- Spain’s government confirmed which group of foreign nationals does not need to take the Spanish language test when applying for citizenship
- The exemption applies to nationals of a specific set of countries, based on a shared linguistic background with Spain
- The Spanish government also outlined the minimum number of years an applicant must have lived in Spain to qualify for citizenship
Spain has confirmed that one specific group of foreign nationals is exempt from sitting the Spanish language test as part of the citizenship application process.
The information was made available through the Spanish government and forms part of the broader set of requirements that applicants must meet before they can qualify for Spanish citizenship. Alongside the language test details, the same official communication also outlined the minimum number of years a person must have resided in Spain before becoming eligible to apply, though this article focuses specifically on the language exemption.
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The Spanish language test
According to the Spanish government, nationals of Spanish-speaking countries do not need to take the Spanish language test when applying for citizenship.
The official statement reads:
“It should be noted that nationals of Spanish-speaking countries are exempt from the Spanish language tests.”
The reasoning behind the exemption is straightforward: citizens from countries where Spanish is the official or primary language are considered to already possess the linguistic competency that the test is designed to assess.
This means applicants from countries across Latin America and other Spanish-speaking nations are spared from one of the standard requirements that other foreign nationals must fulfil.
What this means for citizenship applicants
For citizens of Spanish-speaking countries who are pursuing Spanish citizenship, this exemption removes one administrative hurdle from what can otherwise be a lengthy and demanding process. All other applicants, regardless of their level of Spanish proficiency in practice, are still expected to sit the language examination as part of their citizenship bid.
The Spanish government’s clarification comes as part of a wider framework governing how foreign nationals can obtain Spanish nationality, with residency duration remaining a central qualifying criterion alongside the language component.
Denmark speaks about citizenship and language tests
Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that Denmark announced one category of foreigners exempted from its citizenship and language tests under specific conditions.
The exemption covers children born in wedlock to Danish mothers who could not acquire Danish citizenship at birth, with the applicants also not required to hold permanent residency in Denmark.
Source: Legit.ng