Spanish Citizenship Lawyers for Americans
At Díaz & Asociados, we help U.S. citizens and English-speaking residents of the United States pursue Spanish citizenship for Americans through the legal route that fits their family history or personal circumstances. We review eligibility, reconstruct family documentation, coordinate certificates, apostilles and sworn translations, and prepare the application file.
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We handle Spanish citizenship from the USA. Specialist lawyers review your case, prepare the file and guide you through each stage.
If you are looking for a Spanish citizenship lawyer who understands the practical difficulties of applying from the United States, we can tell you what route applies, what we can handle for you and which steps still require your personal involvement.
A Spanish citizenship lawyer does much more than complete forms. The first task is to determine whether your circumstances fit a current legal route and whether the documents you have can prove it.
We review who in your family was Spanish, when and where they were born, whether citizenship was retained or lost, and how the family line is documented. We then build the documentary chain, which may involve locating certificates in Spain or the United States and resolving discrepancies in names, dates or places.
A well-prepared file can still fail because one document does not prove the required link or contradicts another record. Our work as Spanish citizenship lawyers is to identify those issues before they become formal requests for correction or grounds for refusal.
wherever you are
of experience
from all over the world
PRESENCE IN THE UNITED STATES
Spanish Citizenship – Miami
Spanish Citizenship – Houston
Spanish Citizenship – New York
Spanish Citizenship – Chicago
YOUR PATH TO CITIZENSHIP
Spanish citizenship is the legal status that makes you a Spanish national. Depending on your circumstances, it may be available by origin, option, residence or other specific routes. The correct route depends on your family history, place of birth, residence and how Spanish citizenship was transmitted or lost in previous generations.
Who it may apply to: children and certain descendants of Spanish citizens. Main requirement: prove the family relationship and relevant citizenship history. Is it still open: yes, depending on the legal basis.
Who it may apply to: people who have legally lived in Spain for the required period. Main requirement: legal, continuous residence immediately before applying. Is it still open: yes.
Who it may apply to: spouse of a Spanish citizen. Main requirement: generally one year of legal residence and one year of marriage, without separation. Is it still open: yes; marriage itself does not grant citizenship.
Who it may apply to: people covered by the Spanish Civil Code. Main requirement: prove the family link and the specific legal basis. Is it still open: yes, although some cases have deadlines.
Who it may apply to: Sephardic Jews of Spanish origin. Main requirement: the special route required proof of origin and a special connection with Spain. Is it still open: closed to new applications.
Depending on the route and agreed scope, we can:
Review eligibility and the applicable legal basis.
Prepare and organize the application file.
Identify which U.S. documents require a Hague Apostille.
Do you always need a lawyer? No. A straightforward case with a clear legal basis and complete, consistent documents can sometimes be handled without representation.
Legal help becomes more valuable when the family chain is complex, records are missing, several countries are involved or an application has already stalled or been refused.
If you are comparing an immigration lawyer for Spanish citizenship, focus on whether the lawyer can identify and prove the correct route, not simply file paperwork.
We coordinate sworn translations when required.
We file submissions where representation is permitted.
We respond to requests to correct or complete the file.
We prepare an appeal when there is a valid legal basis.
Tell us about your family connection to Spain and we will tell you whether there is a route worth reviewing.
LEGAL CERTAINTY
Spanish citizenship law is mainly set out in Articles 17 through 26 of the Spanish Civil Code, covering citizenship by origin, option, residence, loss and recovery. You can consult the current provisions in the official Spanish Civil Code published by the BOE.
For citizenship by residence, the general period is ten years. The two-year period applies only to nationals by origin of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea or Portugal, and to Sephardic Jews; it does not apply simply because someone is a U.S. citizen. Article 22 also provides one-year periods for specific situations, including certain family-based cases and qualifying spouses of Spanish citizens.
