Dual citizenship of Spain and Russia in 2026: how it works
Updated: 22 August 2026 · Verified by the EuroGarant team against official sources
In short: there is no dual citizenship treaty between Spain and Russia. At the ceremony in the Registro Civil (Spain's civil registry), an applicant from Russia pronounces a renunciation (renuncia) of their previous nationality, but Russia does not enforce that renunciation: withdrawal from Russian citizenship is processed separately and only under the Russian procedure. De facto the person lives with two passports; de jure Spain sees before it only its own national. The standard period of legal residence before filing the application: 10 years.
Spain and Russia: there is no agreement
Spain has signed treaties on retaining previous nationality with a number of Ibero-American states, as well as with Portugal, Andorra, the Philippines and Equatorial Guinea. A separate concession applies to descendants of Sephardic Jews. Russia is not on any of these lists, and Madrid and Moscow have never concluded a bilateral document.
That is why the popular claim that "you can hold dual citizenship in Spain" splits into two different questions: what Spanish law requires at the moment of the oath — and what happens to the Russian passport afterwards. The answers do not match, and it is precisely from this gap that most of the myths have grown.
Renuncia: what the renunciation actually changes
The ceremony after a positive decision by the Ministry of Justice consists of three acts: an oath of loyalty to the Constitution and the King, a promise to obey the country's laws, and an oral renunciation of the previous nationality. The renunciation is recorded in a Registro Civil act, after which you are entered in the registry and the path opens to a DNI (the Spanish national ID) and a Spanish passport. Then practice takes over:
The Russian passport is not confiscated — a Spanish official has no such powers; the document stays in your hands.
Moscow receives no notification: no mechanism for the automatic exchange of such information exists between the two countries.
Despite the Spanish record, Russian citizenship is not terminated — withdrawal is possible only by application to the Interior Ministry or a consulate, under Russian rules.
Within Spain, for the administration you are exclusively Spanish: seeking Russian consular protection on Spanish territory is pointless.
The practical takeaway: a Russian citizen cannot obtain dual citizenship of Spain in a legally "clean" form — yet de facto possession of two documents remains a widespread situation that the Spanish side does not track or revisit retroactively. Naturalisation can be annulled for other reasons: forged documents, concealment of a criminal record, or false information about residence.
When exactly will you reach the oath ceremony? The calculator works out the date from your residence permit grounds, the years you have already lived in Spain and any gaps in status — together with the date you become eligible for permanent residence. Open the citizenship calculator
Naturalisation timelines: table by category
Applicant category
Required residence
Renunciation of previous passport
Citizens of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan
10 years
Yes, renuncia at the ceremony
Ibero-American countries, Portugal, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Sephardic Jews
2 years
No, the second passport is recognised
Persons with refugee status
5 years
Yes
Spouse of a Spanish citizen
1 year
Yes
Processing of the application by the Ministry of Justice
1–2 years
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The marriage route is shorter than the others, but it does not remove the oath with its renunciation — it only reduces the required length of residency. The procedure details and preparation for the DELE A2 and CCSE exams are covered on the Spanish citizenship support page, and the list of papers — in the breakdown of documents for the application.
What the years leading to the passport are made of
A first residence permit on legal grounds — DNV, NLV, study, work, family reunification. How to choose one is shown in the step-by-step residence permit guide.
Renewals of the resident card without interruptions: every missed deadline resets the continuity clock.
Permanent residence (residencia de larga duración) — minimum period: 5 years. Limit on continuous absence to keep the status: 6 months.
Exams, the electronic application, waiting for the decision, and the ceremony with the oath and the renuncia.
Registration in the Registro Civil, obtaining a DNI and a Spanish passport.
Notification of holding a foreign passport or a permanent residence right is filed under Russian law; the form and deadline should be checked against the current version of the legislation.
Entry into Russia is with the Russian passport. The Spanish document confers no status at the Russian border and does not release you from obligations.
Military registration, tax notices and other obligations remain in force for as long as Russian citizenship is in effect.
Withdrawal from Russian citizenship is a standalone procedure via the Interior Ministry or a consulate. The Spanish renuncia neither replaces nor triggers it.
Taxes: two passports, one residency
Fiscal status does not depend on the colour of the passport cover. Spain treats as a tax resident anyone who has spent more than half the year in the country; the threshold is 183 days, and the centre of economic interests and where your family lives are also taken into account. A resident declares worldwide income, not just Spanish income. For relocating employees there is a special regime: a flat rate of 24%, period of application — 6 years. Details are in the breakdown of taxes for individuals and in the article on tax residency for residence permit holders.
Checklist: what to verify before filing the application
Continuity of legal residence: all resident cards, renewals without delays, no "holes" between statuses.
Empadronamiento (municipal address registration) for every address over your years of residence — the historical certificate is requested from the town hall.
A criminal record certificate from Russia with an apostille and a sworn translation; the maximum age of the document on the filing date is 90 days.
Birth certificate (and marriage certificate, if married) with an apostille and a translation by a sworn translator.
Passed DELE A2 and CCSE exams — attach the certificates to the application.
No tax or social security debts: certificates from Hacienda (the tax agency) and Seguridad Social.
Up-to-date contact details: the decision arrives electronically, and a missed notification costs months.
An action plan for after the oath: DNI, exchanging documents, notifying the Russian authorities.
A personalised list of papers for your case is compiled by the document checklist generator — choose your grounds and family composition and receive a list complete with apostilles and translations.
Common mistakes
Assuming the renuncia strips you of the Russian passport automatically. It does not. And the reverse is also true: keeping the Russian document does not annul your Spanish status.
Hiding the second passport from the Russian authorities. Notification is an obligation under Russian law, not a formality.
Confusing permanent residence with naturalisation. Long-term residency provides stability, but it grants neither voting rights nor an EU passport.
Long trips away "for a couple of years". Interrupted residence resets the accumulated period and pushes back your filing date.
Preparing certificates too far in advance. Criminal record checks and similar documents "age" — they must be fresh at the time of filing.
Using the Spanish passport when entering Russia. This practice is contentious and raises unnecessary questions at the border.
Quick answers
Will the Russian passport be taken away at the ceremony?
No. The Spanish authorities do not confiscate foreign documents and do not pass information about the oath to Moscow.
Does Russia recognise the renunciation pronounced at the Registro Civil?
No. Termination of Russian citizenship is processed only under the Russian procedure, via the Interior Ministry or a consulate.
What if the decision on the application is delayed?
Check the status in the Ministry of Justice's online account and keep your residence permit valid: the resident card must remain in force for the entire waiting period.
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