5 Hardest Countries to Get Citizenship by Naturalization

3. Spain

Residency Requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Spain’s naturalization process for citizenship is among the most challenging. The residency requirement for naturalization spans at least 10 years, and in most cases, even longer. Like other countries with lengthy and convoluted processes, Spain also imposes certain criteria. A clean criminal record is necessary, and integration into Spanish society must be established. This requires passing language as well as civic tests. Furthermore, while the country does recognize dual citizenship, it is only for specific Latin American countries.