The denial rates for applications for obtaining Spanish nationality marked an increase in the first nine months of 2024 compared to the figures from the same period in 2023 based on the data provided by the Ministry of Justice.
The surge in denial rates has sparked concerns among applicants as well as immigration organisations. According to them, the increase reveals the difficulties to which foreigners planning to acquire nationality are subject to, Schengen.News reports.
According to the figures from the Ministry of Justice, while in 2023, the number of denial rates stood at 7,399, in the report for 2024 published on September 30, the figures already reached 14,834, or nearly double of those registered in 2023.
The figures from the Ministry of Justice indicate that by the end of this year, the number of denial rates could reach 20,000.
In addition, the figures from the Ministry also reveal that the number of applications being processed also increased for a period from January until September 2024, indicating an increase in the waiting times for applications.
Among the reasons for the surge in the number of denial rates and delays in processing times is also the increase in the number of applications for obtaining nationality in Spain.
Over 240,200 Foreigners Acquired Citizenship in Spain in 2023
The figures from the Spanish Statistical Office revealed that in 2023, a total of 240,208 internationals acquired nationality in Spain, accounting for an increase of 32.3 per cent compared to the figures from 2022.
The same source reveals that the most frequent nationalities of origin were Morocco, Venezuela and Colombia.
Spain Among Most Attractive Countries for Schengen Visa Applicants
Each year, Spain also receives a large number of applications for Schengen visas. The figures from SchengenVisaInfo revealed that Spain is the third country with the highest number of Schengen visa applications received in 2023, or a total of 1.4 million.
The same source shows that in 2023, Spain accounted for 13.6 per cent of all applications submitted in 2023.
In spite of Spain not having the highest approval rate for Schengen visas in 2023, citizens from the following countries benefited the most from Spanish visas last year: Jamaica, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Saudi Arabia.
Source: https://schengen.news/spanish-citizenship-denials-increase-in-first-9-months-of-2024/