A major recent change was the end of the temporary route created by Ley 20/2022, de Memoria Democrática (Democratic Memory Law). Its Additional Provision Eight created a special right of option for certain descendants. The filing period ended on October 22, 2025. Properly registered appointment requests made before the deadline can continue to be processed afterward. You can review Law 20/2022 in the BOE and the official guidance from the Spanish Consulate in Los Angeles.
The special Sephardic route created by Law 12/2015 is also closed to new applications; after an extension, its filing period ended on October 1, 2019. The original legislation and deadline are available through the Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE).
There is no official list of surnames that grants Spanish citizenship. Eligibility depends on a valid legal basis and the evidence supporting it.
STEP BY STEP FROM THE UNITED STATES
Much of the preparation can be handled remotely, but not every step can be delegated. The competent Spanish consulate depends on where you live in the United States. Spain maintains different U.S. consular districts, so the office handling your case is determined by your place of residence. You can check the official network of Spanish consulates in the United States.
At Díaz & Asociados, we start by reviewing your route and documents so you know what can be managed remotely and when personal attendance may be required.
The competent Spanish consulate depends on where you live in the United States.
A power of attorney can allow a lawyer to act for you where representation is permitted.
We help you identify, apostille and translate exactly the documents you need.
We guide you through registration and obtaining your Spanish passport.
A power of attorney can allow a lawyer to act for you in the matters it covers, including obtaining or submitting documentation where representation is permitted.
A U.S. power of attorney intended for use in Spain may require notarization, a Hague Apostille and a sworn translation into Spanish, depending on how it is executed and what the Spanish authority requires. The apostille is not something “required by the notary”; it authenticates the document for use before the receiving authority.
U.S. certificates must comply with the requirements of the Spanish authority handling the case. State-issued documents are generally apostilled by the competent authority in the issuing state, while federal documents follow the corresponding federal authentication process.
We first identify the version of each document that is actually needed, helping you avoid unnecessary certificates, apostilles or translations.
The steps after a favorable decision depend on the route. Some cases involve a swearing-in or promise, registration with the Spanish Civil Registry and Spanish civil-status documentation before a passport can be requested. Cases involving citizenship by origin or registration may follow a different sequence.
Once the necessary registration and documentation are complete, you can apply for a Spanish passport through the competent Spanish consulate, normally with an appointment and personal attendance.
If you are concerned about keeping your U.S. citizenship, Spain and the United States apply different nationality rules. Spain may require a declaration of renunciation in certain acquisition procedures. Under U.S. law, however, loss of U.S. nationality requires a potentially expatriating act performed voluntarily and with the intention of relinquishing U.S. citizenship. The U.S. Department of State explains this distinction in its official guidance on U.S. citizenship and loss of nationality.
See our guide to dual citizenship between Spain and the United States for a more detailed explanation.
We work by video call, email and WhatsApp in time zones compatible with clients across the United States. If you live in Florida, you can also review our Miami-specific Spanish citizenship services.
YOUR PEACE OF MIND, OUR METHOD
This is our way of working, clear and without hidden surprises.
Message us on WhatsApp and tell us about your connection to Spain. We will review the route before asking you to obtain unnecessary documents.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
In many cases, much of the preparation can be handled remotely. However, a consulate or other competent authority may require personal attendance for specific steps. Whether travel to Spain itself is necessary depends on the legal route.
There is no single timeframe. It depends on the route, the authority or consulate, the required documents and whether additional evidence is requested. Document preparation and official processing should be considered separately.
The cost depends on the generations, countries and documents involved and on the scope of legal work. After reviewing the case, we provide a fixed quote. Third-party costs are identified separately when they are not included.
A passport comes after Spanish citizenship has been properly recognized and, where required, the relevant Civil Registry steps have been completed. The exact sequence depends on how citizenship was acquired.
That depends on your family history, residence, previous citizenship status and available evidence. We review the legal basis first so you do not spend money collecting documents for a route that does not apply.
TAKE THE FIRST STEP
Our team will review your family situation and guide you on the best option for obtaining your Spanish citizenship.
