Mauritania → Spain

Migration corridor · visas, permits and flows

From: Mauritania
To: Spain
Inflow, 2023 (OECD): 1,538
Change since 2018: +124.9%
Share of all arrivals in Spain, 2023: 0.15%

Inflow 20231,538OECD

Year by year

Data as at 2025

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Migration from Mauritania to Spain

Inflows of nationals of Mauritania recorded by Spain; stock of nationals of Mauritania living there; and acquisitions of Spain's nationality (OECD).

Inflows by year

Data table


2000	1,032
2001	716
2002	863
2003	787
2004	1,657
2005	1,480
2006	1,330
2007	1,269
2008	1,612
2009	869
2010	672
2011	622
2012	489
2013	489
2014	549
2015	690
2016	720
2017	455
2018	684
2019	815
2020	529
2021	1,807
2022	1,491
2023	1,538

Year	Inflow	Stock	Acquired nationality
2024	—	9,253	—
2023	1,538	9,261	528
2022	1,491	8,678	323
2021	1,807	8,085	367
2020	529	7,183	260
2019	815	6,965	326
2018	684	7,111	351
2017	455	7,623	299
2016	720	7,804	571
2015	690	8,135	415
2014	548	8,706	505
2013	489	9,782	564
2012	489	10,599	192
2011	622	11,208	132
2010	672	11,535	113

Source: OECD, International Migration Database (OECD.ELS.IMD), accessed 24 Oct 2026Data as at 2023

Spain's consulates in Mauritania

Short-stay Schengen (C) visa applications at Spain's consulates located in Mauritania.

Year	Applications	Issued	Not issued	Refusal rate
2024	17,740	11,569	5,393	30.4%
2023	18,598	11,585	6,447	34.7%
2022	16,124	10,639	4,863	30.2%
2021	10,588	7,816	2,020	19.1%
2020	5,973	4,429	1,189	19.9%
2019	13,078	9,868	2,328	17.8%
2018	9,351	6,904	1,583	16.9%
2017	9,146	7,310	1,396	15.3%
2016	7,657	6,210	1,169	15.3%
2015	7,239	5,642	1,191	16.5%
2014	6,342	5,096	864	13.6%
2013	5,345	4,186	808	15.1%
2012	5,150	4,090	712	13.8%
2011	5,402	4,379	580	10.7%
2010	5,565	4,699	256	4.6%
2009	5,176	4,116	368	7.1%

Applications by year

Data table


2009	5,176
2010	5,565
2011	5,402
2012	5,150
2013	5,345
2014	6,342
2015	7,239
2016	7,657
2017	9,146
2018	9,351
2019	13,078
2020	5,973
2021	10,588
2022	16,124
2023	18,598
2024	17,740

Source: European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs, visa statistics for consulates (CC BY 4.0)Data as at 2024

Residence permits in Spain

First residence permits issued by Spain to citizens of Mauritania (Eurostat).

First permits by reason, 2025

Family600
Other reasons247
Work134
Education100

Year	First permits	EU Blue Cards	Citizenships acquired	Students
2025	1,081	0	0	0
2024	1,016	0	526	27
2023	958	0	528	31
2022	902	0	323	21
2021	764	0	367	17
2020	384	0	260	16
2019	406	1	326	15
2018	338	0	351	10
2017	308	0	299	12
2016	371	0	571	8
2015	388	0	415	0
2014	441	0	505	0
2013	365	0	564	16
2012	540	0	76	0
2011	689	0	132	0
2010	599	0	113	0

Work permits by type, 2025

Other paid activities133
Highly skilled workers (national schemes)1

Valid residence permits, 31 Dec 2025: 10,544
Long-term residence permits issued, 2025: 514
Changed status into work, 2025: 85

Source: Eurostat (migr_resfirst, migr_resbc11, migr_acq, educ_uoe_mobs02, migr_eirfs, migr_pop1ctz), CC BY 4.0Data as at 2025

Embassy and consulates

Missions of Spain in Mauritania, as recorded in Wikidata. Details change; the mission's official website is authoritative.

Mission	City	Official website
Embassy	Nouakchott	exteriores.gob.es

Source: Wikidata (CC0)Data as at Oct 2026

Compared with other corridors

Nationalities with the most arrivals in Spain, 2023; Mauritania ranks 49.

Inflows to Spain, 2023

Colombia170,722
Morocco123,468
Venezuela88,361
Peru66,933
Italy48,089
Romania45,663
Argentina35,041
Ukraine34,385
Honduras32,357
Paraguay24,324
Ecuador21,762
Russia21,617

Other destinations for people from Mauritania, 2023

France952
United States350
Belgium168
Türkiye135
Germany127
Canada125
Japan42
Italy38
Switzerland15