SPANISH NATIONALITY ACQUISITION
The following are the ways by which one may request Spanish nationality:
- Ten years of residency in Spain legally, continuously or immediately prior to application.
This ten year period shall be reduced in the following circumstances:
a.) Five years: Those people who have been granted refugee status.
b.) Two years: Those people belonging to Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal or people of Sephardic origin.
c.) One year: Those people born on Spanish territory. This category includes all of the following situations:
-Those who haven´t exercised their right to Spanish nationality by choice.
-Those who have been in care of Spanish citizens or institutions for two consecutive years.
-Those who at the time of application have been married to a Spanish citizen for one year and who have not been legally separated during this time.
-The widow or widower of a Spaniard if at the time of death they were not legally separated.
-Those born outside of Spain to parents or grandparents who may also have been born outside of Spain but are originally of Spanish origin.
- Formal Legalized letter: granted by the Government by Royal Decree in exceptional circumstances.
- Being of Spanish Origin: born to a Spanish mother or father or born in Spain to foreign parents if at least one parent was also born in Spain.
- State possession: those who have legally resided in Spain continuously for ten years in good faith and registered in the Civil Registry, even though they are not of Spanish origin.
- Nationality by choice: a benefit that our legislation offers to those foreigners whose mother or father is of Spanish origin or subject to the guardianship of a Spaniard.
NON-LUCRATIVE RESIDENCE PERMIT:
Foreigners looking to obtain an initial temporary residence permit with no intention of carrying out labour or professional activites must fulfil the following requirements:
- Should not find themselves in a situation of irregularity in Spain
- Should not have any previous criminal record
- Should have sufficient financial means to cover personal and family member living and accommodation expenses.
- Should have public or private health insurance and not suffer from any disease that may lead to serious public health repercussions.
It is understood that sufficient economic means include the following:
- For personal monthly maintenance, 400% of IPREM in euros, or its equivalent in foreign currency.
- For maintenance of each family member for whom the applicant is financially responsible, 100% IPREM monthly in euros, or its equivalent in foreign currency. IPREM for 2015: 532,51 euros.
VISAS AND STUDENT RESIDENCE CARD RENEWALS
Students shall be authorized to remain in Spain for a period of more than 90 days if the purpose falls under one of the following categories:
• Studies or extended studies in an authorized learning center in Spain. The program must be full-time and the student must receive a degree or certificate of studies.
• Research or training.
• Participation in a program encouraging student and scholar mobility following a secondary school or higher education program in a high school or officially recognized scientific center.
• Non-labor practices in a public or private organization.
• Volunteer service with a program pursuing general-interest objectives.
The length of authorized stay will be the same as the length of the course or activity for which the authorization was granted with a maximum one year limit, although it may be renewed annually provided that the applicant can prove their fulfillment of all previous requirements such as passing appropriate tests. The research or studies carried out by the foreign national must prove to be satisfactorily progressing.
EU CITIZEN FAMILY MEMBERS
EU citizen family members may reside in Spain for a period of more than three months if they request and obtain the Residence Card for Relatives of European Union Citizens.
Translated by: Katherine Pascal
