On January 27, 2026, the Council of Ministers approved an extraordinary regularization process and invited public comment on the measure.
The text of the draft Royal Decree amending Royal Decree 1155/2024 aims to regularize the immigration status of an estimated 500,000 foreign nationals currently in Spain.
The regularization process will be open to all foreign nationals who were in Spain before December 31, 2025, and who can prove they have resided continuously in the country for at least five months at the time of application. This can be demonstrated with any public or private document, or a combination of both. For applicants for international protection, it is sufficient that the application was submitted before December 31, 2025.
Applicants must not have a criminal record or pose a threat to public order.
Those who participate in this process and demonstrate compliance with the requirements will be eligible for a residence permit, with permission to work in any sector, anywhere in Spain, with an initial validity of one year. After this period, they must apply for the standard residency statuses provided for in the Immigration Regulations, which allow for full and gradual integration into the system.
The processing time will be a maximum of three months, but applicants can begin working from the moment the authorities accept the application – within a maximum of 15 days.
The process will also allow for the simultaneous regularization of minor children of applicants who are already in Spain, with a five-year permit.
Applications are expected to be accepted from early April 2026, once the required procedures for processing the Royal Decree have been completed, and the process will be open until June 30, 2026.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue monitoring developments and sharing updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or if you have case-specific questions.