SPAIN — The extraordinary regularization process initiated by the Spanish Government in April concluded on June 30, 2026, after receiving 1,174,978 applications. This number represents the highest recorded in any of the seven mass regularizations in Spain since 1986.

The Supreme Court rejected legal challenges against the regularization filed by Vox and the Community of Madrid. Vox had argued that the process could alter the configuration of the electoral census, while the Community of Madrid contended it would have a strong impact on the provision of social services. Additionally, the regional governments of Valencia and Aragón filed another legal challenge before the Supreme Court, arguing the initiative could conflict with European law, specifically the European Union Migration and Asylum Pact, which entered into force on June 12, 2026. The Supreme Court proposed referring a question to the Court of Justice of the European Union regarding the compatibility of the initiative with EU norms on July 1, 2026.

Of the total applications, 67% were submitted by individuals from Central and South America. Colombian nationals accounted for 25.9% of these submissions, according to Spanish Government data. Association Aculco processed more than 3,000 applications through its five offices in Spain, with its director, Álvaro Zuleta, estimating that 30% of those were from Colombians.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez initially estimated the initiative would benefit 500,000 people. The Spanish Executive stated the process has all guarantees and rejected accusations of fueling irregular migration. The executive maintained that migrants would contribute to the country's growth by joining the labor market and contributing to the welfare state. "Without new migrants, Spain would lose 19% of its GDP in 2050," Sánchez said, also stating the loss would be 22% of its GDP in 2075. He added that this loss would mean "90,000 bars with their shutters down. 50,000 primary and secondary school classrooms without students and the disappearance of 220,000 agricultural holdings, one in three."

A Spanish Government spokesperson stated the executive is "calm and convinced of the legality of the regularization." The spokesperson added that the government aims to "convey a message of calm to the affected people and guarantee them an environment of legal security." Each applicant receives a provisional authorization to reside and work for one year from the communication of the start of the administrative procedure. Authorities have a maximum of three months to resolve each file once administrative processing begins. "They are people from all over the world who come to integrate, to live in this country and who will be fundamental not only economically, but in the construction of a much more diverse Spain," Zuleta said.

Claudia Cortés, a 28-year-old Peruvian national, submitted her application through Association Aculco on May 14, 2026. As of July 6, 2026, she had not received notification of admission to processing. A relative of Cortés, who submitted an application on May 19, 2026, received temporary permission.