Visa statistics for Spain this year: data and analysis

In 2024, Spanish consulates issued 1,549,314 visas — a record: 1,322,400 short-stay Schengen visas (type C) and 226,195 long-stay national visas (type D). And tourist arrivals in 2025 rose to almost 96.8 million people. If a refusal feels like a lottery, the data says otherwise: the reasons are predictable and, in most cases, fixable in advance. Below — only official figures (OPI and INE) and an honest note where verifiable data simply doesn't exist.

Schengen (C) vs national visa (D): different documents

Before the statistics, it's worth separating the two types people often confuse:

• Schengen visa, type C — for tourism, business trips and short visits. Up to 90 days within any 180-day period, across Spain and the whole Schengen area. The mass-market product.
• National visa, type D — for those staying longer: students on long programmes, workers, family members of residents. Issued by a consulate, valid up to a year, and it's the basis for a residence card (TIE) in Spain.

Official statistics: 2024

According to the Immigration Observatory of the Ministry of Inclusion (OPI), published 29 May 2025:

The figures come from SIVICO — the register of every visa issued by Spanish consulates worldwide. It's not an estimate or a survey, but a full count of each visa issued, broken down by nationality, age, sex, purpose and issuing consulate.

Why applications get refused: a pattern, not a lottery

From the practice of preparing applications, refusals cluster into a few categories:

• Financial means. The Schengen benchmark is around €100 per day, but the consulate looks at the logic of your statement: a stable balance over three months is more convincing than a top-up right before applying — that top-up is a red flag.
• Inconsistent documents. Tickets for one set of dates, hotel for another, insurance covering a third period — reads as an unplanned trip.
• No proof of return. The consulate weighs your ties home: job, family, property, studies. Without stable employment or assets, this is the key risk.
• Errors in the form. Mismatched dates, misspelled names, a wrong passport number make an application invalid.
• Incomplete package. The consulate may request extras: proof of kinship, a paid-leave letter, an invitation in a specific form.

If you've already had a refusal, the Schengen service helps identify the reason and reapply correctly.

Indirect data for 2025: tourist flow

Official OPI visa statistics for 2025 will be published in May–June 2026 (the annual schedule). But visa demand tracks tourism closely. Per INE FRONTUR, in 2025 Spain welcomed about 96.8 million international tourists — an all-time record (+3.4% over 11 months versus 2024). Growth continued into 2026.

Seasonality: when to apply

Processing time for a Schengen visa is up to 15 working days by regulation, and up to 30 in exceptional cases. In practice, at busy consulates in June–August and December–January real timelines drift towards 30–45 days. The optimal window to apply is 6–8 weeks before the trip; you can open an application no earlier than 6 months ahead. Biometrics are given in person; if taken within the last 59 months, you don't need to repeat them.

Not sure where to apply if you can't do it from your home country? See the guides on getting a Schengen visa and entry rules to Spain. Planning to stay longer than 90 days? Then you need a residence permit, not a visa — see the guide to residence permits.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources:
• OPI — Visas issued at consular offices (Ministry of Inclusion, 29.05.2025)
• INE FRONTUR — tourist flow 2025
• Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 — EU Visa Code