فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Madrid, Spain: The Spanish Migration Observatory has revealed its annual report on the number of visas issued by the Spanish authorities in 2023, with Moroccans being the second most frequent beneficiaries.
A decrease in the number of visas issued:
Spain issued 1,063,091 visas in 2023, a decrease of 5 per cent compared to the previous year.
Moroccans in second place:
Moroccan nationality was the second most popular nationality for visas, with 147,555 applications approved.
A decrease of 20 per cent:
The report notes that this figure represents a 20 per cent decrease compared to 2022, showing a decline in visa applications from Morocco.
Chinese in first place:
Chinese nationality ranked first in the list of most visa-issuing nationalities, with 168,301 visas issued, representing an increase of 195 per cent compared to 2022.
Distribution of long-term visas:
Overall, 40 per cent of long-term visas were distributed for study purposes, 25 per cent for family reasons, 21 per cent for work and residence, and only 12 per cent for residency.
Moroccans top the list of long-term visas:
When it comes to long term visas, Moroccans ranked first in the list of the most frequent recipients.
Overall decrease in visas:
Overall, visas issued by Spain in 2023 saw a 74 per cent decrease compared to 2019, the year before the pandemic, when 1,851,898 visas were issued.
A delay in ‘getting back to pre-pandemic’:
The report attributes this decline to the upfront administrative procedures required to obtain long-term residence permits, which may delay the ‘return to pre-pandemic’.
The majority of visas are short-term:
Short-term visas accounted for the vast majority (892,545) of visas issued by Madrid last year, while 169,781 long-term visas and 765 airport transit visas, which allow access to the transit area of international airports only, were issued.
The youngest age group:
In terms of age, the youngest visa holders are from the USA (25 years old on average), Pakistan (30 years old), and Saudi Arabia (31 years old).
Women are in the lead:
In terms of gender, the USA, Russia, China, the Dominican Republic, and Ecuador (between 56 per cent and 61 per cent) are the countries that show the highest percentage of visas issued to women.
‘Masculine’ countries:
Morocco, Pakistan, Algeria and Saudi Arabia (with only 35 per cent to 38 per cent of women) are the most ‘masculine’ countries in terms of visa issuance.
Mixed impact of the pandemic:
The report shows mixed effects of the coronavirus pandemic on migration flows, with some countries, such as China, seeing a significant increase in visa applications, while others, such as Morocco, experienced a significant decrease.
From the website: FasNews
