British and US nationals are among the fastest-growing groups acquiring Spanish citizenship in the Balearics, according to new figures from Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE). While still small in absolute terms, the number of UK-born residents gaining Spanish nationality has risen by 842.86% since 2014, increasing from just seven that year to 66 in 2024. US-born applicants have seen a similar proportional rise of 733.33%, from three in 2014 to 25 in 2024.
These sharp percentage increases stand out within a broader and sustained rise in naturalisations across the islands. Overall, 58,156 foreign nationals have been granted Spanish citizenship in the Balearics over the past decade. Since 2017, the number of successful applicants has continued to climb, with 9,366 people obtaining nationality in 2024, compared with 2,349 in 2017—an increase of 298.72%. Compared with 2014, when 6,934 citizenships were granted, this represents a rise of 35.07%.
Despite the eye-catching growth rates among Britons and Americans, their total numbers remain modest when compared with other nationalities. “The examples of the United States and the United Kingdom, though proportionally striking, represent very small numbers in absolute terms,” explained Juliàn Claramunt, a political scientist and member of Passes Perdudes. “In the case of the United Kingdom, there could be a connection with Brexit, but one might have expected the proportion to be higher.”
The overall upward trend in Spanish nationality acquisition reflects migration patterns closely linked to the Balearic Islands’ economic structure. “The phenomenon of naturalisation is simply the final stage in the ongoing arrival of people in the Balearics,” Claramunt said. “Our economic system demands far more labour than the islands themselves can supply. People come from abroad to fill these jobs and, after years of work, acquire citizenship.” This dynamic has become increasingly significant as workforce needs in the region continue to grow.
In 2024, the largest groups of new Spanish citizens in the Balearics came from Morocco (1,603), Colombia (1,406) and Venezuela (637). “Morocco and Colombia are consistently the most common origins,” Claramunt added. “Both have close ties with Spain and large populations, and their migration is mainly motivated by economic factors.”
Venezuelan nationals also recorded a notable increase, with successful citizenship applications rising by 640.70%, from 86 in 2023 to 637 in 2024. Elsewhere, Honduras saw the number of its nationals acquiring Spanish citizenship rise from 13 in 2014 to 84 in 2024. According to Claramunt, this reflects wider migration trends to Spain: “Honduras has seen increased migration to Spain in recent years, not only in the Balearics. The country faces chronic poverty and unemployment, and a notable characteristic of Honduran migration is its feminisation and concentration in care sectors. Spain’s ageing population requires more of this labour profile.”
Another case highlighted by the data is Mauritania, where the number of new Spanish nationals rose from 12 in 2014 to 71 in 2024. Claramunt described this as “curious”, given the relatively limited historical links with the Balearics. “We’re only talking about 70 people—so it’s a small flow, possibly explained by a singular reason not captured by broader analyses,” he noted.
Comparisons between 2014 and 2024 also show strong growth among nationals from Nicaragua (+447.83%), Romania (+388.89%), Italy (+264.86%) and Paraguay (+250%). In contrast, some countries recorded declines, including Ecuador (-36.91%), Uruguay (-36.18%) and Ghana (-69.23%). A full breakdown by country is available in the detailed tables published by the INE.
Overall, the evolving pattern of Spanish citizenship in the Balearics highlights the central role of migration in sustaining the regional economy, while also revealing shifting trends influenced by economic pressures and wider political developments beyond Spain’s borders.