Citizenship by Descent (Jure Sanguinis)

You qualify for Spanish citizenship by descent if you meet one of these conditions:

Automatic Citizenship (Nationality by Origin)

You acquire Spanish citizenship automatically at birth if:

• At least one of your parents was a Spanish citizen at the time of your birth, regardless of where you were born. Your parent's citizenship status at your birth is what matters — not their status before or after.
• You were born in Spain to at least one parent who was also born in Spain (with limited exceptions for children of diplomats).
• You were adopted as a minor by a Spanish citizen — you acquire citizenship from the moment of adoption. (This pathway is also available through citizenship by marriage or adoption.)

Citizenship by Option (Nacionalidad por Opción)

If you did not acquire citizenship automatically, you may still qualify to "opt" for Spanish nationality:

• Your parent was born in Spain and was a Spanish citizen by origin — even if they later lost or renounced that citizenship. Under Article 20.1.b of the Civil Code, you can claim Spanish citizenship with no age limit. This is one of the most valuable provisions for distant descendants.
• Your parent acquired Spanish citizenship while you were a minor (under 18) — you have the right to opt for citizenship until you turn 20, or two years after you reach legal adulthood (emancipation), whichever is later.

Who Does Not Qualify

• Grandchildren of Spanish citizens — unless your parent (the child of that Spanish grandparent) was born in Spain and acquired citizenship by origin. The Democratic Memory Law, which previously allowed grandchildren to claim citizenship, expired on October 22, 2025, and no new applications are accepted under that pathway.
• Those with only a Spanish great-grandparent or more distant ancestor — the line of descent must run through a parent or, in limited cases, a grandparent who was born in Spain.
• Children of parents who acquired Spanish citizenship through naturalization (not by origin) — unless specific conditions apply. If your parent naturalized while you were a minor, you may have acquired citizenship "not by origin," which carries different rules (see Rights section below).

Important Edge Case: The "Loss Trap"

If you are a Spaniard born abroad to a Spanish parent who was also born abroad, you must actively declare your intention to retain Spanish citizenship between the ages of 18 and 21 at a Spanish consulate. If you do not make this declaration, you will automatically lose Spanish citizenship on your 21st birthday. This rule does not apply if your parent was born in Spain.