In short: you can apply for Spanish citizenship (nationality) by residence depending on years of legal residence: 10 in general, 5 refugees, 2 Ibero-Americans and similar, 1 in cases with a Spanish link. You must pass the CCSE and DELE A2 exams (there are exemptions) and show good conduct.
In person or by representative? The main route is online, at the Ministry of Justice's electronic office. You identify yourself with a digital certificate or Cl@ve, and the office asks you to have the AutoFirma signing app installed to complete the application. You can also file it on paper through the channels in art. 16.4 of Law 39/2015, for example at a registry assistance office or at Correos (the Ministry calls this «solicitud presencial»). A representative with a mandate or power of attorney can file it for you (art. 5.1.a of RD 1004/2015). The CCSE and DELE A2 exams and the oath are done in person.
Continuous legal residence periods:
- 10 years — general regime.
- 5 years — refugees.
- 2 years — nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, and Sephardim.
- 1 year — those born in Spain; married to a Spaniard; children/grandchildren of a Spaniard by origin; widow(er) of a Spaniard, among others.
Exams (Instituto Cervantes):
- CCSE (constitutional and sociocultural knowledge): pass 15 of 25 questions; valid 4 years.
- DELE A2 (Spanish language) or a higher level. You do not need it if you are a national of a country where Spanish is an official language (listed in art. 6.5 of RD 1004/2015) or if you already hold a DELE A2 or higher. An official A2, B1 or B2 Spanish certificate from an Escuela Oficial de Idiomas also counts instead (art. 10.3 of Orden JUS/1625/2016).
Exam exemptions:
- Under-18s and people whose legal capacity has been modified by a court: they take neither the CCSE nor the DELE (art. 10.6 of Orden JUS/1625/2016).
- ESO (compulsory secondary education) completed in Spain after schooling here: exempt from both exams. You do not need to request it beforehand; just attach the certificate to the application (art. 10.5 of the Orden).
- Bachillerato, intermediate or higher vocational training (FP) or a university degree obtained in Spain: exempt from the DELE only; you still have to pass the CCSE. Studies done outside Spain do not count (Ministry of Justice FAQ, no. 14).
- If you cannot read or write or have learning difficulties, you can ask the Ministry of Justice for an exemption. That request goes before the nationality application, and you cannot file the nationality application until the exemption is decided or 6 months pass without an answer (silence means a refusal). If you file both at the same time, the nationality application is archived (art. 10.5 of the Orden).
Practise for free: interactive CCSE test — 25 practice questions with answers.
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Requirements for Spanish nationality (besides the years and exams): good civic conduct; birth certificate and criminal-record certificate (with Hague apostille or legalisation, and sworn translation).
Fee 790-026: before filing you must pay the fee (form 790, code 026). The Ministry of Justice states an amount of 104.05 € on its information page; check the current amount at the electronic office before paying. Without payment, the application is not processed (art. 6 of Orden JUS/1625/2016).
How long does Spanish nationality take? Filed with the Ministry of Justice (electronic office). Legal resolution period: 1 year; in practice it usually takes 12-24 months. No answer within the legal period means the application is rejected by silence (and can be appealed).
How to check your case status ("cómo va lo mío"). Once filed, you can track which stage your file is at on the Ministry of Justice's electronic office —often searched as "cómo va lo mío" or telematic consultation of nationality cases—, using your case details. Remember the legal period is 1 year and silence is negative. Always check it from the official source.
After approval: the nationality oath (jura). Approval is not the end: within 180 days of notification you must request the oath or promise (loyalty to the King and obedience to the Constitution, and where applicable renunciation of your previous nationality) before the Civil Registry of your address or a notary. Getting an appointment within those 180 days is enough, even if the date you are given is later (Ministry of Justice FAQ, no. 12). After the oath, your birth is registered in the Civil Registry and you can apply for the DNI. If you let the 180 days pass, the approval lapses (art. 21.4 of the Civil Code; art. 12 of RD 1004/2015).
Renouncing your previous nationality (art. 23.b of the Civil Code): at the oath you declare that you renounce your previous nationality. This is not required of natives of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal, or of Sephardim originating from Spain. Ukraine is not on that list, so a Ukrainian national has to make this declaration.
Official source: Nationality by residence — Ministry of Justice.
Informational only; exact requirements and exemptions vary — check the official source and a professional for your case.
