Spain Mentions Special Category of Foreigners Who Can Get Citizenship in 5 Years
- Spain's government has outlined several residency periods that determine how long a foreign national must live in the country before qualifying for citizenship
- The general rule requires 10 years of legal residency, but Spain has identified a specific group that qualifies in just 5 years
- Beyond the 5-year category, certain nationalities and personal circumstances can reduce the required period even further, down to as little as 1 year
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Spain has revealed categories of foreign nationals who qualify for citizenship after only five years of legal residency, well below the standard 10-year requirement for most applicants.
According to information published on Spain's official government portal, the country operates a naturalisation process based on physical presence and legal residency.
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The length of time required before an applicant can apply for Spanish nationality varies depending on their background and circumstances.
Spain citizenship: Who qualifies for 5-year route
The five-year residency period applies specifically to individuals granted refugee status in Spain. This represents the primary exception to the general 10-year rule and means that recognised refugees can pursue citizenship in half the time required of most foreign nationals.
For other groups, the required period drops further still. Nationals from Latin American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, and Portugal, as well as people of Sephardic origin, need only two years of legal residency before they can apply.
Spain citizenship: Who can apply after 1 year
Spain also recognises a set of circumstances under which an applicant needs only one year of residency. These include people born on Spanish soil, individuals who were legally placed under the custody, guardianship, or foster care of a Spanish citizen or institution for at least two consecutive years, and those who are married to a Spanish national at the time of application, provided the marriage has lasted at least one year with no legal or de facto separation.
The one-year window also extends to the widow or widower of a Spanish national, provided no separation existed at the time of the spouse's death, as well as to people born outside Spain whose father, mother, or grandparent was originally Spanish.
Spain's government notes that the route through residency is, without doubt, the most commonly used naturalisation procedure among foreign nationals seeking to become Spanish citizens.
Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens.
Citizenship: Australia mentions residency years for foreigners
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia's Department of Home Affairs outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship.
Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship.
The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.
Source: Legit.ng
