Spain receives over one million applications in mass regularization of undocumented migrants as deadline closes

The Spanish government's regularization drive for undocumented migrants closed on Tuesday 30 June, having drawn over one million applications since opening in mid-April. The figure is more than double the 500,000 the executive originally estimated, underlining both the scale of irregular settlement in Spain and the appetite for legal status.

Surge in applications

Official data quoted by Spanish media show that two-thirds of applicants originate from Latin America, with Colombia standing out as the largest single source. Close to one quarter come from Africa, principally Morocco. The rest are from other regions. To qualify, applicants had to prove at least five months of continuous residence in Spain before 1 January 2026 and a clean criminal record. The government had anticipated around half a million beneficiaries, a number that the final tally has already surpassed.

Government estimate

500,000

Applications received

1,000,000

Government estimate

500000

Applications received

1000000

Latin America

67 %

Africa

25 %

Other

8 %

Economic rationale and political context

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has made the regularization plan a flagship of his government's action, even as it faces corruption and influence-peddling scandals involving his inner circle and the Socialist Party (PSOE). He argued that immigration is necessary to sustain Spain's dynamic economy, especially in depopulated regions and in light of an ageing society.

Without immigration, Spain would lose 19% of its GDP by 2050.

The plan, he said, is a key step to bring visibility to hundreds of thousands of people already living in the country.

European outlier

Spain's approach contrasts sharply with the rest of the European Union, where many member states have been tightening migration rules.

We want the world to see Spain as a country that respects, protects and guarantees human rights.

The government defends what it calls a legal, safe and orderly migration policy, describing the regularization as

a decision good for our economy.

Conservative and far-right opposition parties have criticized the program as imprudent, with domestic media split between calling it a success and an improvisation.

Next steps

With the application deadline now passed, the administration has three months to process the files and decide whether to grant one-year residence and work permits valid only in Spain. The high number of applications is likely to strain administrative resources. Successful applicants will join the formal labour market, a development that Sánchez's government frames as both a humanitarian and an economic necessity.

1. Apr 15, 2026Program opens for applications
2. Jun 30, 2026Application deadline
3. Sep 30, 2026Three-month processing window ends