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DELE A2 for Spanish citizenship: who is exempt

Who must prove their Spanish, the exemptions and what the exam is like.

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To get citizenship by residence you must show that you speak Spanish. You prove it with the Instituto Cervantes Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language (DELE), at level A2 or higher.

Who must pass it

Every adult applying for citizenship by residence, unless one of the exemptions applies.

Who is exempt

  • Nationals of countries or territories where Spanish is an official language: for example Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Argentina, Ecuador or Equatorial Guinea. They only need to pass the CCSE.
  • Minors and people whose legal capacity has been modified by a court (now, people with support measures).
  • People who completed ESO in Spain: they can ask to be exempted from the DELE and the CCSE by providing their ESO certificate (Graduado en ESO).
  • If you already have a DELE at A2 level or higher, it is valid: no need to take it again.

Others, for example people with learning difficulties or who cannot read or write, can ask the Ministry of Justice for a waiver, which it assesses case by case.

Note: being a Spanish speaker exempts you from the DELE, not from the CCSE. Everyone must pass the constitutional and sociocultural knowledge test, apart from the general exemptions.

What the DELE A2 is like

Level A2 corresponds to a basic user who can manage in everyday situations. The exam has four parts:

  1. Reading comprehension.
  2. Listening comprehension.
  3. Written expression and interaction.
  4. Spoken expression and interaction.

To pass you need a minimum score in two groups of parts (written and spoken), not just a minimum total. The exact rules are in the Instituto Cervantes exam guide.

Registration and fee

  • You register at an exam centre or on the Instituto Cervantes website. There are several sittings a year.
  • In 2026 the DELE A2 costs around €138 in Spain (the price varies by country and centre).
  • Results take longer than for the CCSE: they are usually published two to three months after the exam.
  • The diploma does not expire.

Tips

  • If your Spanish is not fluent yet, start with the DELE: it takes longer to get results than the CCSE.
  • You can take the CCSE and the DELE in any order, but you need both passed (or your exemption) before you apply.

The CCSE is in Spanish. The app has translation help in English, French and Arabic so you can understand every question while your Spanish improves.