5 min
I missed the extraordinary regularisation. What now?
The window closed on 30 June with no extension and many people have experienced it as a door shutting for good. It is not: the route by which most people in Spain regularise every year is still open.
It helps to understand exactly what the extraordinary regularisation under Royal Decree 316/2026 was: an additional, temporary route, not a replacement for the ordinary system. It closed on 30 June 2026 after receiving around 1.2 million applications, double the forecast, and the government ruled out an extension despite requests reaching parliament.
What remains fully in force is arraigo, governed by the regulation approved by Royal Decree 1155/2024. It is not a consolation prize: it is the mechanism through which most people in Spain regularise their status, every year, and has been for over a decade.
The five doors
| If your situation is… | Look at this route |
|---|---|
| You have work or a firm offer meeting the requirements | Arraigo sociolaboral |
| You have family here or can obtain the integration report | Arraigo social |
| You are willing to train while regularising | Arraigo socioformativo |
| You have a Spanish child or are a relative of an EU citizen | Arraigo familiar |
| You held a card and lost it, or your asylum claim was refused | Second-chance arraigo |
What to do this week
- Gather evidence of your presence: historical padrón records, medical reports, school enrolments, contracts, money transfer receipts. The more continuous, the better.
- Request the criminal record certificate from your country of origin, because it takes longest to arrive and delays the most files.
- If you have work or the possibility of it, speak to the employer: there are specific requirements on hours and duration the contract must meet.
- Check whether the integration report applies to you and how long your town hall takes to issue it, because it can be weeks.
Updated
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