Two years waiting for an answer from the Ministry of Justice and, when it finally arrives, it is a refusal. The reason takes three lines: “legal, continuous residence immediately prior to the application has not been proven”. You check the dates and discover that everything went wrong because of a renewal filed three weeks late, six years ago.
Most refusals are not impossible cases, but avoidable mistakes that no one reviewed in time. These are the most common ones, ordered by the moment they are made.
Mistakes When Applying for Spanish Nationality: Counting Your Residence
This is the most serious mistake, because it cannot be fixed with a document: either you have the time, or you do not.
- Counting the years spent on a student stay, which according to the National High Court is not legal residence.
- Having filed a renewal late, creating a gap in continuity.
- Long absences from Spain that break continuous residence.
- Applying a few days before reaching the required period.
- Not applying a reduced period (2 years or 1 year) that you were entitled to.
Mistakes in the Documents
An incomplete file leads to requests for documents and months of delay. Typical errors are:
- A birth certificate without apostille or legalisation, or without a sworn translation.
- Expired criminal record certificates when the Ministry examines the file.
- Different first names or surnames across passport, birth certificate and residence card.
- Not yet having the DELE A2 or CCSE, or not properly proving the exemption.
Mistakes About Good Civic Conduct
Having no convictions is not enough. The Administration can take into account arrests, administrative penalties, debts with the Tax Agency or Social Security and, for example, road safety offences, even if the sentence has already been served.
If you have any record, it is worth knowing whether it has been cancelled and how to explain it before applying.
Mistakes While Waiting
The legal deadline to decide is one year, but many files take longer. In the meantime:
- Do not let your residence card expire: you must remain a legal resident.
- Check your electronic notifications: if you do not open them within ten calendar days, they are deemed served.
- Answer any request within the deadline, or your application will be archived.
If you want to review the whole process, from application to oath, we explain it step by step here.
Mistakes After the Decision
A grant can be lost if you do not take the oath within 180 days of notification. And a refusal is not the end: you can file an appeal for reconsideration within one month or go straight to the contentious-administrative courts within two months, under Law 39/2015 and Law 29/1998.
Signs Your File Needs a Review
- You have had periods as a student or late renewals.
- You have spent long periods outside Spain in recent years.
- You have an arrest, fine or penalty, even if you think it does not count.
- Your name is spelled differently across your documents.
- More than one year has passed without an answer from the Ministry.
That renewal filed three weeks late cost two years of waiting and a lost fee. Spotting that kind of detail before applying is exactly what makes the difference between a refusal and an envelope with the word “granted”.
Talk to a Lawyer Before You Apply
If you are going to apply for nationality or your application has been refused, we review your residence history and documents so there are no surprises. At MigratioLex, we review your specific case, not a generic checklist. We respond within 24 hours, in English, French or Spanish.
Book Your Initial ConsultationThis article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Based on articles 21 to 23 of the Civil Code, Royal Decree 1004/2015, Law 39/2015 and Law 29/1998 on the Contentious-Administrative Jurisdiction.
