CCSE exam for nationality: booking, payment and certificate

What you need

1. A valid passport or TIE/NIE that is perfectly legible.
2. An email address you use daily (notifications arrive there).
3. A bank card to pay the online registration fee.
4. If you need disability adaptations, have certificates/reports ready to request them.

Documentation

• Passport or TIE/NIE original on exam day. It must match what you used in registration.
• Scan of passport or TIE/NIE (PDF/JPG) to upload during sign-up.
• Resguardo de inscripción CCSE with your candidate code (downloadable from your profile).
• Proof for adaptations (if applicable): disability certificate/medical report to request adjustments.
• Bank card for payment.

Step by step

1. Create your account at https://examenes.cervantes.es/es/ccse and validate the email. Without validation you won't see convocatorias.
2. Fill your details exactly as on your document. Number, name and surname order. Upload the scan.
3. Pick centre and date (available in Spain and abroad). Check the exact address and capacity.
4. Pay the registration by card. You'll get the resguardo with your code immediately. Save it as PDF.
5. Check your convocatoria in your profile: exact time, room and what you can bring. If you want to move the date, do it early (usually up to 72 hours before).
6. Exam: arrive 30 minutes early with original passport/TIE and the resguardo. There are 25 questions in 45 minutes. You need 60% to pass.
7. Results and certificate: in about 3 weeks your grade appears in the profile. If PASS, download the PDF certificate. If FAIL, use your second included convocatoria to try again.

Tips

• Book early if you live in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia or Málaga: places fly and registrations close days before.
• Match the data exactly as on your document. One wrong number = ID issues and possible loss of your slot.
• Practice with official material: free tests and content at https://examenes.cervantes.es/es/ccse/preparar-prueba
• Don't confuse CCSE and DELE: studying in Spain often exempts you from DELE A2, but CCSE is still required unless you have a rare dispensation.
• 4-year validity: don't try to submit nationality with an expired certificate. Plan ahead.
• Second attempt included: use the recovery if you fail, but respect the change deadlines to avoid losing it.

Common mistakes

• Turning up with an expired or different document to the registration: they won't let you in and you may lose the convocatoria.
• Entering the wrong passport/TIE number when registering: they won't be able to ID you. Double-check before paying.
• Leaving it too late: registrations close a few days earlier and centres fill up. You might end up in another city or waiting a month.
• Assuming studies in Spain exempt you from CCSE: that usually only removes DELE, not the CCSE.
• Not checking spam: confirmations and results come by email; if you miss them you can lose deadlines to change date or use the recovery.