South Africa → Spain

Migration corridor · visas, permits and flows

From: South Africa
To: Spain

Inflow 2023—OECD

Year by year

Data as at 2025

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Migration from South Africa to Spain

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

Inflows by year

Data table


2000	57
2001	69
2002	72
2003	63
2004	109
2005	128
2006	127
2007	145
2008	132
2009	83
2010	104
2011	158
2012	162
2013	161
2014	152
2015	156
2016	196
2017	203
2018	305
2019	346

Year	Inflow	Stock	Acquired nationality
2023	—	—	28
2022	—	—	15
2021	—	—	13
2020	—	1,890	14
2019	346	1,671	11
2018	305	1,470	8
2017	203	1,385	6
2016	196	1,256	18
2015	155	1,171	10
2014	151	1,108	21
2013	160	1,047	37
2012	162	943	14
2011	158	906	14
2010	104	913	17

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

Spain's consulates in South Africa

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

Year	Applications	Issued	Not issued	Refusal rate
2024	20,800	19,641	842	4.0%
2023	20,662	19,327	1,054	5.1%
2022	19,479	17,805	1,304	6.7%
2021	1,719	1,589	10	0.6%
2020	3,822	3,646	81	2.1%
2019	22,717	21,893	396	1.7%
2018	21,819	21,253	282	1.3%
2017	21,784	21,322	241	1.1%
2016	16,592	16,268	158	1.0%
2015	18,140	17,220	134	0.7%
2014	15,454	14,700	73	0.5%
2013	16,312	15,748	61	0.4%
2012	16,077	15,810	77	0.5%
2011	16,985	16,346	118	0.7%
2010	14,032	13,672	29	0.2%
2009	11,731	11,312	124	1.1%

Applications by year

Data table


2009	11,731
2010	14,032
2011	16,985
2012	16,077
2013	16,312
2014	15,454
2015	18,140
2016	16,592
2017	21,784
2018	21,819
2019	22,717
2020	3,822
2021	1,719
2022	19,479
2023	20,662
2024	20,800

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 South Africa (Eurostat).

First permits by reason, 2025

Work147
Family120
Education67
Other reasons17

Year	First permits	EU Blue Cards	Citizenships acquired	Students
2025	351	6	0	0
2024	484	11	24	87
2023	403	0	28	75
2022	456	0	15	57
2021	345	0	13	61
2020	236	0	14	93
2019	398	0	11	66
2018	330	0	8	63
2017	284	0	6	50
2016	275	0	18	34
2015	204	0	10	0
2014	164	0	21	0
2013	148	1	37	19
2012	179	3	7	0
2011	194	0	13	0
2010	133	0	17	0

Work permits by type, 2025

Highly skilled workers (national schemes)106
Other paid activities36
EU Blue Card3
Researchers2

Valid residence permits, 31 Dec 2025: 2,373
Long-term residence permits issued, 2025: 139
Changed status into work, 2025: 16
Intra-corporate transferee permits, 2025: 1

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 South Africa, as recorded in Wikidata. Details change; the mission's official website is authoritative.

Mission	City	Official website
Embassy	Pretoria	exteriores.gob.es

Source: Wikidata (CC0)Data as at Oct 2026

Compared with other corridors

Nationalities with the most arrivals in Spain, 2023; South Africa ranks 151.

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 South Africa, 2023

New Zealand8,667
Australia5,217
Netherlands4,201
United States3,180
Germany1,478
South Korea1,468
Portugal773
Japan629
France303
Belgium302