Chaos has erupted acrossSpainas thousands of undocumentedmigrantsqueued overnight in a desperate bid to secure legal status under the Government’s sweeping new amnesty scheme. Scenes of disorder unfolded at more than 400 registration points nationwide as the programme—designed to regularise the status of up to 500,000 people—formally opened for applications. Long lines stretched through city streets in regions including Catalonia, Andalucia and Asturias, with some applicants camping outside offices for hours, or even overnight, to avoid missing out.
In Barcelona, migrants described arriving late in the evening and waiting more than 15 hours to be seen. Others reported dangerous overcrowding, with one applicant claiming they were nearly trampled in the crush. In Seville, local officials were forced to close registry offices early due to overwhelming demand.
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The scale of the rollout has placed significant logistical strain on local authorities, who are struggling to cope despite weeks of preparation. Immigration officers had warned of insufficient staffing and resources ahead of the launch, even threatening strike action before last-minute talks with the Government averted disruption.
The controversial policy, approved by royal decree, allows undocumented migrants already living in Spain to apply for temporary residency permits, granting them the legal right to work.
To qualify, applicants must prove they have been in the country since before the end of 2025, demonstrate at least five months of continuous residence, and show a clean criminal record.
The initial permits will last one year, with the option to renew. While the scheme does not offer citizenship or automatic permanent residency, ministers argue it will bring hundreds of thousands of workers out of the shadow economy and into formal employment.
??????????????????Footage from Spain's Zaragoza as thousands of migrants rush to be legalized.The VOX party: "Total collapse of the City Council in the face of the avalanche of illegal immigrants who want to take advantage of Sánchez's regularization."pic.twitter.com/OISJ1gsyXs
The government has framed the move as both an economic necessity and a demographic imperative. With an ageing population and labour shortages in key sectors such as agriculture, construction and tourism, officials say the country cannot afford to leave such a large workforce unregulated.
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
