish law recognises several circumstances that shorten the required period:

• 5 years — for refugees who have been granted international protection in Spain;
• 2 years —  for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, and Sephardic Jews of Spanish heritage.

All applicants must satisfy a consistent set of conditions at the time of filing.

First, you will be required to demonstrate sufficient integration into Spanish society — assessed through two standardised examinations administered by the Instituto Cervantes:

1. The CCSE, which tests knowledge of Spain’s constitutional framework and sociocultural life.
2. The DELE A2, which certifies a basic level of Spanish language proficiency. Nationals of Spanish-speaking countries are generally exempt from the language examination.

You must also present a clean criminal record, both in Spain and in any country where you have previously resided, as evidence of good civic conduct.

In addition, Spanish law generally requires applicants to renounce their prior nationality upon taking the oath — though an important exception applies to nationals of Ibero-American countries, Portugal, Andorra, Equatorial Guinea, the Philippines, and Sephardic Jews of Spanish heritage, as well as to stateless persons.

Finally, naturalisation is completed not by administrative approval alone, but by a formal personal act: you must appear before the Civil Registry to take an oath of loyalty to the King of Spain and pledge to respect the Constitution and the laws of the country. This step is mandatory and must be completed within 180 days of the resolution being issued, after which Spanish nationality is officially registered.

Naturalisation via the Digital Nomad Visa Route

The Spain Digital Nomad Visa offers non-EU nationals not only a path into Spanish residency but a structured route toward naturalisation.

The timeline is straightforward: an initial 3-year residence permit may be renewed for a further 2 years, after which permanent residency becomes available — provided you have spent at least 183 days per year in Spain. From permanent residency, a further 5 years of continuous legal presence qualifies you to apply for citizenship, bringing the total to 10 years.

The standard naturalisation requirements apply at the point of application: the CCSE and DELE A2 examinations, a clean criminal record, and renunciation of prior nationality.

Obtaining the Digital Nomad Visa requires proof of remote employment or self-employment income of at least €2,849 per month and evidence of qualifications or 3 years of relevant work experience. Once approved, the visa is valid for 1 year — during which you must travel to Spain and apply in person for your residence permit.

Naturalisation via the Non-Lucrative Visa 

The Spain Non-Lucrative Visa is a residence permit issued to financially independent individuals who do not intend to engage in any economic activity in Spain. To qualify, applicants must demonstrate passive income of at least €28,880 per year, plus €7,200 per additional dependant. 

While the Non-Lucrative Visa does not permit work, it does establish legal residence in Spain — and with it, the clock begins running toward permanent residency and, eventually, citizenship.

The permit is initially issued for one year and may be renewed successively, with each renewal card valid for 2 years. After 5 continuous years of legal residence, during which you must spend at least 183 days per year in Spain, you become eligible to apply for permanent residency. A further 5 years of residence then qualifies you for naturalisation under the standard 10-year route.

The same naturalisation conditions apply to Non-Lucrative Visa holders: the CCSE and DELE A2 examinations, a clean criminal record, and renunciation of prior nationality. 

One aspect of this pathway that deserves careful attention is the physical presence requirement. Unlike certain other residence statuses, the Non-Lucrative Visa is particularly sensitive to extended absences: since the visa is premised on actually living in Spain rather than merely holding a permit, time spent abroad can interrupt the continuity of residence that naturalisation requires. Applicants who travel frequently should plan their presence in Spain with this in mind from the outset.

The path related to family reunification begins with a Spanish residence permit. This means that family members, for example, the spouse of a Spanish citizen, their parents, and the children that they have in common, can obtain a residence permit by special permission without being restricted by the quota set by the government.

Different documents can be used to confirm kinship. For example, the applicant’s spouse will need a marriage registration certificate or a civil partnership agreement. Elderly parents need to prove their financial dependence on the main applicant: for example, 12 months of money transfer receipts.

The family members included in the application may also apply for citizenship. Usually, after 10 years of continuous life in the country. For the spouse and children of a Spanish citizen, this period is shorter: up to 1 year.

You are also eligible to apply for a passport if you have a close relative who is a Spanish citizen.

The “right of blood” applies in Spain. This means that a child is considered to be of Spanish origin in the following circumstances:

• at least one of the parents has Spanish citizenship;
• one of the parents was born in Spain;
• child is adopted by a Spanish citizen.

Adult foreigners can also apply for Spanish citizenship if they meet these conditions. This option is called citizenship by choice.

Only in rare cases does the "law of the soil" apply. For example, if a child was born in the country and their parents are unknown.

After marriage, citizenship can be obtained after a couple lives together for a year in Spain. It is important to be in the country legally, based on a valid visa or residence permit.

This rule also applies to widows and widowers if they were living together at the time of death.

Citizenship can be obtained within a year if you live in the country permanently.

A person who is under the guardianship of citizens or institutions of Spain is eligible to become a citizen. They need to continuously live in the country for just 1 year instead of the standard 10 years. 

The main requirement is that the guardianship must have started at least 2 years prior to the application for citizenship.

All these methods give the same rights and obligations as for any other citizen of Spain.

10 advantages of Spain citizenship

As the country is part of the European Union, a Spanish passport is also a pan-European one. This offers additional benefits for Spanish citizens: 

• comfortable life in an economically developed and stable country in the European Union. Spain ranks second in the list of the best European countries to live in retirement;
• ability to move to any EU country for permanent residence;
• study at the best European universities;
• right to conduct business or work in prestigious European companies. Spain is included in the top‑5 countries for foreign professionals;
• high quality medical system;
• loans at favorable interest rates;
• possibility to legally reduce tax obligations;
• deposit funds in reliable European banks;
• travel around Europe without visas;
• purchase and register real estate and cars in your name.

Cons of Spain citizenship

Despite all the pros, there are some important things that should better be considered in advance:

• applicant needs to live permanently in the country for 10 years without leaving it for more than 6 months in a year;
• in most cases, you have to renounce the citizenship of your country of origin, as Spain does not allow dual or second citizenship with most countries. Only citizens of France, Portugal, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and a number of Latin American countries are allowed to keep their citizenship after getting Spanish citizenship.

1. There are six pathways to Spanish citizenship, including naturalisation, marriage, family reunification, guardianship, and origin or choice. One cannot obtain Spain citizenship by investment directly.
2. The Spain Golden Visa allows the holder to pursue permanent residency and citizenship. However, Spain stopped issuing Golden Visas in April, 2025.
3. Citizenship through naturalisation in Spain requires 10 years of legal residency, beginning with a residence permit. Foreigners acquiring a Spanish passport must renounce their first citizenship.
4. The Digital Nomad and Non-Lucrative Visas are the two popular ways to become a resident in Spain. Both visas allow the holders to pursue citizenship through standard naturalisation. 
5. The Spanish passport grants access to the EU, including the ability to live, work, and study across Europe. Additional perks include a high-quality healthcare system, favorable loans, and visa-free travel within the Schengen Area.