SPANISH PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS
APPLYING FOR AN SPANISH PASSPORT OR PASSPORT RENEWAL
SDC works with clients worldwide who want to become Spanish dual citizens. The final step of the Spanish citizenship process is obtaining your Spanish passport. Once your citizenship application is approved we can then apply for your Spanish passport which lasts 10 years. The Spanish passport opens so many doors and opportunities abroad.
But how do you actually apply for a Spanish passport and what are the passport regulations for Spain?
Spain has one of the very best passports in the world, regularly ranking in the top five.
The Spain passport allows you to travel to 134 countries visa-free. 45 countries will give you a visa on arrival, and only 19 require a visa. Furthermore, because its in the Schengen Zone, your travel throughout Europe is widely unrestricted. These member countries will let you live, work, get an education, and receive healthcare throughout the area.
That makes the Spanish passport one of the major benefits of Spanish citizenship and worth meeting the Spanish passport requirements.
How Do I Get a Spanish Passport? Become a Citizen
To get a Spanish passport, you must first be a Spanish citizen then meet the Spanish passport requirements. For the vast majority of people, this will be their largest obstacle.
For the following guide, we will consider you already have Spanish dual citizenship. You can generally apply for Spanish citizenship under a handful of paths:
- By Descent: If your direct ancestor was a Spanish citizen, chances are you can easily become one yourself. Learn more here.
- By Marriage: If your spouse is a citizen, then you have an expedited pathway. We have more on this pathway here.
- Naturalization: This takes 10 years of legal residence, but it’s open to anybody. (That timeframe is reduced to 2 years for refugees and people coming from Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, or Portugal.)
If you’d like to know more about the long road to citizenship, check out this guide to becoming a Spanish citizen.
Fortunately, once a Spanish citizen, the path is fairly straightforward to obtaining a Spanish passport once you have met the Spain passport requirements.
Spain Passport Requirements
After obtaining your Spanish citizenship and meeting the Spain passport requirements, there is still one prerequisite step. You will need a DNI (the national ID of Spain). You can apply for this at your local police station. If you don’t get this, your Spanish nationality certificate can work in its place. That being said, you’ll want to go ahead and get your DNI for the added convenience in a number of different situations.
Documents for Spanish Passport
The documents needed for the Spanish passport application include:
- Your DNI or nationality certificate
- Two passport photos (these should be 32×26 mm, recently taken, with a white background, no face covering, and clearly depict the features of your face)
Application for Spanish Passport
Schedule at appointment for your application at a local police station that services applications (you can call ahead of time or look at their website). If you live abroad, try a Spanish Embassy or Consulate near you.
At your application appointment, you must provide biometric data, including your fingerprints.
You will also need to pay a €30 fee.
Wait for Your Spanish Passport
With the application sent in, you should only wait 2 weeks to a month for everything to get back to you.
How to Get a Spanish Passport Renewed
Once you have your passport, you’ll need to renew it from time to time. This is a fairly easy process.
Documents for Spanish Passport Renewal
- DNI card
- 3 passport photos
- Current passport (even if it is expired)
The Spanish passport renewal will also cost a €30 fee.
Passport Regulations for Spain - Getting the Spain Passport
When our clients complete the process of becoming Spanish citizens and meeting the passport regulation for Spain, the final step is to apply for the Spanish passport.
It unlocks global travel with the full protection and guarantee of the European Union.
If you’d like help along the way—either to become a Spanish citizen or get your passport—consider working with our expert team. Book a free call with us, and we can look over your situation, and confirm the best steps forward.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How to obtain a Spanish passport?
Applying for a Spanish passport first requires being a Spanish citizen. Then, you will have the ability to have passport-acceptable photographs taken. Schedule an appointment at your local Garda (police station), and bring the pictures and your DNI card on the day. Then, you’ll just need to fill out an application, submit your documents, and have some biometric data taken (like your fingerprints). The fee is €30, and the wait time is generally no longer than a month.
Can I get a Spanish passport in the USA?
If you are currently in the US but have Spanish citizenship, you can absolutely get your passport, have it renewed, or replace it if it is lost or stolen. It’s more or less the same process above, but you’ll need to go to your nearest Spanish Embassy or Consulate instead of the local police station.
How much does a Spanish passport cost?
The application fee is only €30. That being said, you’ll need to be a citizen first, which can cost much more and take a very long time (in some cases, more than 10 years).
How long do I have to wait to get a Spanish passport?
After submitting your application, expect to wait 2 to 4 weeks.
Is a Spanish passport worth it?
Yes. The Spanish passport is regularly ranked in the top 5 around the world. That’s because it gives you wide access to the countries of the world, and as a member of the European Union, you have a lot of international protection should anything happen while you are abroad.
This page was last updated with with help by Marco Permunian
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