O-1 Visa for Spanish citizens: Data and Posts

Spanish nationals received 540 O-1 visas in FY2025, rank 11. Counts by post in Spain, validity and embassy addresses from State Department sources.

Page reviewed October 30, 2026.

What it is

Spanish nationals received 540 O-1 visas in fiscal year 2025, which ranks 11 among nationalities and is 2.7% of the 20,015 issued worldwide.

Madrid issued the most of any post in Spain. The O-1 is a USCIS petition filed by a U.S. sponsor; the embassy interview comes after approval. These figures are our sums of State Department monthly tables, count visas issued abroad, and leave out people who change status inside the U.S.

O-1 visas, Spanish nationals, FY2025: 540Rank 11 of all nationalities, 2.7% of 20,015 worldwide.
Top issuing post in the country: Madrid581 O-1 visas issued there in FY2025.
O visa validity: 60 monthsMultiple entries; never longer than the approved petition.
Reciprocity fee: NoneThe standard visa application fee still applies.

O-1 visas issued to Spanish nationals, FY2023 to FY2025

Read these figures with their limits. They are our sums of the State Department's monthly tables of nonimmigrant visas issued by nationality, October to September. They count visas issued at consulates, so they leave out O-1 approvals for people who change status inside the U.S. The O-1 class combines O-1A and O-1B, with no split.

Fiscal year	O-1 visas issued	Rank by nationality	Share of world O-1	Change from prior year
FY2023	508	11	2.7%	Not computed
FY2024	524	11	2.7%	up 3.1%
FY2025	540	11	2.7%	up 3.1%

Support staff on O-2 and O-3 visas

O-2 visas, for essential support staff, were 203 in FY2023, 318 in FY2024 and 257 in FY2025. In FY2025 that is 0.48 O-2 visas for every O-1, against 0.77 worldwide. O-3 visas, for spouses and children, were 163 in FY2025.

Where in Spain O-1 visas are issued

Madrid is the only Spanish post with an O-1 row in the State Department's post tables. The Embassy's visa pages name the Madrid consular section as the one that provides visa services. Post counts are visas issued at that post to applicants of any nationality, so they are not the same as the nationality totals above.

Post	O-1 issued FY2023	O-1 issued FY2024	O-1 issued FY2025
Madrid	482	531	581

U.S. embassy and consulate addresses in Spain

Addresses are copied from the U.S. mission's own pages on October 30, 2026. Confirm the address and entrance on your appointment confirmation before travelling.

Embassy Madrid, Calle de Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid

Reciprocity and process notes for Spanish nationals

The State Department schedule lists O-1, O-2 and O-3 for Spanish nationals with no reciprocity fee, 60 months, multiple entries. A footnote says validity may not exceed the approved petition's validity or the months shown, whichever is less.

The Madrid page says interviews are conducted in English or Spanish, and that third parties, attorneys included, may not attend a visa appointment except to support an applicant with a disability or medical condition.
The same page says payment of reciprocity fees or blanket L-1 fees is accepted at the interview. It says nothing else about petition-based visas, and no Spain mission page we read has an O-specific section.
The Embassy describes an interview waiver program that works by mail, with about three weeks of processing. We did not confirm whether O cases are eligible.

What we have not confirmed

Whether the Consulate General in Barcelona decides visa cases. Its address is Paseo Reina Elisenda de Montcada 23, 08034 Barcelona, but the page we read covers citizen services only and State's post tables have no O-1 row for it.
Any O-specific document list, and whether O cases qualify for the mail-in interview waiver.
Appointment wait times, which change often and which we do not publish.
USCIS approval counts for this nationality. We found no primary figure we could cite.

How this compares with other countries

United Kingdom: 3,023 O-1 visas in FY2025, rank 1.
China: 1,771 O-1 visas in FY2025, rank 2.
India: 1,632 O-1 visas in FY2025, rank 3.
Brazil: 1,216 O-1 visas in FY2025, rank 4.
France: 918 O-1 visas in FY2025, rank 5.
Mexico: 884 O-1 visas in FY2025, rank 6.
Germany: 814 O-1 visas in FY2025, rank 7.
Italy: 745 O-1 visas in FY2025, rank 8.
Australia: 712 O-1 visas in FY2025, rank 9.
South Korea: 558 O-1 visas in FY2025, rank 10.
Japan: 442 O-1 visas in FY2025, rank 12.

How it works

From first call to filed petition

1. Evaluation
You get an honest answer.
We review your background on a 15-minute call and tell you honestly whether you have a strong case, and exactly what evidence would make it stronger. No retainer. No commitment.
2. Strategy
You know exactly what your case looks like.
We build your custom evidence map: which achievements to lead with, which expert letters to commission, and which USCIS criteria your background meets. You see the full picture before we file anything.
3. Preparation
Your petition is built without you lifting a finger.
Our team writes your expert support letters, drafts the legal brief, curates every exhibit, and reviews the full petition before it leaves our hands. You approve. We file.
4. Filing
Filed. You get on with your life.
Your petition is filed at USCIS and we manage every communication from there. For the O-1, filing can take about two weeks once your documents are ready. We handle any RFE at no extra charge.

Common questions

How many O-1 visas are issued to Spanish citizens?

508 in FY2023, 524 in FY2024 and 540 in FY2025, by our sums of State Department monthly tables. These count visas issued abroad and exclude change of status inside the U.S.

Which U.S. post in Spain issues the most O-1 visas?

Madrid, with 581 in FY2025. Post counts include applicants of every nationality.

How long is the O-1 visa valid for Spanish citizens?

The State Department lists 60 months, multiple entries with no reciprocity fee, but never longer than the approved petition. The standard visa application fee still applies.

Do I apply for the O-1 at the embassy first?

No. A U.S. sponsor files Form I-129 with USCIS first. The embassy interview comes after the petition is approved.

Is Lando a law firm?

No. Lando is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Petitions are prepared in coordination with licensed U.S. immigration attorneys. For advice about your own situation, speak to a licensed immigration attorney.

Sources

Checked October 2026.

Lando is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Petitions are prepared in coordination with licensed U.S. immigration attorneys.