Spain’s Defensor del Pueblo, Ángel Gabilondo, has formally recommended that the National Police suspend removals of foreign nationals who have applied—or intend to apply—for the extraordinary regularisation authorised under Royal Decree 316/2026. The appeal, issued on 1 June after dozens of complaints from would-be applicants, asks police to verify documentation before enforcing any expulsion order and to delay deportations until the individual’s file is adjudicated, provided the person has no criminal record. The regularisation, which opened on 16 April and runs until 30 June, could grant temporary residence and work rights to an estimated 500,000 undocumented migrants who can prove they were in Spain before 1 January 2026. NGOs and Catholic charities have hailed the process as Europe’s most ambitious since Italy’s “sanatoria” of 2002, but have warned that detentions of potential beneficiaries undermine its credibility. From a mobility-policy standpoint, companies employing undeclared workers in agriculture, hospitality or home-care can now encourage staff to regularise their status, reducing compliance risk.
![Spanish Ombudsman urges police to halt expulsions during 2026 mass-regularisation window]()
For applicants who prefer professional support, VisaHQ’s Spain team can streamline paperwork, secure appointments and track each file through a single online portal—services that apply both to this extraordinary regularisation and to standard work or residence visas. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
The Ombudsman’s intervention offers a de-facto grace period that should limit sudden labour shortages caused by deportations. Immigration lawyers, however, caution that police stations still have discretion to detain individuals whose identity cannot be verified on the spot. The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration has received more than 130,000 applications in six weeks and insists it will issue decisions within three months. Gabilondo’s office will monitor adherence to the recommendation and could petition the Supreme Court if systematic expulsions continue. For multinationals, the episode highlights the fast-moving regulatory environment in Spain and the importance of real-time compliance monitoring.
For applicants who prefer professional support, VisaHQ’s Spain team can streamline paperwork, secure appointments and track each file through a single online portal—services that apply both to this extraordinary regularisation and to standard work or residence visas. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
The Ombudsman’s intervention offers a de-facto grace period that should limit sudden labour shortages caused by deportations. Immigration lawyers, however, caution that police stations still have discretion to detain individuals whose identity cannot be verified on the spot. The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration has received more than 130,000 applications in six weeks and insists it will issue decisions within three months. Gabilondo’s office will monitor adherence to the recommendation and could petition the Supreme Court if systematic expulsions continue. For multinationals, the episode highlights the fast-moving regulatory environment in Spain and the importance of real-time compliance monitoring.
