Posts falsely claim new visa scheme for foreigners marrying Spanish citizens

"Spain Government Announcement Headlines," reads the caption of a Facebook post shared on May 9, 2026.

The clip, which bears the logo of Pakistani broadcaster ARY News in the bottom-right corner, shows people walking on what appears to be Tower Bridge in London -- not Spain.

An Urdu-language voiceover says: "Due to Spain's declining population, the government has announced an unusual scheme. Under the programme, foreigners will be granted free visas and provided with Spanish women for marriage. After the birth of their first child, the government will provide financial assistance of up to three million rupees".

The narration goes on to claim the scheme is intended to help reverse the country's population decline.

"To apply for the scheme, search APKGUSA on Google; click on the first result and apply via the first post," the voiceover concludes.

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Screenshot of the false post captured on May 9, 2026, with a red X added by AFP

Similar claims circulated elsewhere on Facebook and Instagram. Other posts also alleged the purported scheme specifically targeted citizens of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman and Pakistan. 

User comments indicated some people believed the claim, with many posting their contact details and others seeking information about how to apply for the scheme.

In April, Spain's left-wing government said it was prepared to grant legal status to 500,000 undocumented workers in the country in an effort to provide informal workers with legal protections and to bring more money into a social security system increasingly under strain from the country's ageing population (archived link). 

A 2015 report from Spain's national statistics office warned the country could face significant population decline by 2050, with older people and single-person households making up a growing share of the population (archived link). 

The Spanish government, however, has not announced any new programme offering free visas and financial assistance to foreigners who marry its citizens. 

Fabricated news report 

A reverse image search using keyframes from the circulating video did not find any matching report or bulletin from ARY News.

Further review of the broadcaster’s authentic news programmes revealed several visual discrepancies, indicating the circulating clip had been fabricated.

These include differences in font size and colour, the chyron, and the absence of ARY News' social media handles displayed along the bottom of the screen. 

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Screenshot comparison of the false post (L) and genuine ARY News broadcast, with visual inconsistencies highlighted by AFP

Spain's Office of Diplomatic Information said in a June 8 email that the posts were "misinformation".

AFP contacted ARY News for additional comment.

Spanish visa requirements

A Google keyword search for "APKGUSA" led to a blog listing links related to visa applications for various countries -- including Canada, the United States and Spain.

However, it makes no mention of any scheme involving free visas for foreigners marrying Spanish citizens.

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Screenshot of the APKGUSA website captured on May 9, 2026

Spain's foreign affairs ministry stipulates that the partners of citizens -- including spouses, registered partners and stable unregistered partners -- can apply for a residence visa to live in the country for more than 90 days by submitting an application in person at a consulate (archived link).

Among the required paperwork: a marriage certificate, partnership registration, or evidence of at least 12 months of cohabitation; copies of the Spanish citizen's passport or national identity document; and a declaration that no other spouse or partner lives with the citizen. The visas are granted free of charge.

AFP has previously debunked other misinformation about government schemes targeting social media users.