# How long does it take to process an application for Spanish citizenship?



## ni68ana (Apr 4, 2016)

Hi all,
I'm an American citizen married to a Spanish woman, and we've been living here since September 2015. I understand that I'll be eligible to apply for Spanish citizenship one year after that - in Sept. 2016. Questions regarding dual citizenship aside, what I'm wondering is - how long does it take from the time you apply for naturalization, until you actually get the process completed and have the Spanish passport in your hand? Does it depend on the registro civil where you apply? We'd be applying in Zaragoza.
Any experiences or information you could share would be very helpful.
Thanks!


----------



## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

ni68ana said:


> Hi all,
> I'm an American citizen married to a Spanish woman, and we've been living here since September 2015. I understand that I'll be eligible to apply for Spanish citizenship one year after that - in Sept. 2016. Questions regarding dual citizenship aside, what I'm wondering is - how long does it take from the time you apply for naturalization, until you actually get the process completed and have the Spanish passport in your hand? Does it depend on the registro civil where you apply? We'd be applying in Zaragoza.
> Any experiences or information you could share would be very helpful.
> Thanks!


Depends on your circumstances, mine are different to yours, over 10 years resident, we have now been waiting two years six months, however six months ago, two years since the submission, we received a letter stating that our application had been received and was being considered.

We are in the Canaries, we applied at our local court, the papers were then sent to Tenerife and on to Madrid. The man at the court house said eight months, our local politician says five years is not unusual.

Five years, blooming heck, I'm an old sod now, could be dead by then


----------



## Brangus (May 1, 2010)

ni68ana said:


> how long does it take from the time you apply for naturalization, until you actually get the process completed and have the Spanish passport in your hand? Does it depend on the registro civil where you apply?


For my OH, it took two years, start to finish. 

* Oct. or Nov. 2012: Registro Civil in Albacete verified eligibility to apply for citizenship and then scheduled the next available appointment -- in June 2013. 

* June 2013: Submit all required paperwork to Registro Civil. I believe it was that same day, they spontaneously called me in for a brief interview (in Spanish) to help ascertain whether my OH -- and I! -- had adapted to Spanish culture. Interesting that they didn't ask OH about this, or about anything really! And I wasn't the one applying, so why did they care if I had adapted? Anyway, the interview was a fairly laid-back experience.

* July 2014: Status of application was updated online to show the "resolución": approved.

* early October 2014: Sworn in at Registro Civil. Two days later, OH picked up a passport and Spanish identity card from the local headquarters of the national police.

As you can see above, a major chunk of time was simply waiting for the appointment to turn in the documents, and that probably would vary from one Registro Civil to another.

Another thing is, I think there is a new requirement to demonstrate competency in the Spanish language if you're not a native speaker. That could add more time to the process.

Being Latin American, my OH was eligible to apply after two years of residency and now legally has dual citizenship.


----------



## ni68ana (Apr 4, 2016)

Thanks for the responses. Years?! Unbelievable...


----------

