Before starting the procedure: requirements and procedures may change. Check the information applicable to your case and consult the relevant official sources.
“Cómo va lo mío” is the official Ministry of Justice platform for checking the status of your Spanish citizenship application. This guide explains what each status means, how long the process takes in 2026, and what to do if your application has not progressed for months.
How to check your application in “Cómo va lo mío”
The platform is available on the Ministry of Justice government online portal. To access it, you need:
✓
Your NIE
The foreigner identification number shown on your residence card (it starts with X, Y or Z).
✓
Application reference number (format R-XXXXXX/YYYY)
You’ll find it on the proof of submission for your application or on the receipt you were given or sent by email. If you don’t have it, you may also be able to search for your application using only your NIE.
1
Go to the Ministry of Justice online portal
Go to sede.mjusticia.gob.es and look for “Check the status of applications” or go directly to “Cómo va lo mío” (“How’s my application going?”).
2
Enter your NIE and application reference number
You can access the service without a digital certificate using only these details. If you have a digital certificate or Cl@ve, signing in electronically provides more information and access to notifications and requests for additional documents.
3
Read and understand the status
The platform will show you the current status of your application. In the next section, we explain what each status means.
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Remember: the information shown in “Cómo va lo mío” is for informational purposes only. The platform is not always updated in real time, so your application may have progressed even if its status has not changed. To access official notifications and requests with a deadline, sign in with a digital certificate or Cl@ve.
What each status means: a complete guide
These are all the statuses that may appear on your application and what you should do in each case:
Phase 1
Open – In progress / Being processed
This is the most common status and the one that usually lasts the longest. It means your application has been accepted for processing and is in the system, but no decision has been made yet.
During this phase, the Ministry requests reports from various bodies: the National Police, the Central Register of Convicted Persons, Social Security, the Tax Agency and, in some cases, the CNI. These reports are not all requested at the same time, which can lead to long waits even when the status does not change.
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What to do: Wait. If your application has been in this status for more than 12 months without any changes, consider the options we explain later.
Phase 2
Open – Registered / Reports pending
Your application has been accepted and officially registered. The Ministry is gathering the internal reports it needs from other bodies to assess your application.
This is a good sign: it means your application is moving forward. How long this phase takes depends on how quickly the bodies consulted respond.
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What to do: There is nothing you need to do. Just wait.
⚠️ Action required
Open – Required / Request for additional documents
The Ministry is asking you for additional documents, or has found an error or deficiency in your application. You have 10 working days to provide what has been requested.
If you do not respond by the deadline, your application may be closed. The request will appear as an official notification. You need to sign in with a digital certificate or Cl@ve to view it in full.
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What to do: Sign in with a digital certificate, read the full request and provide the documents requested before the deadline. If you are unsure what to submit, consult an immigration lawyer.
Phase 3
Under review
Your application is complete and all the reports have been received. An official is reviewing your case before issuing a decision. This is the stage before approval or refusal.
This is a very positive sign: it means your application is in the final stages before a decision is made. This stage usually lasts from a few weeks to several months.
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What to do: Wait. There is nothing you need to do. Keep your current residence permit up to date.
✓ Approved
Granted / Approved decision
Your application for Spanish citizenship has been approved! This is the final positive status. You will receive formal notification from the Ministry of Justice with the next steps.
The next step is to take the oath or make a pledge to the Constitution, which you must do within 180 days of notification. If you do not do so within this period, the approval will expire.
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What to do: Book an appointment to take the oath as soon as possible at the Civil Registry or a notary’s office. Do not exceed 180 days.
✗ Refused
Refused / Negative decision
Your application has been refused. The refusal decision must state the specific reasons. The most common reasons include a criminal record, insufficient documentation or failure to prove the required period of residence.
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What to do: You have 1 month to file an administrative appeal with the Ministry, or directly file a judicial review appeal before the National Court. Consult an immigration lawyer urgently.
Typical application process:
Being processed
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Awaiting reports
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Under review
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Approved
Actual processing times in 2026
The legal time limit for the authorities to issue a decision is 12 months from the date the complete application is submitted (Royal Decree 1004/2015). In practice, actual processing times in 2026 are:
| Situation |
Estimated processing time |
| Well-documented application submitted with a lawyer |
8 – 14 months |
| Complete application with no issues |
12 – 18 months |
| Application with requests for additional or corrected documents |
18 – 24 months |
| Stalled application or one for which an appeal has been filed |
More than 24 months |
ℹ️ Thanks to digitisation and the Ministry’s Action Plan, many properly submitted applications are now decided in less than a year. However, applications with errors, poorly scanned documents or criminal records requiring additional checks still take the longest.
