Applying for Spanish Citizenship? Keep reading to learn about what your Spanish Citizenship Test and Interview will consist of and to get some helpful, practical tips to ace them!
Before diving in, you might want to take our Spanish proficiency level test to see where you stand.
Table of Contents
- How to get Spanish Citizenship
- Spanish Proficiency Test and Citizenship Interview
- How can Kwiziq Spanish help me prepare for my Spanish proficiency test and citizenship interview?
How to get Spanish Citizenship
Obtaining Spanish citizenship by residency requires living in the country legally (that is, in possession of a residency permit) for up to 10 years.
You will also need to pass a Spanish proficiency test as well as demonstrate your knowledge of Spanish history and culture.
For an overview of the requirements and procedures involved in applying for Spanish citizenship, check out our audio article La nacionalidad española por residencia. We created this feature to help you get the facts AND practise your Spanish at the same time!
For additional information about the conditions and requirements of obtaining Spanish citizenship, see the official sites for the Ministerio de Justicia and the Gobierno de España.
Spanish Proficiency Test and Citizenship Interview
In order to obtain Spanish citizenship, you need to prove your Spanish proficiency by either passing a test or meeting certain criteria (e.g., having a degree from a Spanish university). Understanding your proficiency level according to the CEFR framework can help you determine which test or diploma might be appropriate for you. If you're interested in understanding more about the different official tests and diplomas accepted by the Spanish Government, take a look at our Ultimate Guide to Spanish Tests and Diplomas.
The most daunting part of the citizenship process, however, may be the interview, during which you need to demonstrate your knowledge of Spanish history and culture. To learn this information, study the Manual para la preparación de la Prueba de Conocimientos Constitucionales y Socioculturales de España (CCSE).
Our friend María Virginia went through this process a few years ago and shared her experiences and thoughts for our bilingual Reader: Ciudadanía española: la experiencia de María Virginia.
Spanish citizenship: Language proficiency test
The Spanish language level test includes both listening and speaking sections, but there’s a chance you might be eligible to be exempted from it by obtaining an official diploma or certificate to prove you have reached at least B1 level in all four competencies: listening, reading, writing and speaking.
If you're interested in understanding more about the different official tests and diplomas accepted by the Spanish Government, take a look at our Ultimate Guide to Spanish Tests and Diplomas.
Spanish citizenship: Constitution and Culture test
This is the time to demonstrate your knowledge of Spanish government and culture. As mentioned above, you can take a look at the Manual CCSE to discover the information you'll need.
You are expected to know about things like key dates in Spanish history, Spanish values, important symbols and governmental organisation, among other topics.How can Kwiziq Spanish help me prepare for my Spanish proficiency test and citizenship interview?
The Spanish resources offered throughout Kwiziq Spanish will help you steadily improve your language skills. We also have a series of Spanish kwizzes based specifically on the content from the Manuel CCSE so that you can put your Spanish to the test while simultaneously learning this essential information.
In addition to the facts and figures from the Manuel CCSE, you'll also need to demonstrate knowledge of and an appreciation for Spanish culture. Kwiziq Spanish has a huge body of content related to everything from art to sports that you can use to learn more about the richness of Spanish history and culture.
Art & Design
- Arquitectura y pintura en España
Join this art student as they survey the many notable works of art and architectural marvels of Spain. This exercise can help you practise El Presente, using the preposition "de" with nouns for description, possessive adjectives, the regular adverbs, ir and ser in the preterite and tener in the preterite. - Aprende a decorar mesas navideñas
It’s time to add a seasonal touch to really get in the festive sprit! This exercise can help you practise subordinate clauses in the subjunctive and the indicative plus relative clauses with prepositions. - El nombre de La Alhambra
Conjugate the verb in the hint in El Pretérito Imperfecto, for example: hablar = hablaba
Employment
- Child care "Madre de día"
Berta tells us about her profession. - Convertirse en autónomo/-a en España
Navigating the process of becoming self-employed in Spain can be a rewarding path to independence and opportunity. From registering with Social Security to understanding taxes, we’ll break it down step by step. - Carta para puesto de secretaria
Choose the right answer from the hint, consider carefully the position of the pronoun.
