Spanish Passport
The Spanish Passport is recognized as one of the most valuable and reputable passports in the world, holding a global power ranking of 178, allowing its holders to enter 127 countries worldwide without requiring a visa.
Holders of this country’s passport can request a visa at airports upon arrival in 44 countries, while for entry into 20 countries, prior visa application is necessary. All pathways for immigration to Spain do not lead to obtaining the Spanish passport. The following routes can lead to acquiring a passport:
- Through work
- Investment
- Marriage
- Asylum
If you intend to obtain this passport, be sure to contact the experts of Malekpour Institute and receive the necessary information in the form of a free initial consultation. In the comments section, you can ask your questions and get answers in a short time.
Conditions for Obtaining a Spanish Passport
There are numerous immigration pathways leading to obtaining a passport, and the conditions for obtaining a passport in Spain vary in each of these pathways. Below are the immigration routes along with their required conditions.
| Pathway | Conditions for Obtaining Spanish Passport |
|---|---|
| Investment | – Minimum age of 18- Maintain the investment for 5 years- Provide sufficient funding |
| Work | – Have a valid job offer- Pay insurance and taxes for 5 years |
| Study | – Does not directly lead to citizenship |
| Birth | – At least one parent must be born in or be a citizen of Spain |
| Marriage | – Marry a Spanish citizen- Maintain the marital relationship for 5 years |
| Residency | – Pass the Spanish language test (minimum A2 level)- Pass the cultural integration test (CCSE)- Pay required fees (€103.20) |
To apply for a Spanish passport, the applicant must meet all the following general conditions:
- Have a clear criminal record
- Have valid health insurance and an official health certificate
- Have sufficient funds to stay in Spain
- Be over 18 years old
- Have not previously been refused a visa or entry into the Schengen area
Advantages of Obtaining a Spanish Passport
Spain has been a member of the European Union since 1986, which has significantly contributed to the power of its passport. Undoubtedly, obtaining a Spanish passport comes with many advantages, some of which are mentioned below.
- Spain ranks second in the world according to the passport index. The Spanish passport allows its holder to access 178 countries worldwide without requiring a visa or with a visa on arrival.
- The Spanish passport grants you the right to reside, work, or study in any country within the European Union, European Economic Area, or Switzerland.
- As an EU citizen, you can access public healthcare anywhere in Europe with the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
- The second position globally in terms of creditworthiness; suitable for business, commercial, and leisure travel.
- As an official citizen, you can participate in local and national elections.
- Legal processes for family matters, inheritance, marriage, and registration will be easier and faster.
- Greater ease of accessing financial services and investments in Europe.
Power and Validity of the Spanish Passport
The validity of the Spanish passport holds a very favorable position compared to the passports of other countries. The validity and power of the Spanish passport is 178, placing it in the second rank.
The reasons supporting the power of the Spanish passport include the ability to travel to 127 countries without the need for a visa. The table below provides other reasons that affirm the passport’s validity. For information about the validity of all passports globally, you can visit the Index website (https://www.passportindex.org/).
| Spanish Passport Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Passport Mobility Score | 178 |
| Visa-free Countries | 127 |
| Visa on Arrival Countries | 44 |
| Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) | 7 |
| Visa-required Countries | 20 |
| Passport Power Rank | 2 |
Types of Spanish Passports
Passports or the Spanish passport are officially issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain (Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores y de Cooperación). The current Spanish passport is a biometric passport with an electronic chip containing all vital personal information of the passport holder.
These biometric passports consist of 32 pages, which include the holder’s signature, photo, important personal information, and a unique passport number. All new passports also contain the holder’s fingerprint. Currently, passports can be categorized into four types.
- Standard Passport (Pasaporte ordinario): This is a standard biometric passport issued for regular travel for citizens.
- Collective passport (Pasaporte colectivo): This is a limited travel document, typically valid for only three months. It is issued based on mutual agreements with destination countries, such as for pilgrimage travels.
- Diplomatic passport (Pasaporte diplomático): This type of passport is issued for diplomats and government officials.
- Official and service passports (Pasaporte oficiales y de servicio): This passport type is issued for representatives of the Spanish government in official matters.
Methods for Obtaining a Spanish Passport
To obtain permanent residency and a Spanish passport, applicants must meet specific conditions. You can apply for permanent residency after 5 years in Spain, and citizenship after 10 years, or through birth or marriage. Key requirements include:
- Clean criminal record
- Stable financial status
- Spanish language proficiency
- Cultural integration and social participation
- Minimum age of 18, or a legal guardian if underage
Meeting these criteria is essential for a successful Spanish citizenship application. Below, we have mentioned the methods for obtaining a passport:
- Through work
- Investment
- Marriage
- Birth
- Asylum
Obtaining a Spanish Passport Through Employment
Individuals wishing to work in Spain must request a work visa from the Spanish consulate in their home country. If these individuals are already in Spain, they should submit their application to the country’s labor office.
