Nearly 300,000 foreign nationals acquired Spanish citizenship in 2025, marking the highest annual figure since official records began more than a decade ago, according to data released on Thursday.
Unlike many other European countries, Spain has maintained a relatively open stance towards immigration, arguing that migrants are essential to help address labour shortages and support an ageing population. ALSO READ: PM Sánchez defends Spain’s immigration model, urging Europe to take note.
Figures published by the National Statistics Institute (INE) showed that 299,732 people were granted Spanish nationality last year, an increase of 18.7% compared with 2024 and the largest annual total since the statistics series began in 2013.
Moroccans made up the biggest group of new Spanish citizens, followed by people from Colombia, Venezuela and Honduras.
Nine of the 10 most common nationalities among those gaining citizenship were from Latin America, highlighting long-established legislation that gives citizens of many former Spanish colonies a faster route to Spanish nationality.
While most foreign residents must legally live in Spain for 10 years before applying for citizenship, nationals from Latin American countries can do so after just two years of legal residence. ALSO READ: ‘We owe a lot to them’ – Sánchez hails benefits of ‘safe, orderly, regular migration’.
In January, the PSOE-led government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced plans to regularise around 500,000 undocumented migrants by granting them residency and work permits. ALSO READ: Spain to commence mass regularisation of undocumented migrants.
The scheme is open to foreign nationals who arrived in Spain before 31 December 2025, have been living in the country for at least five months and do not have a criminal record. ALSO READ: Spain to link newly regularised migrants with jobs amid labour shortages.
According to INE data, Spain’s population now stands at almost 50 million people, including around 7.3 million foreign residents. ALSO READ (11/11/25): Spain’s population reaches all-time high of 49.4 million, driven by immigration.
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Estadística de Adquisiciones de Nacionalidad Española de Residentes. Año 2025. @es_INE
— INE España (@es_INE) May 28, 2026
El número de extranjeros residentes en España que adquirió la nacionalidad española en 2025 aumentó un 18,7%, hasta 299.732.
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