Speaking to Cadena SER radio on 29 January, immigration lawyer Juliana Restrepo sketched out the practical mechanics of Spain’s forthcoming extraordinary regularisation. Unlike the standard arraigo social route, which demands two or three years of prior stay and a contract, the new process requires only proof of physical presence before 31 December 2025 and five months’ continuous residence. ‘It’s a game-changer for people who have been stuck in limbo,’ Restrepo told listeners, adding that children can be included and applicants may begin working as soon as the file is submitted.
Restrepo warned, however, that many cases fail on technicalities: expired passports, mismatched names, or failure to respond to electronic notifications from the Foreigners’ Office. She urged migrants to seek legal advice, obtain an up-to-date padrón certificate and scan all documents in PDF format to speed e-filing. Municipalities and NGOs are expected to see a surge in demand for appointments once the electronic portal goes live.
For anyone needing extra help with visa questions or document preparation, online services such as VisaHQ can be invaluable. The platform’s Spain page (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) collates the latest residency and travel requirements, offers document-checking tools and can assist with appointment scheduling—making it a useful first stop before engaging a lawyer.
![Experts Detail How Spain’s Mass Regularisation Will Work]()
The lawyer also rejected opposition claims of an “effecto llamada” (pull factor). Because eligibility is tied to a past date, newcomers arriving in 2026 cannot benefit. That design mirrors the 2005 amnesty, which the OECD later credited with raising payroll tax revenue by €1.6 billion a year without triggering new inflows.
For employers of domestic workers, farm hands or construction labourers, the interview provided clarity: a simple work contract filed alongside the residence application is sufficient to meet labour-market tests. HR managers should therefore prepare template contracts and payroll registration forms in advance.
With Spain projecting record tourist arrivals this summer, business groups such as the hotel federation CEHAT argue the regularisation will help them recruit legally and avoid fines. If implemented smoothly, Spain could become a benchmark for other EU states facing demographic decline and informal-sector distortions.
Restrepo warned, however, that many cases fail on technicalities: expired passports, mismatched names, or failure to respond to electronic notifications from the Foreigners’ Office. She urged migrants to seek legal advice, obtain an up-to-date padrón certificate and scan all documents in PDF format to speed e-filing. Municipalities and NGOs are expected to see a surge in demand for appointments once the electronic portal goes live.
For anyone needing extra help with visa questions or document preparation, online services such as VisaHQ can be invaluable. The platform’s Spain page (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) collates the latest residency and travel requirements, offers document-checking tools and can assist with appointment scheduling—making it a useful first stop before engaging a lawyer.
The lawyer also rejected opposition claims of an “effecto llamada” (pull factor). Because eligibility is tied to a past date, newcomers arriving in 2026 cannot benefit. That design mirrors the 2005 amnesty, which the OECD later credited with raising payroll tax revenue by €1.6 billion a year without triggering new inflows.
For employers of domestic workers, farm hands or construction labourers, the interview provided clarity: a simple work contract filed alongside the residence application is sufficient to meet labour-market tests. HR managers should therefore prepare template contracts and payroll registration forms in advance.
With Spain projecting record tourist arrivals this summer, business groups such as the hotel federation CEHAT argue the regularisation will help them recruit legally and avoid fines. If implemented smoothly, Spain could become a benchmark for other EU states facing demographic decline and informal-sector distortions.
