Spanish citizenship by residence: how to apply for it yourself

Spanish citizenship: 15 steps

1. Count Your Life

   Determine the period of time from article 22 Código Civil to which you are entitled: 10, 5, 2 or 1 year, which is considered to be legal residence, not the date of first arrival.

   • Checked his base with the table above
   • For the shorter period, I found a document: marriage certificate, birth certificate, refugee status decision
   • I counted the date on which I could submit: How old before nationality

   Where: Códico Civil, article 22Duration: before documents are collectedCost: free of charge

   When assistance is needed, the basis for one year after the ancestors or custody, or the period of time is disputed: such cases are worth showing to the civic lawyer.

2. Check the legality and continuity of residence

   The law requires legal, uninterrupted residence immediately before delivery. The permissible length of departures is not called in numbers, so long absences and breaks between permits are taken before delivery.

   • All residence permits and extensions issued with start and end dates
   • Checked if there were any gaps between the end of one card and the extension application.
   • I made a list of trips from Spain by stamp and ticket: non-availability and status of the
   • On the date of submission, I have a valid residence permit or a MJM

   Where: your resolutions, TIE, passportDuration: pending submissionCost: free of charge

   When help is needed: there were periods without status, long departures or base change with pauses.

3. Give DELE A2 or confirm release

   The regulations (Real Decreto 1004/2015, art. 6) require a DELE degree not lower than A2. It is exempt from the list of Spanish-speaking countries from article 6 and those already with DELE A2 or higher; the DELE certificate is open-ended.

   • Checked out my citizenship on the list of released
   • He took an exam at the Instituto Cervantes in Barcelona or another city.
   • Saved the PDF certificate for downloading

   Where: Instituto Cervantes, Examination CentersDuration: Examination calendarValue: See the Instituto Cervantes page

   When you need help, you can't read and write or you have a disability: special conditions and order needs to be specified in advance. CCE and DELE A2.

4. Give me CCSE.

   CCSE checks on the Spanish Constitution, history and culture. Registration costs 85 and gives up to two attempts if the first one has not been surrendered or you have not arrived. The result is in about 20 days, the certificate is valid for citizenship for 4 years.

   • Checked for release: minors, persons with limited capacity to act, holders of the Spanish diploma ESO
   • Prepared by the Institute Cervantes
   • Planted delivery within 4 years of delivery

   Where: Instituto CervantesDuration: Examinations almost monthly, results of about 20 daysValue: 85 (from 2023)

   When you need help, usually you don't need it, it's a step that really goes by yourself.

5. Get a birth certificate with apostille and a jury translation.

   The regulations require a birth certificate of the country of origin, legalized and translated if necessary; for the Hague Convention countries, legalization replaces the apostille.

   • Received certificate (or re-licence) from the authority of the country of birth
   • Apostille or consular legalization: apostol on certificates
   • Signed by the juror from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

   Where: Register or archives of the country of birth, jurorDuration: Depends on the country of extraditionCost: Apostille and transfer of implementing agents ’ tariffs

   When assistance is needed: a certificate of difference in the writing of a name or a document is issued by a State that is no longer in existence.

6. Get a certificate of incriminatingness of the country of origin

   Adult applicants apply for a certificate of non-criminatory status of the country of origin, legalized and translated (article 5 of the regulations), and refugees and persons with limited judicial capacity are exempted from it.

   • Ordered a certificate with the competent authority of his country
   • I put in the apostille and I made the juror's translation.
   • Checked the date of issue to ensure that the certificate is not obsolete for delivery: Impartiality certificate

   Where: authorities of the country of nationality, consulateDuration: Depends on the countryValue: by country of issue tariff

   When you need help, you have records in the certificate, even paid off, or you can't get it from your country.

7. Deal with the Spanish certificate of indictability

   The Spanish certificate does not appear in the list of documents in article 5 of the Spanish certificate: under article 8, the Ministry of Justice itself requests a compulsory report from the Ministry of the Interior; if the agency requests a certificate separately, it is received online.

   • Checked the list of documents in the form of the sede application
   • I know how to get a requerimiento reference: certificado de antecedentes penales

   Where: Ministry of Justice, sedeDuration: Upon request by the agencyCost: See the office page

   When assistance is needed, there were fines, detentions or open cases in Spain: "good behaviour" is a function of this assessment.

8. Take the registration certificate (padrón)

   Volante or certificado de empadronamiento confirms the address and years of residence, and in Barcelona Ajuntament gives it, but the regulations do not name it on the mandatory list, but the address affects the kind of oath Registro Civil will take and the certificate will be useful for requerimiento and DNI.

