This Monday the in-person process for the extraordinary regularization of migrants in Spain began, a day that has left a very uneven panorama: long lines and you wait on the one hand, and normal and tranquility in others.
The first place where movement has been seen was in Cataloniawhere hundreds of people gathered since dawn at the La Farga fairgrounds, in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), to obtain the necessary documentation to start the procedure. Some of the applicants have even spent the night there to secure a place in line. Among the requirements are the vulnerability report and the registration certificate, key documents to access the regularization process.
Those who have approached the Citizen Services office in Plaza Sant Miquel, in Barcelona, have also suffered long waits. Some people have claimed that the waiting time exceeded “more than four hours”according to statements to Europa Press. A very different situation from what they have experienced in Post Offices and NGO headquarters, where the requirement of prior appointment and mandatory attendance with all the documentation prepared has made it possible to speed up the process and avoid crowds.
In Galiciaboth in Social Security offices and in the Post Offices, the day has passed with “total normality” and there has been hardly any influx of applicants. Something similar has happened in Cantabriawhere the Post Offices have served exclusively by appointment and no queues have formed, although specific failures have been detected in the computer system.
On the other hand, in Castilla-La Mancha the situation has varied depending on the province. In Albacetemore than a hundred migrants have gathered in front of the Municipal Citizen Assistance Office, while in Basin The day has been calmer, although with doubts on the part of the applicants about the start of the procedure and the documentation to be presented, especially the vulnerability certificate.
The Government of Spain has approved an extraordinary regularization process that will benefit half a million migrants. In this video we explain all the details: who can apply, the residency and criminal requirements, and the deadlines to submit the application.
Further north, in Castilla y León, there have been technical incidents. The procedures in Valladolid They have suffered delays due to computer problems, but the organization of the process by appointment has allowed care to occur in an orderly manner and with an atmosphere of hope. The applicants expressed to Europa Press their desire to access a “good job”, live “more peacefully” and “contribute to the country”.
Meanwhile, in the Community of Madridnormality has been the dominant trend in most Post Offices, especially in Julián Besteiro (Tetuán) and Maudes (Chamberí), where there have been no queues early in the morning. In Jacinto Verdaguer’s office, a system of three windows dedicated to processing applications has been implemented throughout the day. The City Council of the capital has spoken of an “exponential increase” in requests, which went from 1,500 a day last week to 4,000 after the decree came into force and even 5,500 the next day.
On the coast, the high demand received in the Valencian Community It has been reflected in the long queues since the morning, especially in municipal buildings in Valencia, such as in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento or in Amadeo de Saboya. There, hundreds of people waited to gather the required documentation.
Afterwards, the day of Rioja It has been lived with great enthusiasm. Among the first applicants were stevens and Stephenboth Colombians, and Bettyof Peruvian nationality, who presented their application at a Post Office in Logroño with the hope of “having a better life.”
In Balearicsseveral dozen people have started the procedures with the expectation of getting a job or improving their personal security. Some of the cases collected by Europa Press are those of Johnny and Paolaa couple from Colombia who arrived in Mallorca after fleeing violence. He has worked without papers, in the underground economy, and recently signed a contract as a delivery driver when requesting international protection, while she hopes that regularization by family unit will allow her to access a work permit for the first time.
The Canary Islands They have been one of the territories where the day has passed more peacefully. It is estimated that the regularization process could affect around 40,000 people in the archipelago. The 24 Post Offices and Social Security points maintained service without queues, except for some occasional waiting at the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Hall. The length of the deadline, until June 30, and the appointment system have contributed to avoiding incidents.
The operation will take place in more than 370 Post Officesmore than 60 Social Security offices and five Immigration offices located in Madrid, Alicante, Valencia, Almería and Murcia. The authorities have reiterated that service is provided only by appointment and at specific times: from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Post Office, and from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Social Security and Immigration Office.
From the social sphere, the Spanish Commission for Refugee Assistance (CEAR) has asked for “patience” in the face of the “very large influx” of people at its headquarters. “We organizations call for patience in a complex process. We are convinced that anyone who meets the requirements will be able to request it in time,” the entity said. CEAR also warned of the increase in requests for the vulnerability certificate, although it is not always necessary for processing.
The organization Accem He noted that the situation in his offices is “relatively calm,” although he anticipates an increase in the volume of work in the coming weeks. The queries focus on doubts about documentation, access routes and the vulnerability report. Both CEAR and Accem are part of the Registry of Immigration Collaborators, made up of social entities and unions that offer free advice.
At the union level, the leaders of UGT and CCOOPepe Álvarez and Unai Sordo, demanded an immediate reinforcement of human and material resources. Álvarez, in a press conference, demanded that the Prosecutor’s Office investigate the existence of networks that traffic in appointments for migrants: “Today we have learned of websites that are dedicated to trafficking in appointments for migrants,” said the general secretary of UGT, who asked the Administration of Justice to “act ex officio.”
For its part, the Independent Trade Union Center and Civil Servants (CSIF) warned of computer problems and lack of staff. The union center reported “repeated failures” in the computer system in different parts of the country, which has led to delays in the files and, in the case of Granada, the temporary closure of an office.
