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.
![Spanish Citizenship Test and Interview](https://spanish.kwiziq.com/files/spanish/pillars-clusters/test/spanish-citizenship.png)
Table of Contents
- How to get Spanish Citizenship
- Spanish Proficiency Test and Citizenship Interview
- How can Progress with Lawless 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 Progress with Lawless Spanish help me prepare for my Spanish proficiency test and citizenship interview?
The Spanish resources offered throughout Progress with Lawless 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. Progress with Lawless 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
- A big fan of Park Güell
Admire the unique Park Guell in Barcelona by Antoni Gaudí. - La última cena
Fill in the gaps with the right form of the past participle. Watch out the agreement.
- 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.
Employment
- A business meeting
Noelia tells us about her business meeting. - Cómo escribir un correo electrónico formal
Read and listen to this text describing how to write a formal email. - Solicitando un trabajo
Read and listen to this text describing how to write a formal email for a job application.
Famous People
- ¿Quién es Alejandro Sanz?
Write the correct form of each verb in El Presente.
- ¡HELLO!
Sandra cannot wait to know who this week's ¡HOLA! exclusive is about. - Gisela Pulido
Fill in the blanks with the right form of El Presente. Pay attention to the hints!
Film & TV
- 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
- ¿Te gusta la televisión?
A2 Spanish interactive reading article - ¿Harás caso a todo lo que se dice? Coca-Cola Light advert
This advert for Coca-Cola Light can help you practise El Imperativo and El Futuro.
Food & Drink
- A Christmas cocktail
Celebrate the season in style with our special cocktail. - A creepy recipe for this Halloween
Enjoy a terrifying Halloween recipe! - La receta del gazpacho de Sonia
Choose the correct passive form from the hint.
Monuments, Tourism & Vacations
- Los Patios de Córdoba
Conjugate stem-changing verbs in El Presente
- ¿Beach or mountain?
Olivia has find the perfect summer destination that means not choosing between the beach and going to the mountains. - ¿Qué tipo de viajero eres?
This C1 exercise can help you practise pronominal verbs, relative pronouns and the general use of idiomatic expressions.
Politics & History
- Arabismos
This B2 reading and listening exercise can help you practise El Pretérito Perfecto, and El Pretérito Indefinido. - Mayo, el mes de las flores
Fill in the gaps with the correct conjugated form of the verb. You need to use the pronoun "se" with all verbs.
- 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.
Celebrations & Important Dates
- Bolsas de plástico
Did you know that 3 July is International Plastic Bag Free Day? It seems a bit strange but actually has an important message and serious repercussions. This B2 exercise can help you practise using a and de + el que, la que, los que, las que (relative pronouns), using a preposition + el que, la que, los que, las que (relative pronouns) and using the infinitive after prepositions. - 2021: the Year of the Ox
Learn about the new Chinese year for 2021. - 6th of January
Eduardo is thinking about the 6th of January in order to get his Christmas presents.
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. - Una queja por ruido
Carlos asks his friend Merche for some advice about some noisy neighbors. Practise El Condicional Simple with this gapfill exercise. Pay attention to the instructions!
- Alquilo mi piso en Sevilla
Marcos is renting his apartment in Seville. Practise direct object pronouns: lo, la, los, las. Pay attention to the hints!
Language & Education
- Refranes de febrero
Fill in the gaps with either the definite or the indefinite article.
- A Spanish course in Bogota
Patrick tells us about his Spanish course in Colombia. - Aulas virtuales
This reading and listening exercise can help you practise El Futuro Simple, El Condicional Simple and some expressions followed by El Subjuntivo.
Literature, Poetry, Theatre
- La intrigante novela
Blanca is reading a new novel and it's a real page-turner! Complete the exercise with the correct structure given in the hint.
- 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.
- And you, why do you write?
Antonio is trying to find out why he wants to do writing therapy.
Music
- Aguas de marzo
Listen to the Spanish-language version of a song originally written by the Brazilian Tom Jobim. - Alaska y Dinarama - Mi novio es un zombi
The song "Mi novio es un zombi" was released in 1989 by new wave band Alaska y Dinarama. This B2 exercise can help you practise the Spanish Preterite, using hacer with the subjunctive/infinitive = to make [someone] do something and prepositions followed by infinitives. - A magic piano
Learn about Pablo Alborán and his excellent piano skills.
Sports & Leisure
- San Fermín
Choose the right expression to complete the text about San Fermin.
- Campeones olímpicos de América Latina
Latin America has a rich history of producing outstanding Olympic athletes, and future generations are poised to continue this legacy. - A coffee shop for cats
Discover this unusual coffee shop where cats are the stars!
Create your free Progress with Lawless 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.