How To Apply For A Spanish Passport

How To Apply For A Spanish Passport (2025 Update)

If you’ve recently become a Spanish citizen — whether through naturalisation, descent, or marriage — applying for your Spanish passport is one of the final and most important steps.

Spain's passport is ranked among the most powerful in the world, granting visa-free access to nearly 190 countries and full mobility across the EU. But before you can travel with it, you’ll need to know exactly how the process works — especially if you're applying for the first time, renewing an old passport, or replacing a lost one.

This guide covers everything you need to know about Spanish passports in 2025, including:

• Types of Spanish passports
• Who is eligible to apply
• How long passports are valid for
• How to apply for, renew, or replace one
• Required documents
• Costs and payment options
• What to do if applying abroad
• Rules around dual nationality and the DNI

Let’s begin with the basics.

What Types of Passports Are Issued in Spain?

Spain issues four main categories of passports, though most readers will only need the standard one:

• Ordinary Passport (Pasaporte Ordinario): For everyday travel by Spanish citizens. This is a biometric passport valid for international use and most commonly issued.
• Collective Passport (Pasaporte Colectivo): A temporary group passport for organised trips (e.g. religious pilgrimages). Valid for up to 3 months.
• Diplomatic Passport: For diplomats and consular officials representing Spain abroad.
• Official/Service Passport: Issued to government workers traveling on official duty.

For most citizens and naturalised nationals, only the Ordinary Passport applies.

What Format Do Spanish Passports Use?

Spain’s current passport is biometric and burgundy in colour, in line with EU standards. It includes:

• 32 pages
• Embedded RFID chip with biometric data
• Digitised photo, personal details, and fingerprint scan
• Emergency contact page (optional)
• Advanced security features (holograms, UV/IR markers)

The current biometric version (3.0) was introduced in 2015, and is now standard across all new and renewed passports.

Who Can Apply for a Spanish Passport?

You are eligible to apply if you meet any of the following conditions:

• You are a Spanish citizen by birth
• You acquired citizenship through naturalisation, residency, or marriage
• You are a minor whose parent or legal guardian is a Spanish citizen

Foreign nationals living in Spain cannot apply unless they have been granted Spanish nationality. Simply having residency (even permanent) is not enough — you must hold Spanish citizenship and have a valid DNI (Documento Nacional de Identidad).

Important: Spanish citizens under judicial restriction (e.g. barred from leaving Spain by court order) or flagged for national security reasons may be temporarily denied a passport.

How Long Is a Spanish Passport Valid?

The validity of your passport depends on your age at the time it is issued:

• Under 5 years old: Valid for 2 years
• Aged 5 to 29: Valid for 5 years
• Aged 30 and over: Valid for 10 years

You may apply for renewal if your passport has less than 12 months remaining, or if the pages are full. In those cases, the new passport will carry the same validity duration based on your age.

How Much Does It Cost? (2025)

As of 2025, the cost for a Spanish passport is:

• €30 for first-time issue, renewal, or replacement (same price for adults and minors)

Exemptions: The fee is waived if you are registered as part of a large family (familia numerosa) and hold the corresponding certificate.

Payment options

• In cash during your in-person appointment (exact change strongly recommended)
• Online payment when booking your appointment via official portal

How to pay online – official PDF guide

How To Apply for a Spanish Passport

Spanish passport applications must be done in person. You cannot apply online — only the appointment booking and optional payment can be handled digitally.

Step 1: Book your appointment

Use the official booking site here: Book your appointment online

Or call the national number: 060

Step 2: Gather the required documents

• (mandatory ID)
• (if renewing)
• if replacing a lost/stolen passport
• (32x26mm) unless renewed same day as DNI
• (if already paid online)

For minors, you’ll also need:

• Valid birth certificate (if no DNI)
• Parental/guardian consent and both guardians present (or notarised authorisation)

 

Bring all documents and payment (if applicable). Your biometric data will be taken (photo, fingerprints, signature).

In most cases, you’ll be told when to return for collection — usually within a few days to a week.

How To Renew a Spanish Passport

If your passport is about to expire (less than 12 months remaining) or all pages are full, you can apply for a renewal. The process is nearly identical to applying for a first-time passport.

 

• Your current passport

Book your appointment online as normal at Citapreviadnie

What If Your Passport Is Lost or Stolen?

If your passport is lost or stolen, you must first file a police report (denuncia) before applying for a replacement.

How to file a police report in Spain (denuncia)

Bring the police report and required documents to your passport appointment. The replacement will carry the same expiry as the original unless:

• It’s your second loss/theft — in which case, validity may be limited to 6 months

Can You Apply for a Passport Abroad?

Yes. If you are a Spanish citizen living overseas, you can apply at your nearest Spanish consulate or embassy. Find yours at: Spanish Consulates and Embassies

Spanish Passport and Dual Nationality

Spain allows dual citizenship with select countries. If you hold Spanish citizenship alongside another approved nationality, you can legally carry two passports.

 

Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Venezuela

If your country is not on this list (e.g. UK, USA, Germany), you’re required to renounce your former nationality during naturalisation. However, this is often not enforced in practice — but your original passport might not be recognised legally within Spain.

More on Spain’s dual citizenship rules

DNI vs. Passport – When Can You Travel Without a Passport?

As a Spanish citizen, your DNI (Documento Nacional de Identidad) can be used for travel to:

• EU and EEA countries
• Switzerland
• Most Schengen zone countries

However, for international travel beyond Europe, a Spanish passport is required.

Guide to getting a Spanish DNI

Need Health Insurance for Your TIE or DNI Application?

If you're applying for your DNI or have not yet entered the public health system, you may need proof of private medical cover. Explore our Sanitas policies here:

Sanitas Health Insurance Plans — fully compliant, English-language support, immediate cover.

Final Thoughts

Getting a Spanish passport is one of the most important administrative steps for new citizens — and once you have it, travel across Europe (and most of the world) becomes seamless.

Follow the steps above, keep your documentation ready, and don’t wait until the last minute — especially if your passport is near expiry or you’re planning international travel soon.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get a Spanish passport?

You must already be a Spanish citizen with a DNI. Then book a cita previa at a Policía Nacional passport office, take your DNI, a recent passport photo and the fee, and the passport is normally printed the same day.

How hard is it to get a Spanish passport?

The passport itself is easy once you are a citizen. The demanding part is obtaining Spanish nationality, which usually needs ten years of legal residence (two years for many Latin American, Filipino, Andorran and Sephardic applicants), a clean record and passing the nationality exams.

How much does a Spanish passport cost?

A Spanish passport costs around €30. Children’s passports and renewals are similar, and the DNI (national ID card) has its own small fee.

Can I get a Spanish passport by descent?

Yes, if you have a Spanish parent, or in some cases a grandparent under the Democratic Memory Law. You first register as a Spanish citizen, then apply for the passport. To follow the residence route instead, see our residency guide.