What should you do if your application is not progressing?
If there have been no updates to your application for more than 12 months in “Cómo va lo mío” (How is my application progressing?), you have several options:
1
Check for any outstanding requests that you have not responded to
Log in to the government online portal using your digital certificate or Cl@ve and check whether there are any notifications or requests you have not seen. This is the most common reason for delays.
2
Submit a request to move the proceedings forward
You can use the government online portal to submit a request for information about your application status and ask the authorities to issue a decision promptly. The request will be officially registered.
3
Judicial review appeal (after 12 months)
If more than 12 months have passed without a decision, you can file a judicial review appeal with the National Court on the grounds of administrative inaction. In practice, this usually speeds up the decision considerably.
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Keep your residence permit valid while you wait. It is essential that your residence permit does not expire while your application is being processed. Renew it if necessary, even if your citizenship application is still pending.
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Government online portal with a digital certificate
Offers more features than “Cómo va lo mío”. You can view notifications and requests, download documents and submit applications. Visit sede.mjusticia.gob.es.
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Check by SMS
Send an SMS containing EXPE [application reference number] to 651 714 610 (no additional charge). You can also send NIE [your NIE] to check using your identification number.
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Customer service phone
You can call 902 02 22 22 to check the status. The system is automated and provides basic information.
What happens after approval?
When the status changes to “Approved”, the process is not over. There are still important steps to complete:
1
Oath or pledge of allegiance to the Constitution — deadline of 180 days
This is the formal act that makes the approval effective. It takes place before the Civil Registry, a notary or a consulate. If you do not complete it within 180 days of notification, the approval expires.
2
Registration with the Civil Registry
After the oath, the acquisition of Spanish citizenship is registered with the Central Civil Registry. This process can take several weeks.
3
Applying for a Spanish DNI and passport
Once your citizenship has been registered, you can apply for your DNI at any National Police station and for your Spanish passport. With these documents, you will officially be a full Spanish citizen.
Has your application been pending for months without an answer?
Our specialist lawyers can review your case, identify the problem and take action to speed up the decision.
Consult a lawyer →
Frequently asked questions
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How long does it take to obtain Spanish citizenship in 2026?
The legal deadline is 12 months from the submission of the complete application. In practice, applications with all the required documents, submitted with professional assistance, are decided within 8-14 months. Without advice or if there are errors in the documents, the process can take up to 18-24 months. If more than 12 months pass without a decision, you can seek judicial review before the administrative courts.
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What does “pending processing” or “the application is pending processing” mean?
This is a variation of the “being processed” status. It means that the application is in the system and waiting to be assigned to a caseworker or for reports from other bodies to be completed. This is a normal status at the beginning of the process. If it remains unchanged for more than a year, check whether there are any unanswered requests for additional documents or submit a request to move the application forward.
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I can’t find my application in “Cómo va lo mío”. What should I do?
Check that you have entered your NIE and application reference number correctly (format R-XXXXXX/YYYY). If you submitted your application recently, it may take a few days to appear in the system. If you submitted it in person at a Civil Registry, the application may not have been digitized yet. In that case, contact the Civil Registry where you submitted it directly.
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My application has been “being processed” for months with no changes. Is this normal?
Yes, this is common. The “being processed” status can remain for many months while the Ministry obtains internal reports from various bodies. The platform is not always updated with every internal development. The important thing is to check that there are no outstanding requests for additional documents. If there has been no change for more than 12 months, consider submitting a request to move the application forward or seeking judicial review.
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I’ve received a request for additional documents. How long do I have to respond?
The usual deadline for responding to a request for additional documents is 10 working days from the date of notification. If you do not respond within that period, your application may be closed. Log in to the government online portal with your digital certificate to see the full request and respond through the same channel. If you are unsure what to submit, consult a lawyer before the deadline expires.
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My application shows “approved”, but I haven’t received a notification. What should I do?
Log in immediately to the government online portal using your digital certificate or Cl@ve. The official notification may be available in your electronic mailbox even if you have not received a paper letter. The 180-day period for taking the oath begins as soon as the notification is available for collection. Do not delay.
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Where can I find my application’s R number?
The application reference number (format R-XXXXXX/YYYY) appears on the submission receipt you received when you filed your application online, either in an email or as a download from the government online portal. If you cannot find it, you can access “Cómo va lo mío” using only your NIE and search for the associated application, or contact the Ministry of Justice.
General information This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional legal advice or information provided by the competent authorities.
