Spain's 2-Year Citizenship Route Explained

⏱ 3 min read

I came across this today while reading about Spain’s citizenship rules, and I thought it was worth sharing because Kuwait’s expat community includes a fair number of Filipinos, and quite a few Latin Americans too. If you or someone you know holds a passport from one of these countries and has ever thought about a European foothold, this one’s actually useful.

Spain’s Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts has confirmed that nationals from a specific list of 23 countries can apply for Spanish citizenship after just two years of legal residency in Spain. Compare that to the standard route, which takes ten years for most foreigners, and five years for refugees. Two years is a huge shortcut.

⚡ The short version

Nationals of 19 Latin American countries, plus Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal, can apply for Spanish citizenship after two years of residency instead of ten.
People of Sephardic origin qualify under the same two-year rule as a separate historical category.
Most of these nationalities are also allowed to keep their original passport – no need to renounce it.
Everyone else in Spain still faces the standard ten-year wait (or five years for refugees).

Who actually qualifies?

The full list, as published by the Spanish government, covers Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Outside Latin America, the same two-year rule applies to Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal.

Spain says this is rooted in its historical and cultural ties with these countries, which is why the Philippines and Equatorial Guinea are on the list alongside the Latin American nations – both were once under Spanish rule, much like Portugal’s old dynastic links to Spain.

What happens once you’re approved?

Getting the nod isn’t the end of it. Spain requires new citizens to swear an oath of allegiance to the King and pledge to uphold the Spanish Constitution and its laws. That part applies to everyone, no exceptions.

Where it gets interesting is dual nationality. Normally, becoming a Spanish citizen means giving up your old passport. But nationals of the 23 countries on this list – plus people of Sephardic origin – are specifically allowed to hold both. So a Filipino or Colombian who naturalises in Spain doesn’t have to choose.

What this means if you’re in Kuwait

This is a Spanish immigration rule, not a Kuwaiti one, so nothing changes for your residency or work status here. But if you’re a Filipino, Brazilian, Colombian, Peruvian or from any of the other listed countries and you’ve got Spanish residency plans, or family already living there, the maths just got a lot friendlier. Two years of legal residency in Spain, rather than ten, is a genuinely different life decision.

It’s also worth knowing this if you’re helping relatives back home think through options, or if you’re weighing Spain against other European routes for eventual EU citizenship. The dual nationality allowance matters too – you wouldn’t be forced to give up your original passport, which for a lot of families is the real sticking point in these decisions.

Quick answers

Does this affect my Kuwaiti residency?

No. This is entirely a Spanish government rule about who can become a Spanish citizen and how quickly. It has no bearing on your visa or work status in Kuwait.

Do I need to give up my current passport?

Not if you’re from one of the 23 listed countries, or of Sephardic origin. Spain allows dual nationality for those groups specifically.

What if my country isn’t on the list?

Then the standard rule applies: ten years of continuous legal residency in Spain before you can apply, or five years if you have refugee status.

If you’ve got family ties to Spain through one of these countries, this might be the moment to look into it properly. Have you or anyone you know gone through Spain’s citizenship process? I’d be curious to hear how it actually played out in the comments.