Citizenship for Expats in Spain
Posted by The Expatriator
Tagged: residency, passport, legal, citizenship, eu, vote, allegiance, application, resident
Information about residency and citizenship for expatriates living in Spain.
After you have been a resident of Spain for two to ten years (depending on the circumstances under which you got your residency), you have the right to apply for citizenship. Once your application is approved, you swear allegiance to the King and to the Spanish Constitution. The public body in charge of citizenship is the Ministerio de Justicia; the place to apply is the Registro Civil.
You must technically renounce citizenship with your country of origin (unless you’re from Latin America, Portugal, Philippines, Ecuatorial Guinea, Andorra, or you’re a Sephardic Jew). In practice, countries do not generally exchange this information, so as long as you don’t show both passports at the airport, you won’t get in trouble.
Is it worth getting citizenship? The main difference is you can get a passport and the right to vote, though there are many minor advantages (EU citizen rates for museums, etc.)
Last updated 03 04 2006
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BigBrian said:
In addition to the above, you will have to speak Spanish competently, but after 5 years this should not be a problem. There are many ex-southern Africans living here in Spain having left their countries before and after the installation of the new goverments years ago, or in Zimbabwe's case, the wrecking of the economy, etc. and of course the extreme state-sponsored racism now. I have two friends who have been granted citizenship, both ex SA citizens.
Great web site.
ROBI said:
Has any British expat now living in Spain applied for Spanish Citizenship - can they explain the benfits ??