We already talked about double nationality, but how about triple? What if you aim to have triple nationality? Well, in this article, we talk to you about triple nationality in Spain, how to get it, and when you can lose it.
Here’s what you need to know!
Key takeaways
- Is it allowed: yes. Triple citizenship is not regulated as a separate category, but it is accepted as an extension of the dual nationality rules in Articles 23 and 24 of the Civil Code.
- Treaty countries: Spain allows dual nationality with Andorra, Portugal, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, France and Ibero-American countries, although Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana are excluded.
- Main requirement: to keep all three, each of your nationalities, not just your country of origin, has to be from a treaty country on its own.
- Other nationalities: if you are not from a treaty country, you have to renounce your previous nationality at the oath, and using only that nationality for three years can cost you Spanish citizenship.
- Acquiring one later: if you live outside Spain and take a non-treaty nationality, you need to declare within three years that you want to keep Spanish nationality, or you could lose it.
Yes, Spain allows triple citizenship. Triple citizenship is not explicitly regulated as its own category under Spanish law, but it is legally accepted as a natural extension of the dual nationality framework set out in Articles 23 and 24 of the Spanish Civil Code.
Actually, the Spanish regime allows having double nationality with some countries:
- Andorra
- Portugal
- Phillippines
- Ibero-American countries
- Equatorial Guinea
- France
If, however, you have two of these nationalities, and then apply for Spanish citizenship, you will be able to keep the three of them (and therefore have triple nationality).
It’s important to know that Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana are excluded, even though they are Ibero-American/Caribbean nations.
How does multiple citizenship work under Spanish law?
Citizenship is a concept regulated in Articles 23 and 24 of the Spanish Civil Code. Under Spanish law, the concept explained is double nationality, not triple. However, triple nationality is accepted, as it can be applied through legal analogy.
Let us explain this to you in a simple way.
If you are originally Colombian, and at some point in your life you obtained Portuguese nationality (both countries have a bilateral agreement with Spain that allows double nationality), and now, years later, you aim to get Spanish citizenship… You will be able to have all three of them as they are legally compatible.
In a nutshell: as long as each of your nationalities individually has a dual nationality treaty with Spain, you can hold all of them at once, regardless of the order in which you acquired them.
When can you have triple citizenship in Spain?
The timing of how you acquire your nationalities matters less than most people think, but it’s not irrelevant. Here are the two scenarios that determine whether you’ll actually end up with triple citizenship:
- You already hold two treaty-country nationalities, then naturalize as Spanish: This is straightforward. If both your existing nationalities (e.g., Colombian and Portuguese) have treaties with Spain, becoming Spanish adds a third, fully valid nationality.
- You’re already Spanish with one treaty-country nationality, then acquire a third nationality afterwards: This is where people get caught out.
If the new (third) nationality is from a country without a treaty with Spain, you risk losing your Spanish citizenship three years after acquiring it, under Article 24 of the Civil Code, unless you formally declare your intention to retain Spanish nationality within that window.
Which countries can keep their citizenship when becoming Spanish?
In practice, many people from the US or the UK keep their original nationality after obtaining Spanish citizenship.
Legally, Spain requires them to renounce it, but the renunciation has no effect under US or UK law, since neither country recognizes it. This is why the practice is often described as ‘de facto’ rather than legally sanctioned dual citizenship.
Nowadays, the only countries that can keep their nationality when becoming Spanish are the same listed above.
People from these countries can legally keep their nationalities while having Spanish nationality.
Why is this?
Well, after obtaining Spanish citizenship, you have to pledge an oath to the Spanish Constitution and its laws. In this oath, you must formally renounce your previous nationality during the oath (jura de nacionalidad) unless you’re a national of a treaty country.
If you’re not, and you continue exclusively using your original nationality for three years afterwards, you risk losing your Spanish citizenship.
Let us explain this point to you in the next section.
Can you lose Spanish citizenship by acquiring another nationality?
Yes, you can lose your Spanish citizenship by acquiring another nationality under specific conditions.
As we explained, Spanish citizenship is not compatible with every other nationality, only with a few countries.
The law stipulates that:
- People who do not reside in Spain and who voluntarily acquire another nationality lose Spanish nationality (with the exception of treaty-country nationalities). In this case, the loss of nationality occurs three years after the acquisition of foreign nationality, if the person does not express a willingness to retain Spanish nationality
- Minors born outside of Spain who have acquired Spanish citizenship because they are children of Spanish citizens: if the country in which they reside grants them another nationality, they will lose Spanish nationality if they do not express their willingness to retain it within three years from their 18th birthday.
- They exclusively use their previous nationality for a period of three years (except for the countries mentioned above)
Common mistakes that put your citizenship at risk
After this point, we would like to highlight two very common mistakes that can cost you Spanish citizenship:
- Assuming a third nationality is automatically compatible without checking whether that specific country has a treaty with Spain.
- Not declaring your intention to retain Spanish nationality within the three-year window if you acquire a non-treaty nationality later in life.
Triple citizenship vs dual citizenship in Spain
There is not that much difference between dual citizenship and triple citizenship in Spain. As we explained, triple nationality is not regulated by law; it actually is like an “extension” of dual nationality.
To have triple citizenship, each of your nationalities, not just your country of origin, must individually be from a treaty country. It’s that simple
While one is well explained, the other is just an extended application of the norm.
How to know if you can keep all three citizenships
This is the main and most important question.
Well, to know if you can keep all three citizenships, you must check the Civil Code and the relevant bilateral agreements, or, if your case involves a recent treaty or an unusual sequence of nationalities, it’s worth having a nationality lawyer confirm it before you naturalize or acquire a new passport.
In this article, we have introduced you to the main countries that are allowed to share citizenship with Spain:
- Andorra
- Portugal
- Phillippines
- Ibero-American countries
- Equatorial Guinea
- France
If each of your nationalities is on this list, you can generally keep all three without issue. If not, you can take a look here. France is one of the most recent additions; the treaty was signed in 2021 and entered into force on 1 April 2022.
If you want to know if your Latin American country has a bilateral agreement with Spain, we leave you here a list of all the agreements.
Not sure if your specific combination of nationalities qualifies? with our nationality team before making any decisions that could affect your Spanish citizenship.
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