Recovering Spanish nationality you lost or renounced

Key rules

• Residence: You need legal residence in Spain unless you are an emigrant, the child of an emigrant, or lived in exile.
• Other nationality: You must renounce your other nationality unless it is Ibero-American, Andorran, Filipino, Equatorial Guinean or Portuguese.
• Proof: If you cannot prove you were Spanish before, recovery is not allowed.
• Where to apply: Apply at the Registro Civil in Spain, or at the consulate if you live abroad.

Can you recover it?

If you once had Spanish nationality and lost it, you can recover it. You must be a legal resident in Spain, and you must declare before the Registro Civil that you want it back. The residence requirement can be waived in some cases, and you usually have to give up your other nationality too.

Who is exempt from living in Spain

You do not need to show legal residence if you are:

• an emigrant or the child of an emigrant, or
• someone who lived in exile.

If you claim an exemption, you apply for it and give proof of it with your file.

Do you have to give up your other nationality?

Yes, unless you are exempt. You are exempt if your other nationality is from an Ibero-American country, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea or Portugal. If you are not exempt, you sign a renunciation of that nationality as part of the process.

When recovery can be refused

• You cannot prove that you were Spanish before.
• The Government objects on grounds of public order or public interest.

Prove your prior nationality first. A Spanish birth certificate is the usual way.

How the process works

1. Work out whether you need legal residence or an exemption, and whether you must renounce your other nationality.
2. Gather your papers. The documents list below shows what is needed. Registries and consulates differ on the exact list, so ask the office that will take your file.
3. File your application at the Registro Civil of your home town in Spain. If you live abroad, file at the Spanish consulate.
4. Sign the declaration of recovery, plus the renunciation if it applies to you.
5. The registry processes your file, and the central authority for legal certainty can decide it.
6. If it is approved, the recovery is entered in the Registro Civil. At that registration you promise loyalty to the King and obedience to the Constitution.

The checklist and FAQ below go through these steps and common questions.

Documents you need

• Proof of your prior Spanish nationality, usually a Spanish birth certificate.

• Your valid passport as proof of identity.

• A certificate of birth.

• Criminal-record certificates from each country where you have lived.

• Proof of legal residence in Spain, or proof of the exemption you claim (for example as an emigrant, child of an emigrant or exile).

• A signed declaration of recovery, plus a renunciation of your other nationality unless you are exempt.

Checklist

• Check whether you must show legal residence in Spain or can claim an exemption as an emigrant, child of an emigrant or exile.

• Check whether your previous nationality must be renounced or you are exempt.

• Gather your Spanish birth certificate, passport, birth certificate and criminal-record certificates.

• Attend the registration at the Registro Civil and make the promise of loyalty to the King and obedience to the Constitution.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to give up my other nationality to recover Spanish nationality?

Yes, you must renounce your previous nationality unless you are exempt. People from Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal do not have to renounce. If you are exempt, you skip the renunciation declaration.

Who is exempt from the legal residence requirement?

Emigrants, the children of emigrants, and people who lived in exile are exempt from the residence requirement. Everyone else must be a legal resident in Spain, or ask for an exemption. Ask the Registro Civil or consulate whether your case qualifies.

Can my recovery of Spanish nationality be refused?

Yes, it can be refused if you cannot prove you once had Spanish nationality. The Government can also object on grounds of public order or interest. Gather a Spanish birth certificate and any records of your former nationality first.

What happens at the end of the recovery process?

The recovery is registered in the Registro Civil.