The European Union Agency for Asylum - EUAA has detected an increase in asylum seekers from Venezuela in Spain, attributing it to the "serious economic and political crisis" in the country combined with the new "barriers" imposed on immigrants by the Trump administration.
"The evolution of US migration policies can influence migration intentions. By the end of 2024, the US tightened its asylum rules and resumed deportation flights for Venezuelans, which may have deterred some from attempting to travel there. Faced with these barriers, more Venezuelans may focus their attention on the EU," says a report released today by this office based in Malta.
The report reveals that Spain is now the country in the European Union with the most asylum seekers, surpassing Germany, which was previously leading. In May, we received 12,788 applications, placing us ahead of Italy (12,266), France (11,868), Germany (9,916), and Greece (3,722). The EU attributes this to the decrease in Syrian arrivals (3,100 in the entire EU) following the fall of the Assad regime in December, who had been settling mainly in Germany.
In contrast, requests from Venezuelan citizens increased by 21% in May 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, making it the country with the highest number of applications (8,210). 94% of these applications are submitted in Spain, "where the common language and a consolidated diaspora make it the main destination."
The report adds that "although most Venezuelan applicants do not receive international protection, Spanish authorities usually grant them a form of national protection, allowing them to stay here, live, and work for a year." According to data from the Spanish Commission for Refugee Aid (CEAR), 98% receive this form of protection, known as temporary residence authorization for humanitarian reasons.
"It is worth noting that Venezuelan citizens can travel visa-free to the Schengen area for short stays, making it relatively easy to fly to countries like Spain and apply for asylum. In fact, approximately a quarter of all asylum seekers in the EU come from countries whose citizens enjoy visa-free access to Schengen," emphasizes the EU.