KATHMANDU: A special immigration regularization program launched by Spain has raised significant hope among thousands of Nepali migrants. However, that hope is now turning into confusion due to bureaucratic hurdles and administrative complications.

The Spanish government introduced the scheme to grant legal status to undocumented migrants who arrived in Spain before December 31, 2025, and have been continuously residing there for at least five months. The application window remains open until June 30.

A key requirement in the process is a criminal record clearance certificate (police report). As a result, thousands of Nepalis have simultaneously applied for this document.

Previously, once the police report was issued, it had to be authenticated by the Spanish Consulate in Kathmandu. This led to overwhelming crowds at the consulate in recent weeks, with thousands waiting for document verification.

However, a major change has disrupted the process.

The Spanish Consulate in Kathmandu has temporarily suspended its authority to authenticate Nepali documents effective April 24, 2026. According to instructions from Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, document legalization must now be carried out only through the Spanish Embassy in New Delhi.

This decision has made the process more complicated, increasing time, cost, and uncertainty, as documents now need to be processed via India before reaching Madrid.

Growing Frustration Among Families

For many families, the opportunity has turned into anxiety.

Dil Bahadur Chhetri from Pokhara said his son in Spain had struggled to obtain the required “Certificado de Vulnerabilidad,” queuing overnight. “We finally felt hopeful, but now everything is stuck again,” he said, expressing concern over the new requirement to travel to New Delhi.

Similarly, Kavita Rai from Kathmandu, who has been in Spain for eight months, said she had completed all documents except for consulate authentication. “Now we are told to go to New Delhi. I fear losing this golden opportunity,” she said, adding that many Nepalis are under mental stress as undocumented migrants cannot find stable jobs.

Bimala Moktan from Nuwakot shared similar concerns. “All documents are ready, but the process is stuck due to authentication issues. We lack clear official information,” she said.

Thousands Affected, Says NRNA

According to Santosh Shrestha, President of the Non-Resident Nepali Association Spain chapter, the situation is becoming increasingly serious.

“People are already discouraged. Just as passport issues were unresolved, another major problem has emerged,” he said.

He estimates that 3,000 to 4,000 police reports are still pending authentication, affecting a large number of Nepali migrants.

“The process is now longer documents must be verified in New Delhi and then legalized again in Madrid. With only about two months left before the June 30 deadline, this is extremely challenging,” he added.

He urged the Government of Nepal to take immediate diplomatic initiatives to resolve the issue.

Massive Demand for Regularization

Meanwhile, Spain’s immigration regularization program has received 130,000 applications within just five days of implementation.

According to the Ministry of Social Security and Migration, 55,000 applicants have already been given appointments until April 30, representing about 26% of the government’s target to regularize 500,000 migrants.

Long queues and administrative pressure have been reported across the country, especially in Catalonia, where demand for the “Certificado de Vulnerabilidad” has surged.

Background: Large Undocumented Population

Spain has previously conducted nine similar regularization programs between 1986 and 2005, benefiting over one million migrants.

According to a 2025 report by Funcas, Spain currently hosts around 840,000 undocumented non-EU migrants, with the majority coming from the Americas.