If you're applying for Spanish nationality by residence, your file needs two certificates from the Instituto Cervantes: one for your Spanish and one for what you know about Spain. Whether you need both, one or neither depends on your passport, your age and where you went to school.
The good news is that Spain asks for a basic level of Spanish, not fluency. Here's which tests count, who is exempt, and how to get your Spanish ready for them.
Which tests does Spanish citizenship require?
Under article 10 of Order JUS/1625/2016, applicants for nationality by residence must pass two in-person exams, both designed and run by the Instituto Cervantes:
- the DELE, the official diploma of Spanish as a foreign language, at level A2 or higher;
- the CCSE, the test of constitutional and sociocultural knowledge of Spain.
No course is compulsory: you can register for both exams directly. Instead of a DELE, you can also use an official A2, B1 or B2 certificate from a Spanish Escuela Oficial de Idiomas, as long as it's recorded in the education authority's register. A DELE diploma never expires, so one you passed years ago still counts. A CCSE certificate is valid for four years.
A2 is the second of the six levels of the CEFR scale. It means you can handle short, everyday exchanges: introducing yourself, explaining a problem at the pharmacy, saying what you did last weekend. Our DELE A2 guide covers each part of the exam, and our CCSE guide covers the civics test.
Who is exempt from the DELE and the CCSE?
Exemptions follow the Order and the Justice Ministry's nationality FAQ. Some apply automatically. Others are dispensations you have to request from the Justice Ministry, on its standard form, before you file your nationality application.
| Your situation | DELE A2 | CCSE |
|---|---|---|
| Most adult applicants | Required | Required |
| National by origin of a listed Spanish-speaking country | Exempt | Required |
| Under 18, or legal capacity modified by a court | Exempt | Exempt |
| Finished compulsory secondary school (ESO) in Spain | Can be excused on request | Can be excused on request |
| Bachillerato, vocational diploma or university degree from Spain | Can be excused on request | Required |
| Can't read or write | Adapted speaking-only test | Adapted test |
The Spanish-speaking countries on the list are Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela. The nationality has to be yours from birth, not acquired. If it's your second nationality, add a valid passport or consular certificate for it.
Studies count only if you completed them in Spain, at a school following the Spanish curriculum. Diplomas from abroad don't count, and neither do foreign-curriculum schools in Spain, even with an approved equivalence. The Instituto Cervantes also confirms that deaf applicants don't have to take the DELE A2 once they officially prove their deafness, and it offers adapted conditions for other disabilities.
How long do you have to live in Spain first?
The language and civics tests are the same whichever route you take. What changes is how many years of legal, continuous residence you need before applying, set out on Spain's official government portal and in article 22 of the Civil Code:
- 10 years as the general rule;
- 5 years for refugees;
- 2 years for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal, and for people of Sephardic origin;
- 1 year in some cases, such as being born in Spain, or having been married to a Spanish citizen for a year without being separated.
Notice the gap between the two lists. Andorra, the Philippines and Portugal get the two-year route but aren't on the DELE exemption list, so their nationals still need a DELE A2. Marriage to a Spanish citizen shortens the wait but doesn't remove either test.
Do you need Spanish for a residence permit?
No. Unlike France, Spain doesn't test your language for a residence permit. The national and EU long-term residence permits, which you can apply for after five years of legal residence, have no language requirement on the Inclusion Ministry's official information sheets. Your Spanish is tested once, when you apply for nationality.
That makes the years before citizenship a good time to learn it at your own pace. When you apply, both certificates need to be in your file, or you can authorise the Justice Ministry to check your results with the Instituto Cervantes directly. Because the CCSE certificate expires and the DELE doesn't, it makes sense to take the DELE whenever you're ready and the CCSE within four years of applying.
How to get your Spanish to A2
The DELE A2 tests everyday Spanish in all four skills, and half your points come from listening and speaking. Reading a grammar book won't get you through the speaking test, where you talk about a topic, describe a photo and play out a short scene with the examiner. You need to hear real conversations and say the lines yourself.
Our app, Copycat Cafe, is built for that. Each lesson is a short scene of everyday life in Spain, like this A2 call to a health centre about a twisted ankle:
«Buenos días. Me duele el tobillo desde esta mañana.»
"Good morning. My ankle has been hurting since this morning."
«Puedo caminar, pero se me ha hinchado.»
"I can walk, but it's swollen."
You hear each conversation at normal or slow speed and rebuild every line by ear, say the lines aloud and get a 0–100 pronunciation score on every word, then use the same Spanish with Copy, your AI conversation partner. The Spanish from Spain course has 50 lessons at each level from A1 to B2, so the A2 lessons line up with the level your nationality file needs, and you can keep going once you've passed. Copycat Cafe costs $174 a year ($14.50 a month) or $29 a month in the US, with a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee on your first payment.
Frequently asked questions
What level of Spanish do you need for Spanish citizenship?
A2, a basic level, proven with a DELE A2 diploma or higher, or an official A2, B1 or B2 certificate from a Spanish Escuela Oficial de Idiomas.
Do Latin Americans need the DELE for Spanish citizenship?
No, if they're nationals by origin of one of the listed Spanish-speaking countries, such as Mexico, Colombia or Argentina. They still need to pass the CCSE.
Do I need the DELE and CCSE if I'm married to a Spanish citizen?
Yes. Marriage shortens the residence period to one year, but it doesn't exempt you from either test.
Does the DELE A2 expire?
No. DELE diplomas never expire, so an older diploma still counts. The CCSE certificate is valid for four years.
Do I need to speak Spanish to get permanent residence in Spain?
No. Spain's long-term residence permits have no language requirement. You only prove your Spanish when you apply for nationality.