The citizenship document file: what you need and expiry dates

Terms used

• TIE — The TIE is the foreigner's identity card that shows your legal residence in Spain.
• CCSE — The CCSE is the Spanish constitution and culture test required for nationality.
• DELE A2 — The DELE A2 is the basic Spanish language diploma issued by Instituto Cervantes, required for nationality unless you are exempt.
• Padrón — The padrón is the register of residents kept by your town hall.
• Traductor jurado — A traductor jurado is a sworn translator whose translations are accepted as official in Spain.

Key rules

• Criminal record certificate: Order it last, because it goes stale quickly once issued.
• Exam results: Take the CCSE and DELE A2 first, since their results do not expire for a nationality application.
• Residence period: You must have completed 10 years of legal residence before you file, in the normal case.
• Originals: You upload scans only, but keep every original in case the Ministry asks for it later.

What the file contains

Most applicants by residence need the same core set of documents. The checklist and the document table below break it down by profile. In short, you need:

• The online application form.
• Your passport and your current residence card (TIE).
• A full birth certificate.
• A criminal record certificate from your home country, and from any other country you have lived in as an adult.
• Proof you passed the CCSE and, unless you are exempt, the DELE A2.
• The receipt for the fee (modelo 790, código 026).
• If they apply to you: your marriage certificate, proof of family ties, or proof of means of living if the Ministry asks.

Spanish police records and your residence history are checked by the administration itself, with your consent on the form. You do not order those.

Which documents expire

Order the documents with a short life last, and the ones that never expire first.

Foreign criminal record certificate. This is the one that catches people. It must have been issued no more than three months before you file, unless the certificate states a shorter validity. Ask for it only when everything else is ready. If a slow apostille or translation eats into the three months, you will have to order it again.

Birth certificate. It has no strict expiry, but it must be a full literal copy from the civil registry. Offices commonly expect one issued within about the last year, so order a new one if yours is older.

CCSE and DELE A2 results. They do not expire for a nationality application, so take the exams first. Instituto Cervantes sends the results to the Ministry electronically. You enter your exam details and consent to the check on the form. Keep your certificates ready to upload in case the check fails. If you are exempt from the DELE, for example as a national of a Spanish-speaking country, attach proof of the exemption.

Passport and TIE. Check the dates on both before you file. Renew a card that is close to expiry first, so the file shows a current one.

Legalisation and translation

Foreign public documents need the Hague apostille or legalisation, unless a treaty exempts them. Anything not in Spanish needs a translation by a sworn translator (traductor jurado) appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. An official translation from a Spanish consulate or a foreign authority is accepted in some cases.

Do the apostille before the translation, and translate the apostille too.

How you submit

You upload scanned copies, normally as PDF files. The portal sets a size limit per document, so check it before you scan. You do not send originals when you file, but the Ministry can ask for them later, so keep every original safe.

Proving your residence

You must have completed the full legal residence period before filing, which is normally 10 years counted from the grant of legal residence. The residence must be legal, continuous and immediately before filing. Your current TIE and any earlier cards are the main evidence.

Long absences or gaps in legal status can break continuity. Keep passport stamps, padrón records and social security records handy in case the Ministry asks for extra proof.

A sensible order

2. Order the birth certificate, then get it apostilled and translated.
3. Order the criminal record certificate last, then apostille and translate it, so it is still within three months on the filing day.
4. Pay the fee and file.

The form and instructions on the Ministry's portal can change, so check the current list on the day you file.

Timeline and deadlines

• Take the CCSE and DELE A2 exams; the results do not expire: before you gather the other documents

• Order a full literal birth certificate, apostilled or legalised and translated if needed: in the year before you file

• File the application online with all documents: before the three-month limit on the foreign criminal record certificate runs out

Which documents each applicant profile needs for citizenship

Documents by applicant profile

• All applicants: the online application form, filed electronically with the Ministry of Justice, and the fee receipt (modelo 790 código 026). Upload each document as a scanned PDF; originals are not sent at filing, but the Ministry can ask for them later.

• Residence route (normally 10 years): passport, residence card (TIE), NIE, and the full birth certificate. Add the criminal record certificate from your country of origin and from any other country where you have lived since adulthood, plus the Spanish central criminal records certificate.

• Residence route: proof you passed the CCSE (the Spanish constitution and culture test) and the DELE A2 Spanish certificate, unless you are exempt. Results do not expire. Proof of integration or means of living may be requested.

• Foreign birth and criminal record certificates must carry the Hague apostille or be legalised, unless a treaty exempts them. The birth certificate must be a full copy from the civil registry and recent, ideally issued within the last year.

• Any document not in Spanish needs a translation by a sworn translator (traductor jurado) appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or an official translation by a Spanish consulate or foreign authority where accepted.

• Marriage route (one year of residence): add the marriage certificate from the Spanish civil registry, your spouse's proof of Spanish nationality (DNI or birth certificate), a padrón certificate showing you live together, and a declaration or evidence that you are not separated. The usual exams and records still apply.

• Refugee or stateless route (five years): your criminal record certificate from the country of origin is generally not required. Where you cannot get a document from your home country, use the refugee or stateless documentation issued in Spain; the refugee card or equivalent can replace the birth certificate.

• Refugee or stateless route: the CCSE and DELE A2 still apply, but you can ask for an exemption or an adapted test if you cannot take them. Subsidiary protection does not qualify for this route; follow the ordinary residence route instead.

• Minor under 18: the minor's birth certificate, passport, TIE and padrón certificate, plus the parent's or guardian's ID and proof of representation (family book or birth certificate). The representative signs and files; from age 14 the minor acts with the representative's help.

• Minor under 18: no criminal record certificates, which are required only from age 18, and generally no CCSE or DELE A2. Adults must provide both, and can ask for an exemption or adapted test if they have a disability or cannot read or write.

Checklist

• Scan your passport and your current residence card (TIE) as PDF files.

• Order a full birth certificate issued within about the last year, with the apostille or legalisation, and a sworn translation if it is not in Spanish.

• Get a criminal record certificate from your country of origin, and from any other country you have lived in since adulthood, issued no more than three months before you file.

• Gather passport stamps, padrón records and social security records in case the Ministry asks you to prove continuous residence.

• Pay the fee with modelo 790 código 026 and keep the receipt for the file.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to upload my CCSE and DELE A2 certificates?

Usually no, because Instituto Cervantes sends your CCSE and DELE A2 results directly to the Ministry of Justice. You give consent on the form and enter your exam details, such as your candidate number and identity document. If the check fails, you may be asked to upload the certificates, and exempt applicants attach proof of their exemption.

Does my birth certificate expire?

No, a birth certificate has no strict expiry date, but it is commonly expected to have been issued within about the last year. It must be a full literal copy from the civil registry, legalised or apostilled. Order a fresh one if yours is much older.

What proof of residence do I need to add to the file?

Your current residence card (TIE) is the main proof, plus earlier cards if they are relevant. The Ministry checks your residence records itself with your consent.

Do I send original documents when I file?

No, you upload scanned copies, typically PDF, and the portal limits file size per document. The Ministry can ask for originals later, so keep them safe. Foreign documents not in Spanish need a sworn translation.