Citizenship through marriage to a Spaniard: requirements

Citizenship through marriage to a Spaniard is one of the fastest routes to obtaining Spanish nationality: while the general rule requires ten years of legal residence, being married to a person of Spanish nationality reduces that period to just one year. In this guide we explain, in plain language and for orientation only, which requirements you must meet, which documents you need and how long the procedure can take.

Before starting, it is worth clarifying an important point: citizenship through marriage is not automatic. Marrying a Spaniard does not make you Spanish immediately; what it does is reduce the period of prior residence required for you to be able to submit the application. Moreover, this route is governed by the Civil Code (article 22) and by the Regulation on citizenship by residence (RD 1004/2015), not by the new Immigration Regulation (RD 1155/2024), which regulates residence and arraigo (roots-based residence) but not the granting of citizenship.

What citizenship through marriage to a Spaniard is

When we talk about citizenship through marriage to a Spaniard, we are technically referring to citizenship by residence with a period reduced to one year. Article 22.2.d) of the Civil Code establishes that one year of legal, continuous residence immediately prior to the application is enough for someone who has been married to a Spaniard for at least one year and is not legally or de facto separated.

In other words, marrying is not enough: you must be married and have legally resided in Spain during that year, as well as keeping the marriage bond in force and cohabitation at the moment of applying.

Requirements for citizenship through marriage to a Spaniard

To access this route you must meet, cumulatively, the following requirements:

• Registered and current marriage: your marriage to the Spanish person must be registered in the Spanish Civil Registry and still be in force. An unmarried partnership does not work: for the one-year period the law requires marriage.
• Genuine cohabitation: you cannot be legally or de facto separated. The Administration may assess actual cohabitation (joint municipal registration, shared accounts, etc.).
• One year of legal residence: having resided in Spain legally, continuously and immediately prior to the application for at least one year. That year is normally proven with a valid residence card.
• One year of marriage: you must have been married to the Spanish person for at least one year at the moment of applying.
• Good civic conduct: your behaviour is assessed; a criminal record can be an obstacle.
• Sufficient degree of integration: proven by passing two Instituto Cervantes exams (except in certain cases).

The CCSE and DELE exams

To prove your integration you will normally have to pass two Instituto Cervantes tests:

• CCSE: exam on Constitutional and Sociocultural Knowledge of Spain.
• DELE A2: Spanish language exam, compulsory unless you are a national of a Spanish-speaking country (in which case you are exempt from the DELE).

These exams are the same ones required on the general route, so you can read more in our guide on the CCSE and DELE exams for Spanish citizenship.

Documents needed

The basic documents for the application usually include:

• Applicant's birth certificate, legalised or apostilled and translated where applicable.
• Up-to-date marriage certificate, issued by the Spanish Civil Registry.
• Municipal registration certificate (empadronamiento, often joint with the spouse).
• Criminal record certificate from the country of origin, apostilled or legalised and with a sworn translation, plus the certificate from the Spanish Central Criminal Records Registry.
• Valid residence card and full passport.
• CCSE and DELE A2 diplomas (when required).
• Proof of payment of the fee (Form 790, code 026).

If you need specific guidance on how to apostille or translate the foreign documents, review our guide on criminal records, apostille and sworn translation.

How to prove the year of legal residence

The point that raises the most doubts is prior legal residence. To have that year of residence as the spouse of a Spaniard, the usual step is first to process the residence card for a family member of an EU citizen, which in Spain also applies to family members of Spaniards (EU regime, RD 240/2007). You can see the details of that route on the page for the residence card for family members of an EU citizen.

Once that year of legal residence and marriage is completed, you can make the leap to Spanish citizenship by residence, which is the procedure through which citizenship through marriage is also processed.

Deadlines: how long it takes

The application is submitted preferably online. The maximum legal deadline to decide is one year from when the complete file reaches the Directorate-General for Legal Certainty and Public Attestation; if it passes with no reply, it is deemed dismissed by administrative silence. In practice, actual times vary considerably depending on the workload. You can get a more concrete idea in our guide on how long Spanish citizenship takes.

The final oath

If your application is granted, the last step is to swear or promise loyalty to the King and obedience to the Constitution and the laws before the Civil Registry, within the 180 days following notification. Bear in mind that Spain, as a general rule, requires you to renounce your previous nationality, except if you are from an Ibero-American country, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea or Portugal (or of Sephardic origin), cases in which dual nationality is allowed.

Not sure which route applies to you?

If you are still unclear whether your situation fits this route or another (residence as a family member, arraigo, etc.), you can use our immigration route finder: by answering a few questions it orients you on which procedure best suits your case.

Frequently asked questions

Is citizenship through marriage to a Spaniard automatic?

No. Marriage to a Spaniard does not grant nationality automatically: it only reduces to one year the period of legal residence required in order to apply for it by residence.

How long do I have to be married before applying?

You must have at least one year of marriage and one year of legal residence, continuous and immediately prior to the application, keeping cohabitation and with no legal or de facto separation.

Does an unmarried partnership work instead of marriage?

For the reduced one-year period, no. The Civil Code requires marriage. An unmarried partnership can serve to obtain residence as a family member, but it does not reduce the citizenship period to one year.

Can I keep my nationality of origin?

As a general rule Spain asks you to renounce your previous nationality, except for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal or people of Sephardic origin, who may keep dual nationality.

What happens if we divorce during the procedure?

Cohabitation and the bond must be maintained at the moment of the application. A separation or divorce before the decision can lead to refusal, since the requirement justifying the reduced period lapses.

Notice: this guide is purely for orientation and does not constitute legal advice. The rules (Civil Code, RD 1004/2015 and RD 1155/2024) and administrative criteria may change or be interpreted differently depending on your specific case. For a personalised assessment, consult an immigration professional or the competent Administration.