Migrants queue as Spain opens regularisation

Migrants from Pakistan, Colombia, Peru, Honduras and across Latin America have been lining up at consulates and legal aid centres in Madrid and Barcelona to secure documents needed for a new Spanish regularisation drive, as thousands rush to prove residency and eligibility ahead of an upcoming application window. Failures in some consular online portals and long queues have left applicants—students seeking passports, residents after years without paperwork, and families gathering nationality or criminal record certificates—waiting days for appointments.

The Socialist-led government approved a measure allowing undocumented migrants who can demonstrate residence of at least five months by the end of 2025 and a clean criminal record, as well as those who applied for asylum before the end of last year, to regularise their status. The phased plan aims to grant work and residence permits to people already living in Spain, prioritising those who can demonstrate ties to sectors with labor shortages such as agriculture, construction, hospitality, caregiving and domestic work. Authorities say the move is intended to formalise existing informal labour, boost tax revenue, reduce exploitation and address demographic pressures.

Community groups, NGOs and legal aid centres report a surge in demand for assistance as migrants scramble to assemble rental contracts, medical records, school enrolment papers and employment evidence. Many face practical barriers: precarious informal work, frequent moves, and limited documentation make proving residency difficult. Legal clinics and immigration lawyers are overwhelmed; municipal offices and regional administrations are bracing for a wave of applications and the government is preparing digital tools and temporary staffing increases to handle demand.

Humanitarian and rights organisations welcome the measure but stress the need for flexible criteria that recognise informal work and community ties, safeguards against exposing applicants to detention or deportation, and protections for family unity and children’s rights. Employers in labour-intensive sectors largely support regularisation as a way to stabilise workforces, while critics on the right warn it could encourage irregular migration and strain services—claims the government rejects, noting the policy targets people already in Spain.