Spain is offering citizens of 23 countries a faster path to citizenship, allowing them to apply after just two years of legal residence instead of the standard 10-year period for most foreign nationals.
The rules are outlined on the Spanish Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts’ official website. Applicants must meet the requirements for the shortened route, including passing integration tests set by the Instituto Cervantes.
Who qualifies for the two-year route
The two-year residency period applies to nationals of 19 Latin American countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.
The same route is open to nationals of Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal. People of Sephardic origin are also eligible under a separate category.
Most other foreign nationals must complete 10 years of continuous legal residence before applying. Refugees can apply after five years, according to the information cited in the report.
What happens after approval
People granted Spanish nationality must swear allegiance to the King of Spain and pledge to respect the Constitution and the country’s laws.
They are also generally required to renounce their previous nationality. The report says that requirement does not apply to nationals of the 23 listed countries or to people of Sephardic origin, who may retain dual nationality.
