Hello belegal! Thank you in advance for your help with my question. I have searched high and low and have not been able to find an answer to this question. I would like to become a Spanish citizen.

Question:

I would like to reside in Spain for 1 year so that I am eligible to apply for citizenship by "Option". My questions are below:

As a Canadian, can I use a one year Working Holiday Visa for the "residencia" period?

If not, what are my Visa options to gain the one year "residencia" period needed for citizenship?

Thank you so much for taking a look at my question!

Background:

My mother is a Spanish citizen (Acquired when I was 17), and I am 30 years old and a Canadian citizen. My grandparents are Spanish, born in Spain.

So I am unable to opt for Spanish citizenship by "Option" as I would have had to do this before the age of 20. I believe this qualifies me as eligible by option per the link below:

noticias.juridicas.com/base_datos/Privado/cc.l1t1.html

"ArtÃ*culo 20

1. Tienen derecho a optar por la nacionalidad española:

a) Las personas que estén o hayan estado sujetas a la patria potestad de un español."
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Therefore I am eligible for citizenship after 1 year per two reasons below:

"ArtÃ*culo 22

1. Para la concesión de la nacionalidad por residencia se requiere que ésta haya durado diez años. Serán suficientes cinco años para los que hayan obtenido la condición de refugiado y dos años cuando se trate de nacionales de origen de paÃ*ses iberoamericanos, Andorra, Filipinas, Guinea Ecuatorial o Portugal o de sefardÃ*es.

2. Bastará el tiempo de residencia de un año para:
b) El que no haya ejercitado oportunamente la facultad de optar.
f) El nacido fuera de España de padre o madre, abuelo o abuela, que originariamente hubieran sido españoles.
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