Spanish nationality: the DELE A2 and CCSE requirement explained

To become Spanish by residence you must show a "sufficient degree of integration" — in practice, two exams run by the Instituto Cervantes: the DELE A2 (Spanish at A2 or higher) and the CCSE (the Constitution and Spanish society). This guide sets out the DELE A2 and CCSE requirement for Spanish nationality exactly as the law states it, who is exempt, and how to prepare. Not sure where your Spanish stands? Take the free Spanish level test first — it takes a few minutes and no account.

Updated November 6, 2026 · 5 min read

16Word: the free Spanish level test — A1 to B2 in a few minutes, no account needed

How many years of residence you need

The years come from article 22 of the Civil Code. The residence must be legal, continuous and immediately before the application.

Your situation	Residence needed
General rule	10 years
Recognised refugee	5 years
National of origin of an Ibero-American country, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea or Portugal, or a Sephardic Jew	2 years
Born in Spain; married to a Spaniard for one year and not separated; widow or widower of a Spaniard; born abroad to a parent or grandparent who was originally Spanish (and a few other cases)	1 year

Article 22 also asks every applicant to prove good civic conduct and a sufficient degree of integration into Spanish society. The language and culture exams below are how that integration is shown.

The DELE A2 and CCSE requirement in the law

Article 6 of Royal Decree 1004/2015 says applicants must pass both the DELE (the Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language) at level A2 or higher and the CCSE, the test of constitutional and sociocultural knowledge of Spain. Both are designed and run by the Instituto Cervantes. Since a 2020 amendment they are taken in person but may also be taken remotely, in the cases and under the conditions the Instituto Cervantes sets.

A2 is the second of the six Council of Europe levels: you can handle short, routine exchanges — shopping, directions, your family and work, a simple message. Our free level tests check A1 to B2 in any of 36 languages and show which level you have already reached.

Who does not need the DELE A2

Article 6.5 exempts two groups from the language exam (the CCSE is still required):

people who already hold a DELE at A2 or higher from an earlier exam;
nationals of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Equatorial Guinea, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Children under 18 and adults whose legal capacity has been modified by a court do not sit the exams: their legal representatives show integration with certificates from the schools or care, training or special-education centres they attended. Candidates with a disability are entitled to adapted exams with reasonable support (article 6.7).

Notice what is not on the list: Brazil and Portugal. Portuguese and Brazilian nationals may qualify for the shorter two-year residence, but they still take the DELE A2 unless they already hold one. If Portuguese is your language, our guide to Portuguese nationality and the CIPLE covers the other direction.

What the CCSE tests

By law the CCSE is 60% questions on the Constitution and the administrative and territorial organisation of Spain and 40% on Spanish culture, history and society. Every question is closed (you choose an answer, you do not write one) and all are worth the same. The Instituto Cervantes builds the content from the Constitution, other public-administration sources and its own inventories of cultural references and social customs.

Preparation is free: the Instituto Cervantes publishes an official CCSE 2026 preparation manual and a free official app, CCSE Nacionalidad Española, for Android and iPhone.

Exam dates for 2027

The Instituto Cervantes says it is preparing a new exams website; for now its DELE and CCSE page lists the essentials. Registration for 2027 opens on 18 November 2026 for the DELE and 23 November 2026 for the CCSE.

Exam	2027 sessions	Remaining in 2026
DELE A2 (general)	March 5, April 2, May 22, July 9, September 10, October 15, November 13 (written papers)	13 November 2026 (registration closed 30 September)
CCSE	Every month except August and December (January's official date: 28 January 2027)	26 November 2026 (registration closed 5 November)

Registration for each DELE session closes weeks before the exam — for March 2027 it closes on 20 January — so book early. The fees and the pass marks are not shown on that page at the moment; check them with your exam centre when you register.

Build the A2 vocabulary first

16Word teaches Spanish 16 words a day with active recall and spaced repetition, plus a short Blocks game between answers. Free to start.

A realistic way to prepare

Measure. Take the Spanish level test. If you pass A1 but not A2, plan a few months of steady work before you book.
Words before grammar. A2 tasks are about daily life — home, shops, health, work, transport. A small vocabulary you can recall quickly beats a large one you only recognise.
Book the CCSE early. It runs almost every month, so you can sit it while you keep working towards the DELE.
Study the official manual. Note the words you do not know — they are useful for the DELE as well.
Re-test before the DELE. Take the level test again two or three weeks before your session.

How Spain compares with its neighbours

Spain asks for A2 plus a civics test. Italy asks for B1 and accepts several kinds of proof; Portugal asks for A2, usually shown with the CIPLE exam. Further north, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium each set their own levels and tests.

Keep learning

Free Spanish level test — A1 to B2 in a few minutes
Level tests in 36 languages
Italian citizenship: the B1 requirement and the Italian level test
Portuguese nationality: A2 and the CIPLE and the Portuguese level test
All 16Word guides

Questions about the DELE A2 and CCSE for nationality

Do I need both the DELE A2 and the CCSE for Spanish nationality?

Yes, unless you are exempt. Article 6 of Royal Decree 1004/2015 requires the DELE at A2 or higher and the CCSE. Nationals of the Spanish-speaking countries listed in article 6.5, and people who already hold a DELE A2 or higher, skip the DELE but still take the CCSE.

Can a DELE B1 or B2 replace the A2?

Yes. The law asks for the DELE "at least" at A2, so a DELE B1, B2 or higher meets the requirement — and article 6.5 exempts anyone who already holds one from sitting it again.

Are Brazilians and Portuguese exempt from the DELE?

No. They are among the nationalities that can apply after two years of residence, but Brazil and Portugal are not on the DELE exemption list, because Spanish is not their official language.

Do children have to take the exams?

No. For applicants under 18, and for adults whose legal capacity a court has modified, the legal representative provides certificates from the schools or centres the person attended instead.

How often is the CCSE held?

In 2027 there is a CCSE session every month except August and December — ten in all, with registration opening on 23 November 2026, according to the Instituto Cervantes.

Can I take the DELE or CCSE online?

Since the 2020 amendment the law allows remote exams with identity checks, but only in the cases and under the conditions the Instituto Cervantes sets. Check its exams page before you register.