Spain’s “extraordinary regularisation” offers legal status to half-a-million undocumented migrants
Madrid-Barajas switches to EU biometric Entry/Exit System, ending passport stamps for non-EU travellers
Barcelona Airport staff arrested for smuggling transit passenger past Schengen border checks
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New Motril migrant-reception centre records historic low arrivals on Granada coast
Interior-ministry figures released on 9 March show Motril’s new migrant-reception centre handled only 85 boat arrivals in 2025, down from nearly 9,500 in 2018. Tighter patrols and upgraded facilities are credited for the fall, though employers warn of knock-on labour shortages.
Madrid’s padrón black-market booms as Spain prepares mass regularisation
El Español uncovered a flourishing black market for Madrid padrón appointments, fuelled by Spain’s forthcoming extraordinary regularisation. Brokers charge up to €700 to register migrants at addresses or to resell scarce appointments, prompting City Hall to boost capacity by 57 % and launch anti-fraud measures. The practice jeopardises data integrity and could delay legitimate mobility cases.
Spanish Consulate in Havana opens 30 extra slots for EU-family visas
Spain’s consulate in Havana will free up 30 additional ‘EU-family’ visa appointments, aiming to ease severe backlogs for Spanish and EU citizens seeking to reunite with relatives in Cuba. Slots will drop progressively on Friday, require prior e-mail registration and remain free of charge. The move offers a brief opportunity for corporate assignees with Cuban dependants to secure entry before peak season.
Andalusia sets minimum transport and emergency services for 8 March general strike
A BOJA resolution enforced minimum service levels for transport, ports and emergency response during Andalusia’s 8 March general strike, limiting disruption for travellers and supply chains. Inter-urban buses, metro systems and customs lanes operated at 50-80 % capacity, while 112 call centres stayed largely fully staffed. The measures highlight Spain’s regional approach to balancing strike rights with critical mobility services.
€375,000 upgrade to Córdoba’s CO-4200 road boosts rural accessibility
Córdoba’s provincial government has started a €375,000 project to widen and resurface the CO-4200 rural highway, a key link for agricultural freight and migrant-worker transport. The upgrade will improve safety, cut journey times between Bujalance and Valenzuela, and form part of a larger €0.5 million plan to finish the corridor by 2027.