Weighing your children's roots when you consider leaving Spain

Key rules

• Teenagers: Teenagers usually find a move hardest, while children under about 6 adapt more easily.
• Nationality: A child born or raised in Spain does not automatically become Spanish.
• Residence permit: A child's permit generally ends with the parents' permit or after a long absence, unless the child has long-term status.
• School re-entry: The destination country and school decide how Spanish studies are recognised, so ask them before you decide.
• Timing: Sudden moves and repeated moves are linked to more difficulty, so plan well ahead.

Start with your children, not the logistics

If you are thinking of leaving Spain, weigh your children's roots first, before dates, jobs or housing. Their attachment, language and school are the hardest parts to change later, and a rushed move is the one that tends to go worst.

What decides how hard a move will be

No single factor settles it. These matter most:

• Age. Teenagers usually find a move hardest, because friends and identity matter so much at that age. Children under about 6 adapt more easily.
• Years in Spain. Several years in Spanish schools with fluent Spanish tends to deepen attachment. Leaving then means leaving home, not just a country.
• Friendships and school experience. A child who is happy at school and has close friends has more to lose.
• Your attitude. Calm, stable parents make a move easier.
• Personality and past moves. Repeated moves and sudden moves with little preparation are linked to more difficulty.

Ask yourself for each child: how old are they, how long have they been here, and which language do they feel most at home in?

Language: both directions

Your child may now be stronger in Spanish, or in the regional language (Catalan, Basque, Galician or Valencian), than in your home language. That affects a return. If the home language is not kept up, it can weaken.

If you stay, you can keep it alive with:

• consistent use at home, reading and contact with relatives
• weekend or community schools
• online tutoring or distance schools
• programmes run by some home countries in Spain, such as Portugal's LCCP courses and Italian courses. Availability depends on your country, region and school.

Spanish schools teach in Spanish and the regional language, so home-language lessons are usually extra-curricular. International and foreign schools exist but are costly.

School: what a return looks like

The receiving school will normally place your child by age and assessed level, often with language or catch-up support. Rules for recognising Spanish studies are set by the destination country, and sometimes by the individual school. Ask the school you are considering before you decide.

Gather the paperwork early. Your child's Spanish school issues the school record (historial académico) and a certificate of studies on request. Your regional education authority or the Ministry of Education can certify them for use abroad. They are usually legalised with an apostille and translated if the home country asks. The documents list below has the details. Spanish ESO (to age 16) and Bachillerato certificates can count for university entry elsewhere, subject to that country's rules.

Status: what leaving does to your child's permit

Children of foreign parents who are born or raised in Spain do not automatically get Spanish nationality. Most hold a residence permit tied to yours. If you leave, that permit generally ends with yours or after a long absence, unless the child has long-term status. This matters if you might want to come back, so check it before you go.

Spanish nationality, if your child has it, stays whatever you do. For nationality questions, ask the Registro Civil or an immigration lawyer. The FAQ below covers the common questions.

A way to decide

1. List each child's age, years in Spain, strongest language and school stage.
2. Involve them. Children who are part of the decision cope better.
3. If you go, pick a time that fits their school year, and avoid sudden moves.
4. Plan for friendships: calls, visits, and a school of a similar type.
5. Request school documents before you leave, not after.

If the picture is mixed, consider timing instead of a yes or no. Waiting until a natural break, such as the end of primary school or ESO, can reduce the cost for a child.

Documents you need

• School record (historial académico), issued by your child's Spanish school on request.

• Certificate of studies, issued by your child's Spanish school on request.

• Certification of studies from the education authority of your autonomous community or the Ministry of Education, with an apostille (an international stamp that makes a document valid abroad), for use in another country.

• Translation of the school documents, if the school or authorities in your home country ask for one.

Frequently asked questions

Does my child get Spanish nationality automatically if born or raised in Spain?

No, a child of foreign parents does not automatically get Spanish nationality by being born or raised in Spain. Birth in Spain gives nationality only in limited cases, such as when both parents are stateless. Otherwise the child usually holds a residence permit as a dependant of yours.

What happens to my child's residence permit if we leave Spain?

Your child's permit generally lapses with your permit or after a long absence, unless the child has long-term status. Spanish nationality, if the child already holds it, stays whatever you decide. Ask the Registro Civil (the civil registry) or an immigration lawyer before you give up any permit.

Can my child keep our home language while living in Spain?

Yes, you can keep your home language going, but lessons are usually outside regular school hours. Spanish schools teach in Spanish and the regional language, so look at weekend or community schools, online tutoring and daily use at home. Some countries, such as Portugal and Italy, run language courses in Spain.

Will a Spanish school certificate be accepted when my child starts school back home?

Often yes for placement, but the rules are set by your home country and sometimes by the school. The receiving school usually places your child by age and assessed level, sometimes with catch-up or language support.