This is the way to request the document that recognizes the residents of the country as full citizens
The way people officially belong to a country is through nationality. It is a link that recognizes them as citizens with full rights and gives them access to essential benefits such as the right to vote, obtaining a visa and free movement, and acquiring a European passport for EU countries. In this sense, it is considered a fundamental right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Obtaining the nationality of a country translates into achieving the same rights and obligations as the citizens of origin. In Spain there are ways to request it, although there are many cases in which the legislation already recognizes it: those born to a Spanish father or mother, those born in Spain to foreign parents if at least one of the parents was born in Spain, those born in Spain of stateless foreign parents, those born in Spain of parents whose identity is unknown and those under 18 years of age adopted by a Spaniard.
But beyond nationality by birth, there are other ways by which it is possible to obtain it. These are the steps and the requirements that you must meet to obtain Spanish nationality, depending on your situation:
Nationality by residence
This is the most common case and refers to people who have resided in Spain for ten years legally and continuously. However, there are cases of shortening this period, such as people who have refugee status, whose term is shortened to five years. There is also a reduction for those from Andora, Portugal, Equatorial Guinea, the Philippines, Ibero-American countries or countries of Sephardic origin: they will be able to apply for nationality in two years. Finally, the term is reduced to one year for people who meet special conditions such as being married to a Spaniard, being a widower of a Spaniard or having been under the guardianship of a Spanish citizen or institution for two consecutive years.
In all these cases, it is mandatory to prove good civic conduct and sufficient integration into society, for which you must pass a series of exams that assess knowledge of the Spanish Constitution, as well as of the country’s society and culture. These are the tests of Constitutional and Sociocultural Knowledge of Spain, from which only minors and people with disabilities are exempt.
Nationality by naturalization card
In this case there are no established requirements, because this form of nationality is not subject to any administrative procedure. This is a recognition granted by the Government by Royal Decree based on certain exceptional circumstances that they consider suitable.
Nationality by option
Under certain conditions, the legislation provides an option for some foreigners to acquire nationality. These are several cases: people who have been subject to parental authority (expires two years after the interested party comes of age), people with a Spanish father or mother who was born in Spain, people whose birth determination in Spain occurs after the age of 18 (expires in two years from the date the filiation is determined) and people adopted by Spaniards after the age of 18 (up to two years after the adoption).
To carry out the procedure of applying for nationality you can count on the help of an expert, but you can also do it on your own. This is the documentation that you will have to present:
– Foreigner Identity Card or EU Citizen Registration Certificate
– Full passport
– Criminal record certificate from the country of origin
– Birth certificate from the country of origin
– Birth certificate of minor children
– Marriage certificate from the country of celebration
– In the case of Spanish widowers, the spouse’s birth certificate issued by the Spanish Civil Registry
– In the case of Spanish descendant, birth certificate of the Spanish father, mother, grandfather or grandmother.
– Payment of the fee for model 760.
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