Question
Is it true that Spain doesn’t allow dual citizenship with the US and that you will lose the US citizen as you get the Spanish citizenship through naturalization?
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
“You will NOT lose your US passport or citizenship. That is incorrect and even a tiny risk. When you get your Spanish nationality you declare you will only use Spanish nationality in Spain. There are thousands of Expats with 2 or 3 passports from the US, UK, Canada, etc.”
“I signed a paper. But they don’t take your American passport. I don’t know anyone who does not have both passports.”
“You will not lose your SS since you are an American citizen.”
“I have never heard of anyone lose their US nationality or SS because of dual nationality. The US is very tough on keeping you a US citizen & paying taxes.”
“You’ll verbally renounce your US citizenship to the Spanish authorities when you naturalize, but the US doesn’t recognize that. There are thousands of folks with dual citizenship between the two countries and though technically a grey area, I’ve never heard of anyone actually running into any issues.”
“The process of renouncing US citizenship is tedious, long, and expensive. The only way to do so is through the US directly.”
“You don’t just lose citizenship and Spain can’t take your US citizenship away. There’s a difference between them not recognizing dual citizenship and your citizenship being taken away.”
“When you take the oath, you say you renounce, but it’s not enforced. Spain doesn’t check, and the US doesn’t accept it as valid.”
“You must appear before a US government official and specifically renounce your citizenship. What you declare in Spain is your intent, not the act.”
“Spanish citizenship also gives you EU citizenship, which would allow you to work or live in any EU country.”
“I have dual US and Spanish citizenship, and I still travel with both passports. It has never been an issue.”
“There are many Americans in Spain who keep their US passport and simply declare Spanish nationality for official use in Spain.”
“You can have multiple nationalities as long as you don’t use your US passport for official purposes inside Spain. Outside, it’s fine.”
“Many people misunderstood verbal renouncement as losing citizenship. That’s not how it works. The US requires a formal process and fee.”
“Your lawyer is wrong. This kind of misinformation causes unnecessary stress.”
“Even if you say you renounce during the Spanish ceremony, the US still considers you American unless you go through their legal renunciation process.”
“Spain doesn’t recognize dual nationality with the US, but they don’t enforce a loss of the other nationality. It’s about local usage.”
Conclusion
Despite common confusion around the topic, US citizens do not automatically lose their American citizenship upon naturalizing as Spanish citizens.
While Spain formally requires applicants to verbally declare they renounce prior citizenship, this act is symbolic and not enforced internationally.
Spainguru interviewed Ainhoa Manero, of Sterna abogados and asked her directly:
The United States does not recognize such declarations as legally binding; to renounce US citizenship officially, a US citizen must appear before a consular officer, fill out official paperwork, and pay a hefty fee.
The overwhelming consensus from Spainguru community members and even experienced professionals is that many American-Spanish dual nationals exist without issues. The critical detail is that Spanish authorities expect dual nationals to use their Spanish nationality exclusively for legal matters within Spain.
Outside Spain, Americans are free to use their US passports, enjoy Social Security benefits, and retain all associated rights.
When navigating Spanish citizenship, it’s vital to seek updated, knowledgeable legal advice—and possibly a second opinion—to avoid being misled by outdated or misinterpreted regulations.
