Spain Opens Fast-Track Legalization for Nearly 500,000 Undocumented Migrants

Overview

• Online applications opened Thursday, with in-person filing set for Monday, April 20, and the window closing June 30, according to the government timetable.
• The cabinet is implementing the measure by royal decree, which takes legal effect without a parliamentary vote in a chamber where the coalition lacks a majority.
• Media reports say initial permits would last one year with the right to work, and reported rules include a sworn statement of no convictions, proof of presence before December 31, 2025, and at least five months in Spain.
• Opposition leaders in Spain and in France attacked the move, with French figures urging tighter borders and warning about Schengen travel, though regularized people may only visit other Schengen states for up to 90 days without the right to live or work there.
• The push follows a citizens’ campaign backed by hundreds of thousands of signatures and roughly 900 groups, and comes as Spain remains a key entry point to Europe, especially through the Canary Islands.