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Rabat – Moroccans are the leading recipients of Spanish nationalities, with a staggering 54,027 individuals acquiring citizenship in Spain in 2023, marking a 32% annual increase, according to data released by the National Institute of Statistics (INE) cited in Spanish media reports.
Gender-wise, 45% of new Spanish citizens were men and 54% were women. The largest age group among these new citizens falls between 30 and 39 years old, followed closely by individuals aged 40 to 49.
Catalonia and the Community of Madrid led the regions in citizenship acquisitions, with more than 60,800 and 50,000 cases respectively.
The majority of individuals acquired citizenship through residency, accounting for over 212,700 cases, while an additional 26,800 individuals obtained citizenship by option, primarily among minors under 20 years old, comprising 95% of this category.
In February 2024, the Spanish Ministry of Social Security released data indicating that Moroccans affiliated with social security in Spain reached 318,700 in 2023, making Moroccans the highest contributing community to the country’s Social Security Fund.
Apart from Moroccans, Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador were among the top contributors to Spain’s new citizens, with 30,100, 18,700, and 11,300 respectively.
Spain itself was the most common country of birth among new citizens, with 52,451 cases.
Since 2002, the year 2018 stood out as the most frequent year of arrival for those who acquired citizenship in 2023.
Regions like Catalonia and Madrid recorded the highest numbers, while regions such as La Rioja and Extremadura reported the fewest acquisitions, with 952 and 1,309 cases respectively.
Read Also: Spain Counts 318,000 Moroccans Affiliated to its Social Security System
