Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez anticipates that up to 750,000 undocumented immigrants will apply for his mass amnesty initiative, according to a report from
El Pais. The newspaper noted this expectation on Thursday.
The government is finalizing a decree announced by Sánchez in January, which aims to provide legal residency to 500,000 undocumented individuals, albeit with a more relaxed set of conditions for applicants.
Even though there has been considerable opposition from the public and within the Spanish parliament, Sánchez plans to push this contentious proposal through a royal decree, which would allow it to bypass the usual parliamentary approval process.
A review from Spain’s Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Immigration indicates that they anticipate receiving 750,000 applications for this mass amnesty, which is significantly higher than the initial cap of 500,000.
This document from the ministry serves as a sort of operational guide, detailing the necessary resources—both technical and human—to handle the administrative processes involved in this mass regularization.
The report clarifies that of the total 500,000 permits being issued, 300,000 will go to individuals who have sought international protection and arrived in Spain by January 1, 2026. The remaining 200,000 will be allocated to others who can demonstrate continuous presence in Spain for at least five months before applying.
Furthermore, the government projects that “more than 30 percent” of these applications will likely be denied.
The ministry document highlights the complexity of handling so many applications, which exceed the number of anticipated beneficiaries.
Individuals already in the process of obtaining residency and work permits in Spain are not eligible for this mass regularization, with an estimated “180,000 residence permits pending resolution by December 31, 2025.”
As stated in the document, the goal is to prevent any disadvantage for asylum seekers whose applications might be approved while their cases remain unresolved.
It explains that these cases will be fast-tracked for favorable resolutions, provided the applicants have no criminal history and pose no risk to public safety or health. The same expedited process applies to those seeking residence due to “exceptional circumstances.”
The mass amnesty decree is under consideration by Spain’s Council of State and is anticipated to receive approval this month. Sources indicated that publication in the Official Gazette might take place on April 21, though there are doubts about whether this timeline is accurate.