Applicants for work in Spain require a job offer. A job offer is a valid job proposal from a reputable employer. The conditions for obtaining a Spanish passport through work are such that by working and consequently paying taxes, one can apply for permanent residency in this country within 5 years.
In fact, this method can demonstrate that the individual has integrated into Spanish society and is considered a part of it. After obtaining permanent residency, if the necessary conditions such as proficiency in the Spanish language and passing the adaptability exam are met, one can apply for the passport.
Spanish Passport Through Investment
The Spanish passport can be acquired through various investment methods. By investment in Spain in various sectors and methods, including real estate purchases, company registration, financial independence, and golden visas can lead to residence and ultimately to the passport of this country.
Obtaining a Spanish Passport by Buying Property
One of the common methods for obtaining a Spanish passport is purchasing real estate worth 500,000 euros. In this method, the individual is initially granted a one-year residence permit, which subsequently leads to a two-year residency, and this two-year residency can be extended for another period, ultimately resulting in permanent residency after five years.
After achieving permanent residency and meeting necessary conditions, one can apply for a Spanish passport. For buying property in Spain, profit-yielding properties available at auctions can be purchased, which requires complete awareness and understanding of the laws of the country as well as complete information about these properties.
Obtaining a Spanish Passport through Company Registration
Obtaining residency and passport through company registration in Span or investment is a viable immigration route. You can gain permanent residency by:
- Investing over €1 million in a Spanish company or shares (with an innovative business plan)
- Registering a company with at least €40,000 investment (no business plan required), ideal for experienced professionals
This pathway starts with a 1-year residence permit, followed by renewable 2-year permits, and leads to permanent residency after 5 years, and eventually a Spanish passport after passing the language and adaptability tests.
Obtaining a Spanish Passport through self-sufficiency
One of the popular investment methods in Spain leading to residency and ultimately to obtaining a Spanish passport is self-sufficiency in Spain or self-sufficiency in Spain.
In this method, the applicant must demonstrate sufficient income and the ability to financially support themselves and their family by having an investment in their bank account. Initially, the applicant is granted a one-year residence permit, followed by a two-year permit that can also be extended, and after 5 years leading to permanent residency.
After obtaining permanent residency and achieving proficiency in the Spanish language, along with demonstrating integration into society and passing the adaptability exam, the applicant can apply for a Spanish passport.
Obtaining a Spanish Passport through Golden Visa
In this method, known as the golden investment visa, permanent residency is granted from the very beginning, which can eventually lead to applying for a Spanish passport.
The Golden Visa of Spain can be obtained by purchasing properties such as houses, apartments, and villas worth 500,000 euros and above. The advantage of this method is that there are no residency requirements and no age restrictions for individuals. This method is no longer offered and we should be on the lookout for an update from the government on this issue.
Obtaining a Spanish Passport Through Study
Obtaining a Spanish passport through studying in Spain is not feasible. Studying in Spain does not directly lead to citizenship or a Spanish passport. Student residency is a temporary stay and does not count toward naturalization.
To obtain a Spanish passport, students must switch to other pathways like work, investment, or marriage and maintain legal residency for the required period. Education in Spain is mainly a gateway to the job market—not a direct route to citizenship.
Obtaining a Spanish Passport Through Birth
Acquiring a Spanish passport through birth in Spain follows the principle of jus sanguinis, meaning that a child born to a Spanish parent, regardless of where they are born, is considered Spanish.
Basically, the nationality of the parents determines the child’s nationality without considering the place of birth. The following individuals can apply for Spanish citizenship and passport without needing to be present in Spain:
- Individuals with a Spanish mother or father
- Individuals born in Spain to foreign parents, where at least one parent was also born in Spain (excluding children of diplomats or consuls)
- Adopted children under 18 by a Spanish citizen
- Children born in Spain to unknown or stateless parents, or whose nationality cannot be determined
Obtaining a Spanish Passport Through Marriage
To attain residency in Spain through marriage, you must renounce your prior nationality to become a Spanish citizen. By marrying a Spanish national, Spanish nationality can be obtained quickly, and after a short period of residency in Spain, one can become a Spanish citizen.
All the conditions of this method follow the standard process, except that there is no need for ten years of residency to obtain Spanish nationality through marriage. Moreover, widows can retain their Spanish nationality if they were not separated from their Spanish spouse at the time of their death.
Obtaining a Spanish Passport Through Asylum
Malekpour Institute does not offer asylum services for Spain or any other country.
