Civil-service unions representing Spain’s extranjería offices have sounded the alarm ahead of April’s extraordinary regularisation, which will grant one-year residence permits to more than 500,000 undocumented migrants. Speaking to The Local on 23 February, union spokesman César Pérez Gómez warned that just 1,830 officers are currently handling a caseload designed for three million foreigners, whereas Spain now hosts around 12 million. (thelocal.es)
Offices already receive 150,000 new files every quarter and many applicants in Madrid, Barcelona and Málaga face six-month waits for appointments. Without emergency funding and IT upgrades, Pérez Gómez says the three-month application window set by the decree “will collapse the system”. (thelocal.es)
![Immigration officers say processing Spain’s half-million regularisation drive will be “humanly impossible” without new staff]()
For migrants and employers looking for extra support during this crunch period, VisaHQ can help by securing appointments, reviewing paperwork and providing real-time updates on procedural changes. Their Spain portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) offers clear guidance on residence permits, renewals and other consular services, helping applicants avoid common pitfalls as demand surges.
The regularisation, promised by the Sánchez government to tackle labour shortages and integrate long-term residents, requires proof of five months’ stay in Spain before 31 December 2025 and a clean criminal record. But the programme carries no dedicated staffing budget, fuelling fears that routine residency renewals, EU family permits and EU Blue-Card processing will also grind to a halt.
Companies that rely on expatriate assignments should anticipate slower turnaround times for NIE numbers and TIE cards throughout Q2 and Q3. HR teams are advised to book appointments early, upload fully translated documentation and warn travelling employees that in-country renewals may exceed the usual 90-day grace period.
Offices already receive 150,000 new files every quarter and many applicants in Madrid, Barcelona and Málaga face six-month waits for appointments. Without emergency funding and IT upgrades, Pérez Gómez says the three-month application window set by the decree “will collapse the system”. (thelocal.es)
For migrants and employers looking for extra support during this crunch period, VisaHQ can help by securing appointments, reviewing paperwork and providing real-time updates on procedural changes. Their Spain portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) offers clear guidance on residence permits, renewals and other consular services, helping applicants avoid common pitfalls as demand surges.
The regularisation, promised by the Sánchez government to tackle labour shortages and integrate long-term residents, requires proof of five months’ stay in Spain before 31 December 2025 and a clean criminal record. But the programme carries no dedicated staffing budget, fuelling fears that routine residency renewals, EU family permits and EU Blue-Card processing will also grind to a halt.
Companies that rely on expatriate assignments should anticipate slower turnaround times for NIE numbers and TIE cards throughout Q2 and Q3. HR teams are advised to book appointments early, upload fully translated documentation and warn travelling employees that in-country renewals may exceed the usual 90-day grace period.
