One of the requirements for foreign citizens to obtain nationality is the fulfillment of certain periods of residency in Spain that vary from case to case and depend on personal circunstances and the origin of the applicant. These residency periods can range from two years to ten years in extreme cases. The applicant must have resided both legally and continuously in Spain. What is considered to be continuous residency varies from case to case according to the registry responsible for processing the application.
The Supreme Court has established flexible criteria in cases where circumstances clearly show that the applicant´s residential status in our country prior to requesting Spanish nationality was undoubtedly legal for an extended period of time. In such cases it is understood that any type of interruption throughout this period of time should not be considered a break in continuity. This is due to the fact that such disruptions may be the result of permit renewal difficulties throughout this extensive period of time.
Translated by: Katherine Pascal