   • Checked that it was registered to the current address.
   • Asked for a background check on the address: volante in Barcelona

   Where: Ajuntament de Barcelona (the municipal rule)Duration: DNI certificate not exceeding three monthsValue: See Auntation page

   When you need help, you live outside the registration address or there was no part of the deadline.

9. Collect evidence of integration and funds

   Article 22 requires sufficient integration, and the regulations confirm it with the examinations and the documents of article 6; there is no closed list of proof of means and employment in the regulations, so that what Spain shows is prepared in advance.

   • Labour history (vida legal) or income and pension documents
   • Tax returns and lack of debt to the State
   • For children: certificates from school or school (art. 6)

   Where: Seguridad Social, Agencia Tributaria, training centresDuration: pending submissionCost: See the departmental pages

   When you need help, you don't have a stable income or you have tax debts, you should take care of the hestor before you deliver it.

10. Pay the fee in form 790 code 026

    The procedure is initiated by 104.05 I am being revised by the Budget Act, and the 790 form is downloaded from the Ministry of Justice; each form has its own number, and cannot be copied.

    • He downloaded 790 with code 026 on the sede.
    • I paid for it at the bank or online and kept it.
    • I understand the duty does not include DELE and CCEE.

    Where: Sede Ministry of Justice, BankDuration: pending submissionValue: 104.05 I

    When you need help, you don't usually need help; check the sum of the sede before you pay.

11. Make a statement through the Ministry of Justice sede

    Electronic procedure in all phases (article 3 of the regulations): The application is submitted with a digital certificate or Cl@ve; otherwise the attorney (mandato o poder) is submitted. The black letter of application is kept for two months and then removed.

    • Received digital certificate or Cl@ve: Cl@ve and Mi Carpeta Ciudadana
    • Scanned passport, certificate, certificate, DELE and CCSE certificates, receipt 790
    • Signed and sent the application, saved the file number.
    • If the representative is submitting, he has the following credentials: certificate and representative

    Where: sede.mjusticia.gob.esDuration: Draft removed after 2 monthsCost: step 10 duty

    When you need help, there's no certificate and Cl@ve or you're not sure about the documents: the application through the representative is safer.

12. Answer the requerimientos

    If the package is incomplete, the agency will submit a request (requerimiento) and the reply is given three months after the notification, otherwise the applicant is considered to have refused the application (article 10 of the regulations).

    • Regularly check e-mails and sede status
    • Answered for three months and kept the confirmation.
    • I understand the consequences of the pass: desistimiento and caducidad

    Where: Sede Ministry of JusticeDuration: 3 months to replyCost: free of charge

    When assistance is needed: the requirement is one of conduct, conviction or residence, not just the missing copy.

13. Wait for the decision and know the time.

    The decision must be taken and served within one year of the receipt of the application; if no reply is received in one year, the application is dismissed (silencia negativo, art. 11 of the regulations), and the appeal is decided separately.

    • Recorded the date of receipt of the application
    • I've been sending a reminder for a year.
    • I'm just extending my residence permit while I wait for the decision.

    Where: Sede Ministry of JusticeDuration: to 1 yearCost: free of charge

    When you need help, it's been a year without a response or a refusal, and the deadline for appeal is short, you need a lawyer.

14. Take the oath from the notary or Registro Civil.

    The decision will be effective if within 180 days of the notification you swear allegiance to the King or promise to submit to the Constitution and the law, declare the withdrawal of the previous citizenship when required and request the record (article 23 Código Civil).

    • He signed up for a notary or Registro Civil in his home country.
    • Prepared passport, resolution, birth certificate and a certificate of incriminating if requested
    • Discouraging with counsel the consequences of the renunciation of former nationality under the laws of his country

    Where: Notary or Registro CivilDuration: 180 days after notificationValue: See notary or Registro Civil

    When assistance is needed: the renunciation of former citizenship under article 23 has consequences under the laws of your country (assets, inheritance, military service, entry) and this is a matter for a lawyer who knows the law of both countries to swear in.

15. Get the Registro Civil, DNI and passport

    Registro Civil records the acquisition of citizenship. For the first DNI, certificación literal de nacimiento from Spanish Registro Civil is not more than six months old and registration certificate is not more than three months old.

    • Received certificación literal de nacimiento in Registro Civil
    • He signed up for DNI via the Cita previa Policya Nacional
    • I got a Spanish passport.
    • Reported to the bank, Agencia Tributaria and Segurid Social on a new document

    Where: Registro Civil, Policya NacionalDuration: The rule gives Registro Civil 5 days to recordValue: DNI duty on the Home Office page

    When you need help, you delay the recording or you delay it with the name and date errors.