The two-year route for Ibero-American and other special nationalities

Key rules

• Two years: Nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal, and Sephardic Jews, can apply after two years of residence.
• Renunciation: If you are from one of the listed countries, you do not have to renounce your previous nationality.
• Sephardic 2015 route: The 2015 special-grant route closed on 1 October 2019, but the two-year residence route stays open.
• Where to file: You file your proof of nationality in the Ministry of Justice electronic procedure.

Who can apply after two years

You can apply after two years of legal residence in Spain if you are a national of one of these:

• An Ibero-American country (the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking states of Latin America). Brazil is included, and Puerto Rico is covered by the same rule.
• Andorra
• The Philippines
• Equatorial Guinea
• Portugal

Sephardic Jews can also use the two-year period. You must prove Sephardic origin and a link with Spain.

If your country is not on this list, this page does not apply to you.

Renunciation

You must swear loyalty to the King and obedience to the Constitution and laws, and renounce your previous nationality, unless you are from an Ibero-American country, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea or Portugal. If you are from one of those countries, you keep your nationality and have nothing to renounce.

Sephardic applicants under the 2015 route were also exempt. If you are stateless, you have nothing to renounce.

Anyone who does have to renounce declares it at the oath. You do not need to prove that your other country accepts it.

The Sephardic route

There were two Sephardic routes. The 2015 route gave nationality by a special grant (carta de naturaleza) with no residence requirement. It closed on 1 October 2019, so you cannot use it now. The ordinary route, with two years of residence and proof of Sephardic origin and a link with Spain, is still open.

How you prove your nationality

You prove it with documents, not a statement. You will need:

• A valid passport from your country.
• Your birth certificate, apostilled or legalised, and translated into Spanish if needed.
• A certificate of nationality from your country, if the procedure asks for it.
• A criminal record certificate from your country of origin.
• Your Spanish residence documents.

You file everything in the Ministry of Justice electronic procedure. The exact document list is set there, so check it before you order certificates. Ask your country's consulate whether it issues a certificate of nationality and how long it takes.

The documents list and checklist below set out the details.

Documents you need

• A valid passport from your qualifying country.

• Your birth certificate, apostilled or legalised, and translated into Spanish if it is in another language.

• A certificate of nationality from your country, where the procedure asks for it.

• A criminal record certificate from your country of origin.

• Your Spanish residence documents.

Checklist

• Confirm your nationality is on the list: an Ibero-American country, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea or Portugal, or Sephardic origin.

• Check whether you are exempt from renouncing your previous nationality, and plan to declare the renunciation at the oath if you are not.

• Gather your passport and birth certificate, apostilled or legalised and translated if needed.

Frequently asked questions

Is Brazil covered by the two-year period?

Yes, Brazil counts as an Ibero-American country, so Brazilian nationals qualify for the two-year period. Puerto Rico is covered by the same rule.

Can Sephardic Jews still apply through the special 2015 route?

No, the separate route with no residence requirement closed on 1 October 2019. You can still use the two-year residence period if you prove Sephardic origin and a link with Spain.

Do I have to prove the other country accepts my renunciation?

No, Spain does not check whether your other country accepts the renunciation. If you are not exempt, you declare it at the oath, and stateless people have nothing to renounce.