Famous People
- Ainhoa Arteta: a Spanish soprano
Learn about Ainhoa Arteta, a famous Spanish soprano. - Javier Bardem y Penélope Cruz
Learn a bit about these two famous Spanish actors. Choose the right verb from the options given: saber or conocer
- Día del Idioma Español y Día Internacional del Libro
23 April book lovers is International Book Day and also United Nations Spanish Language Day
Film & TV
- La Guerra de las Galaxias
Fill in the blanks with the right conjugation for each verb.
- Maxi Iglesias
Fill in the blanks with the right form of El Pretérito Indefinido. Pay attention to the hints!
- A film review
Antonio makes us a review of a movie.
Food & Drink
- ¡A comer!
Learn how to make a Spanish potato omelette: una tortilla de patata. - A Christmas cocktail
Celebrate the season in style with our special cocktail. - ¿De dónde vienen los deliciosos burritos?
Have you ever wondered who invented burritos? This C1 exercise can help you practise the imperfect vs the preterite, using the imperative of mirar/oír with specific meanings and repetition to give emphasis.
Monuments, Tourism & Vacations
- A big surprise!
Adela tells us about an axciting surprise she got from her boyfriend. - ¿Beach or mountain?
Olivia has find the perfect summer destination that means not choosing between the beach and going to the mountains. - Los Patios de Córdoba
Conjugate stem-changing verbs in El Presente
Politics & History
- El nombre de La Alhambra
Conjugate the verb in the hint in El Pretérito Imperfecto, for example: hablar = hablaba
- 23-F: Coup d'Etat in Spain
This exercise is based on events that occurred on 23 February 1981, when Lieutenant-Colonel Tejero led 200 civil guards in a coup d'État against the recently-formed Spanish democracy. - A dignified old age
Are the social rights of older people truly respected in our societies?
Celebrations & Important Dates
- 6th of January
Eduardo is thinking about the 6th of January in order to get his Christmas presents. - Day of the Dead
Nelson gives us some tips to decorate our house with style for the Day of the Dead celebration. - La Tomatina
Let the hints guide you with exclamative and interrogative words required to fill in the blanks.
Immigration & Citizenship
- Ciudadanía española: la experiencia de María Virginia
Listen to María Virginia's experience of applying for Spanish nationality and, in particular, the types of questions that came up in the General Culture exam. This A2 exercise can help you practise El Indefinido, El Imperfecto, and the use and position of the preposition de for descriptions. - Armed Forces
Learn about The Spanish Armed Forces - Convertirse en autónomo/-a en España
Navigating the process of becoming self-employed in Spain can be a rewarding path to independence and opportunity. From registering with Social Security to understanding taxes, we’ll break it down step by step.
Language & Education
- ¡Somos la leche!
What if your best friend was also your sibling? This C1 exercise can help you practise idioms related to food. - ¡Está como una cabra!
This C1 reading and listening exercise can help you practise idioms with animals. - A gift voucher to learn Spanish
What's a better gift than a Kwiziq voucher!
Literature, Poetry, Theatre
- Consultorio de libros
There’s a website, Te receto un libro, where you can consult an expert who “prescribes” the book that suits you best. This reading and listening exercise can help you practise El Presente and El Futuro Próximo. - Carlos Ruiz Zafón
On Friday 19th June 2020, the Spanish writer Carlos Ruiz Zafón, best known for the novel La Sombra del Viento, passed away. We pay homage with this bilingual reader. - Bodas de Sangre
Fill in the gaps with the right form of El Presente. Note that there is one use of the "Present Historic" where in English we would use the simple past.
Music
- Ay mamá - Rigoberta Bandini
This reading and listening exercise can help you practise no sé vs no lo sé = I don't know, using the neuter article "lo" to refer to a clause, verb, adjective or adverb and using the infinitive after prepositions (not present participle). - La canción del verano
Choose the right option to fill in the gap.
- ¿Quién es Alejandro Sanz?
Write the correct form of each verb in El Presente.
Sports & Leisure
- A coffee shop for cats
Discover this unusual coffee shop where cats are the stars! - A day at the zoo
Palmira is excited about her upcoming visit to Cali zoo. - Recomendaciones para El Camino de Santiago
Test yourself on stem-changing verbs in the subjunctive: for example coger/coja.
Create your free Kwiziq Spanish account here to get your Spanish level and start practising your reading and listening skills while learning about all the topics you’ll need for your Spanish citizenship test and interview.