This section is for awareness only about the risks of seeking asylum in Spain as a pathway to a Spanish passport.
Many asylum seekers lack knowledge of legal immigration options, and face serious risks such as:
- Border dangers and human trafficking
- Poor conditions in refugee camps
- Separation from family and mental health issues
If asylum is approved, Spanish citizenship and passport may be granted after 5 years of residency.
Cost of Obtaining a Spanish Passport
The cost of obtaining a Spanish passport currently ranges from 60 to 100 euros initially, with about 11 to 26 euros for renewing the identification card or passport. This amount is only the application fee; the costs of each immigration pathway leading to obtaining this passport must also be considered.
Required Documents for Obtaining a Spanish Passport
The required documents for obtaining this country’s passport depend on the pathway you have taken to apply for the passport. Below, the most important required documents for passport acquisition are mentioned.
- Present your passport, NIE and current residence card
- Certificate of criminal record
- Current and historical census (“padrón”)
- Certificate of employment in Spain
- Certificate of payment of application fees
- Document confirming that you have passed the DELE A2 and CCSE exams
- Marriage certificate (if you are obtaining citizenship through marriage)
Steps for Obtaining a Spanish Passport
To receive a Spanish passport, you must first have legal residency in this country and subsequently fulfill the necessary conditions for citizenship. Below are the main steps in this process:
- Obtaining legal residency
You must first obtain legal residency in Spain through one of the legal methods, such as work, investment, marriage or birth. - Continuous residency for the required period (usually 10 years)
Once you have obtained residency, you must live legally and without interruption in Spain for a specified period (usually 10 years). - Spanish proficiency
You must pass the DELE A2 Spanish exam to demonstrate your ability to communicate in society. - Adaptability and Culture Test (CCSE)
Taking the CCSE exam is mandatory to measure your general knowledge of Spanish history, law and culture. - Providing required documents
Documents such as a residence card, a certificate of good conduct, passing exams and identity documents must be provided. - Submitting the citizenship application
The application for Spanish citizenship is submitted to the Civil Registry Office and the relevant fees must be paid. - Taking the oath of allegiance to the Spanish Constitution
If the application is approved, you must take the oath of allegiance at a Spanish Registry Office or consulate. - Obtaining a Spanish Passport
After completing the above steps, you can apply for and receive a Spanish passport.
Timeframe for Obtaining a Spanish Passport
After submitting your application, the Spanish government will provide you with the result of your application within 1 to 2 years. However, if you apply online, there is a possibility of receiving an answer much faster.
Once you receive the result of your application, there will still be an additional step: taking the oath of allegiance to the Spanish Constitution. This is something you can do before a notary public, at the Spanish consulate, or in the civil registry office.
Please note that typically after 5 to 10 years depending on the immigration pathway, living, and paying for insurance and taxes, you can obtain permanent residency in this country, and after passing the citizenship tests and demonstrating proficiency in the official language of this country, you can apply for the passport.
Disadvantages of Obtaining a Spanish Passport
Despite the many advantages, obtaining a Spanish passport may have some disadvantages for certain individuals:
- Need to renounce previous citizenship
Spain only accepts dual citizenship with some countries; you may have to renounce your previous citizenship. - Time-consuming and complicated administrative process
The path to citizenship usually takes between 5–10 years and is full of administrative and bureaucratic steps. - Continuous residency requirement
Many paths require you to live and pay taxes in Spain for years without interruption. - Language and culture tests
To obtain citizenship, you must pass a language test (DELE A2) and a cultural test (CCSE), which some find difficult. - High cost of accommodation and living
The cost of living in Spain, especially in large cities, can be high for some applicants.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Spanish Passport
- Where can you go with a Spanish passport?
With a Spanish passport, you can travel to 127 countries without a visa, 44 countries require a visa on arrival, and 20 countries require a visa before travel. Visa-free countries include the European Union, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and more.
- How long is a Spanish passport valid for?
For adults, the Spanish passport is valid for 10 years. For children under 30 years, it is typically issued for 5 years.
- How valid is a Spanish passport?
The Spanish passport ranks second in the world in terms of global validity with a score of 178 on the Global Mobility Index. This means it is considered one of the most powerful passports in the world.
Conclusion:
As previously noted, there are various methods to obtain a Spanish passport. However, which method is more suitable for you based on your conditions and situation, and whether Spain is even an appropriate destination for your immigration, depends on each person’s circumstances. It’s highly recommended to consult with our reputable advisors in this area before taking any action for immigration.
You can contact Malekpour Institute and benefit from free specialized consulting services. Additionally, those wishing to immigrate to Spain can express their views and questions about the Spanish passport at the end of the article in the comment section.
