Adoption by Spanish national — minor foreign adoptee
Route ES-ADP-01 — Adoption of minor. Legal basis: CC Art 19.1 (Spanish nationality of origin from adoption date).
short95% data confidenceNo renunciation required
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Spain Citizenship Guide
20 citizenship pathways — everything you need to know about eligibility, documents, timelines, and costs.
3 min readLast updated: April 2026
Adoption
1 pathway in this category
Birth
4 pathways in this category
Nationality by origin — parent born in Spain (double ius soli)
Route ES-BTH-01 — Nationality by origin — parent born in Spain (double ius soli). Status: active. Legal basis: ES-LEG-CC-Art17, Art 17.1.b.
immediate95% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Nationality by origin — statelessness prevention
Route ES-BTH-02 — Statelessness-prevention route. Legal basis: CC Art 17.1.c + 1961 Statelessness Convention.
immediate95% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Nationality by origin — foundlings
Route ES-BTH-03 — Foundling provision. Legal basis: CC Art 17.1.d.
immediate95% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Nationality by residence — 1 year, born in Spanish territory
Route ES-BTH-04 — 1-year residence for Spain-born. Legal basis: CC Art 22.2.a.
short92% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Child
3 pathways in this category
Option — patria potestad of a Spaniard
Route ES-CBN-01 — Option via parental authority. Legal basis: CC Art 20.1.a.
short92% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Option — parent originally Spanish and born in Spain
Route ES-CBN-02 — Option for descendants of Spain-born originally-Spanish parents. Legal basis: CC Art 20.1.b.
short95% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Option — late filiation / post-adoption
Route ES-CBN-03 — Option via late filiation. Legal basis: CC Art 20.1.c + 17.2 + 19.2.
short88% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Descent
1 pathway in this category
Nationality by origin — Spanish parent at birth (ius sanguinis)
Route ES-DSC-01 — ius sanguinis. Legal basis: CC Art 17.1.a.
immediate95% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Historical
3 pathways in this category
Sephardic Ley 12/2015
Route ES-HIS-01 — Sephardic Ley 12/2015. Status: CLOSED to new applications since 2021-09-30. Descendant rights retained via Art 17 CC (successful 2015-2021 applicants transmit to descendants). Legal basis: Ley 12/2015 Art 1.1 + DA 2ª.
closed95% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Memoria Democrática Ley 20/2022
Route ES-HIS-02 — Memoria Democrática grandchildren route. Status: PENDING appointment preservation — new applications barred after 2024-10-21 except those with pre-deadline electronic appointment (Instrucción DGSJFP 2024-11-05). Legal basis: Ley 20/2022 DA 8ª.
long95% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Memoria Histórica Ley 52/2007
Route ES-HIS-03 — Memoria Histórica. Status: SUPERSEDED by Ley 20/2022 for nationality. Window expired 2011-12-27. Legal basis: Ley 52/2007 DA 7ª.
closed90% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Investment
1 pathway in this category
Carta de Naturaleza (Art 21.1 CC)
Route ES-INV-01 — Carta de Naturaleza discretionary grant. Legal basis: CC Art 21.1 (Royal Decree for exceptional circumstances).
variable90% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Marriage
1 pathway in this category
Nationality by residence — 1-year spouse/widow
Route ES-MAR-01 — 1-year spouse/widow route. Legal basis: CC Art 22.2.d.
short92% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Military
1 pathway in this category
International Brigades legacy
Route ES-MIL-01 — International Brigades legacy. Status: SUPERSEDED — incorporated into Memoria Histórica then Memoria Democrática frameworks.
closed85% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Naturalization
3 pathways in this category
Nationality by residence — 10-year standard
Route ES-NAT-01 — 10-year standard residence. Legal basis: CC Art 22.1 + RD 1004/2015 Art 6.
long95% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Nationality by residence — 5-year refugee status
Route ES-NAT-02 — 5-year refugee residence. Legal basis: CC Art 22.1 párr.3 + Ley 12/2009.
medium92% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Nationality by residence — 2-year Ibero-American fast-track
Route ES-NAT-03 — 2-year Ibero-American/Andorra/Philippines/EG/Portugal/Sephardic fast-track. Legal basis: CC Art 22.1 párr.2 + Art 24.2 dual-nationality retention.
short95% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Restoration
1 pathway in this category
Recovery of Spanish nationality (Art 26 CC)
Route ES-RST-01 — Recovery after prior loss. Legal basis: CC Art 26.1 (legal residence required, except for emigrants/children of emigrants).
short95% data confidenceNo renunciation required
Special
1 pathway in this category
Possession and use (Art 18 CC)
Route ES-SPC-01 — Possession + use consolidation. Legal basis: CC Art 18 (10-year good-faith use + Registro Civil inscription).
long90% data confidenceNo renunciation required
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