CONFIRMED: What We Know About Spain's Migrant Amnesty

The Spanish Council of Ministers has officially published the Royal Decree launching a historic regularization drive, effective from April 20, 2026. This initiative targets approximately 500,000 to 600,000 undocumented residents, offering them a fast-track to legal status. To be eligible, applicants must prove they entered Spain before January 1, 2026, and have maintained a continuous residence of at least five months at the time of application. Crucially, candidates must have a clean criminal record for the past five years. Successful applicants will receive an initial one-year residence and work permit, which can be renewed and eventually converted into long-term residency after five years. The application window is narrow, opening this week and closing strictly on June 30, 2026. To handle the anticipated surge, the government has launched a "Digital-First" platform and redeployed 400 specialized caseworkers to ensure processing times stay below 30 to 90 days. While the move is hailed by labor sectors facing shortages in hospitality and agriculture, it faces pushback from opposition parties and civil service unions, who have called for strikes at Extranjería offices due to the sudden workload. For those eligible, this decree represents a life-changing opportunity to exit the "shadow economy" and access full healthcare, education, and labor rights.