Spain's 2026 extraordinary regularisation: who it covered and what to do now

What the 2026 regularisation is

The regularisation was set up by royal decree, not by law: Real Decreto 316/2026 of 14 April 2026 was published in the BOE on 15 April and has applied since 16 April[1]. It amended the Immigration Regulation and added two temporary provisions[1][2].

• Additional provision 20: for people who applied for international protection (asylum) in Spain before 1 January 2026, whatever the current status of that application[2].
• Additional provision 21, arraigo extraordinario: for people who were in Spain before 1 January 2026 without papers[2].

A separate citizens' legislative initiative on regularisation (file 120/000004) was in Congress. It stalled at the report stage and, after the Cortes were dissolved in October 2026, was carried over to the next Congress. It is unrelated to the decree.

Who could apply

Presence in Spain was proved with any dated document in the applicant's name: padrón, entry stamp, tickets, bank transactions, rental contract, medical records[4]. The criminal record certificate from the country of nationality had to be sworn-translated and apostilled[4]. More: proof of residence for arraigo, criminal record certificate for residence.

The decree has no nationality exceptions: Russians, Belarusians and Kazakhs qualified on the general terms[1]. People living in Spain legally, for example on a digital nomad visa, non-lucrative residence or student stay, were not covered[2].

What applicants got

The right to live and work does not start with submitting the application but with the notice that processing has begun (comunicación de inicio). From then the person may provisionally work as an employee or self-employed anywhere in Spain and is automatically given a social security number[2][7]. The submission receipt does not give that right[4].

The final permit lasts 1 year, for any sector and anywhere in Spain, but not in other EU countries[2][7]. Within a month of approval you must apply for the TIE card at the police[5]. How that step works: fingerprints and the TIE card in Barcelona.

After a year the permit is not simply renewed. Between 2 months before and 3 months after it expires you must switch to an ordinary permit under article 191 of the Regulation, for 4 years according to the ministry[2][5]. If you cannot, there is a 1-year extension for active job seekers or with an integration report[2].

If you applied: what to do now

• The decision period is 3 months from registration, after which there is formally a deemed refusal (silencio negativo)[2].
• According to the ministry's criterion of 22 July 2026, a deemed refusal does not cancel the provisional right to live and work: it lasts until an express decision[6].
• Check the status of your file on the regularisation portal. Send documents on request (subsanación) through Mercurio or at a Correos office without an appointment[3][5].
• Children who applied with their parents receive permits under articles 159 and 160 of the Regulation on relaxed terms[1].

If you missed it

No new applications are accepted under provisions 20 and 21, and the 30 June 2026 deadline has not changed in the BOE[2][3]. Anyone offering to «get you into the regularisation» now is misleading you.

• Living in Spain without papers: ordinary arraigo remains. Most types need 2 years of continuous stay[2]. More: types of arraigo in Spain and how long you must live in Spain for arraigo.
• Ukrainians with temporary protection: the regularisation did not cover them, but under the new wording of additional provision 19 they may apply from inside Spain for ordinary permits, including arraigo and the digital nomad visa under Ley 14/2013, with no deadline[2]. More: temporary protection for Ukrainians.
• Living legally and wanting to change status: the regularisation never applied to you. Changing permits follows the ordinary rules of the Regulation.

Myths about the mass regularisation

Figures and court cases

By 2 July 2026, 1,174,978 applications had been filed: 20.4% under provision 20 and 79.6% under provision 21, 83.2% online. Catalonia accounted for 257,602, of which 192,195 from the province of Barcelona[8]. The ministry has not published how many were approved by October.

The decree has been challenged before the Supreme Court. On 8 July 2026 the court refused to suspend it; there is no ruling on the merits yet[9].

How we can help

If the regularisation did not fit you or you are waiting for a decision, the ReloVictory team in Barcelona will look at your case: whether arraigo fits, preparing proof of residence and the switch to an ordinary permit after a year. More: arraigo applications, prices: our fees.

Frequently asked questions

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ReloVictory · Sources reviewed 29.10.2026 · Not a substitute for individual legal advice.