In Spain, children born in the country to foreign parents with legal residence can apply for citizenship after just one year.
In Italy, ten years are still required. The referendum held last Sunday and Monday, June 8 and 9, 2025, which proposed reducing this period to five years, was rejected.
This is the main difference between the two countries in the recognition of nationality for minors. Spanish law considers that cultural and social ties are sufficient to grant citizenship more quickly.
The rule applies to children of foreigners who live legally in Spain and maintain continuous residence. Documents such as a birth certificate and proof of residence are required in the process.
Minors born in Italy do not yet have automatic rights
In Italy, even children born in the country to foreign parents must wait until they are 18 to apply for citizenship, as long as they have lived in the country uninterruptedly.
This difference is the target of criticism from entities linked to migration and social integration.
Other ways to become a Spanish citizen
Spanish citizenship – by naturalization – can be obtained in several ways. The most common is after ten years of legal residence. Refugees have the period reduced to five years.
Citizens of Ibero-American countries, as well as Portugal, Andorra, the Philippines and Equatorial Guinea, can apply after two years, due to historical and cultural ties.
Marriage to a Spanish citizen also opens the way. In this case, after one year of union and joint residence in the country, it is possible to start the process.
In addition to the documentation, it is necessary to prove proficiency in Spanish and pass the CCSE exam, which covers the Constitution and aspects of Spanish culture. The final decision is made by the Ministry of Justice.
How Spanish citizenship by blood works
In addition to naturalization, there is Spanish citizenship by origin, known as the right of blood (right of blood). It is automatic for children of a Spanish father or mother, even if born outside Spain.
Grandchildren of Spaniards may also be eligible, as long as the grandfather or grandmother was born in Spain and that person's child (the applicant's father or mother) has not renounced citizenship.
Since 2022 the Democratic Memory Law expanded this right. It allows grandchildren of Spaniards exiled during the Franco dictatorship to apply for citizenship directly, without requiring residency in Spain. The rule also benefits older children who were unable to acquire citizenship due to previous restrictions.
The application can be made at Spanish consulates, presenting certificates and documents proving ancestry. The deadline is October 21, 2025.
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