Long Queues at Pakistani Consulates in Spain for 2026 Regularization

Why Are There Long Queues of Pakistanis at Pakistani Consulates in Spain? 

For 2026 Regularization?

In recent days, large queues of people, especially Pakistanis, have been seen outside the Pakistani consulate or embassy in Spanish cities like Barcelona and Madrid. Many have shared videos and photos on social media and digital news showing groups waiting for hours in the cold to process documents. This situation has raised curiosity, questions, and concerns among residents, migrants, and the general public about the migration process and immigrant regularization in Spain in 2026.

What Immigrant Regularization Is Happening in Spain?

The Spanish government has announced a plan for extraordinary regularization of immigrants in irregular situations. This measure—supported by PSOE and other parties and organizations—aims to provide a legal path for hundreds of thousands of people (500,000) who have been living and working in Spain without proper documentation for years.

• The measure allows people without legal residence to obtain a work and residence permit if they meet certain requirements.
• Requirements include proving that they have lived in Spain for a certain period (at least five months before December 2025) and having no criminal record in their country of origin.
• The process is expected to begin in spring 2026, with an official deadline to submit documents announced later.

This type of regularization is not entirely new in Spain; similar measures have been implemented several times in the democratic era, though never at the scale announced now.

Why Are People Queuing at the Pakistani Consulate or Embassy?

The main reason Pakistanis are forming long lines at their country’s diplomatic offices in Spain is because the new regularization process requires documents that must be obtained from Pakistan.

Specifically:

• Spanish authorities require a criminal record certificate or “character certificate” from the applicant’s country of origin as part of the legal residence application.
• This document is issued by the country itself (in this case Pakistan), so applicants must request it at the consulate or embassy.
• After the announcement of the regularization plan, thousands of Pakistanis have come to request this certificate or authorization to process it from Spain.

Consulates, especially the one in Barcelona, have expanded working hours and services to handle the high demand.

The need to obtain documents from the country of origin is not unique to Pakistan, but the Pakistani community in Spain is large enough to create visible crowds, and consular capacity to process requests is limited, causing long queues.

Why Does It Seem That Only Pakistanis Are Queuing?

It may appear that only Pakistani consulates have large lines, but there are several reasons for this:

• Size of the Pakistani community: While there are many nationalities living irregularly in Spain, the Pakistani community has responded quickly to the announcement due to cultural, familial, and social network reasons.
• Community organization and communication: Pakistanis often have strong internal networks that share information about procedures and consulate schedules, causing many people to show up at the same time.
• Consular capacity: Not all embassies or consulates of other countries have the same number of residents or consular resources in Spain. Some countries issue documents through online appointments or with lower simultaneous demand, reducing visible queues.
• Media coverage: Many of the photos and videos circulating are from Barcelona and Madrid, where the Pakistani community is large and active, increasing the visibility of these lines.

Other nationalities are also requesting documents, but these queues may not be as widely reported on social media, or embassies of those countries may manage requests differently.

What Documents Are Needed for Regularization?

Key documents generally include:

• Valid passport
• Criminal record certificate from the country of origin
• Proof of residence in Spain before a certain date (e.g., before December 31, 2025)
• Other documents proving identity and length of stay

Since the criminal record certificate can only be issued by the country of origin, many people must obtain it through their consulate or embassy in Spain. This is the main reason for the recent long queues.

Is It Mandatory for All Irregular Immigrants?

Not all irregular immigrants need to visit their embassy or consulate. Only those who don’t already have a criminal record certificate need to get it from their country. If someone has all the required documents, they don’t need to do this step.

Additionally, the official application process has not yet started, and consulates are addressing early demand from people who want to ensure they have the necessary documents before the formal submission period opens.

What Are the Risks of Misinformation or Fraud?

Social organizations and media have warned about scams targeting migrants promising to expedite or “guarantee” the process in exchange for money. Authorities emphasize that these procedures are free and that intermediaries should not be paid.

Some political parties have also criticized the measure, arguing potential negative effects or a “pull effect,” though these criticisms are mostly ideological and do not affect the legal process itself.

Conclusion

Context Behind the Long Queues

Long queues of Pakistanis at Spanish consulates are not a sign of an immediate border opening or “new mass immigration.” In reality:

• People are trying to obtain documents that allow them to access the extraordinary regularization approved by the Spanish government.
• The need for criminal record certificates requires visiting consulates/embassies.
• The large Pakistani population in Spain and limited consular capacity explain the long queues.

As the process advances and more official processing mechanisms are introduced, this situation is likely to change or be organized more efficiently through consular offices, online services, and scheduled appointments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this mean Spain is accepting new immigrants without control?

No. Regularization is for people who already live in Spain irregularly and meet certain requirements before the established deadline.

Can all immigrants apply for regularization?

Only those who can prove prior residence, have no criminal record, and meet other conditions specified by the decree.

Can I pay to speed up the process?

No. Authorities warn against scams and emphasize that intermediaries should not be paid.