Spanish Visa Issuance to Moroccans Plummets Amid COVID-19 Border Closures

According to data from the Permanent Immigration Observatory (OPI) of the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, the number of visas issued by Spanish consular offices decreased by 80% in 2020 compared to 2019. This sharp decline is linked to the closure of borders due to the health crisis, which has led to a drastic reduction in international travel, reports La Moncloa.com.

In total, the issuance of short-stay visas fell by 83% compared to 42% for long-stay visas. The travelers most affected by this decline are those from Morocco, Russia, China and Algeria. By age group, travelers from Pakistan (26 years old), Colombia and the United States (31 years old), younger on average, as well as those from Cuba, with an average age of 40, were the most affected by the situation. By gender, many visas were issued to women from Morocco (seasonal workers), Russia, the United States and Cuba.

Regarding short-stay visas, 47% were issued to women compared to 60% for long-stay visas. As for the average age of foreign travelers who benefited from a short-stay visa, it is 37 years old compared to 28 years old on average for long-stay visas.

In 2020, 133,649 short-stay visas (for tourism and stays) were issued, i.e. 48% of the total; 15,842 visas (6%) were granted to family members of EU citizens and only 448 were issued for work reasons. Of the 102,856 long-stay visas, 35,557 (34%) were issued for family reasons, 32,832 (32%) for study reasons, 22,274 (22%) for work reasons and 10,417 (10%) for residence.