How long does it take to get citizenship in Spain?

The naturalization process in Spain takes 8–42 months on average (21 months typical). You need 10 years (2 years for Latin Americans, 1 year for spouses) before applying.

What are the steps to get Spain citizenship?

1. Application at Civil Registry (0.5–2 months). 2. Ministry of Justice review (6–36 months). 3. Oath & registration (1–6 months)

What is the residency requirement for Spain citizenship?

You need 10 years (2 years for Latin Americans, 1 year for spouses) to be eligible for naturalization in Spain. Must pass CCSE and DELE A2 exams.

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Immigration Tracker

Spain — Citizenship Timeline

10 years (2 years for Latin Americans, 1 year for spouses) → 3 processing steps → passport

Average Total

21mo

Range

8–42mo

Speed Rank

#15 of 19

Residency Req.

10 years (2 years for Latin Americans, 1 year for spouses)

Processing Steps

1Application at Civil Registry1mo avg (0.5–2 months)

2Ministry of Justice review18mo avg (6–36 months)

Historically very slow; improving with digitalization

3Oath & registration2mo avg (1–6 months)

Total processing time

Slow21 months average

Important Notes

Must pass CCSE and DELE A2 exams. Must renounce previous nationality (exceptions for Latin Americans).

How Spain compares

Average naturalization processing time, all 19 countries. Spain highlighted.

Key Insight

10-year residency requirement is longest in EU

Based on 150 community-tracked data points.

Source: Ministerio de Justicia, community forums · Last updated: 2025-09

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