Spain Visa & Policy Updates
Spain has launched a mass regularization program granting one-year work permits to 500,000 undocumented residents who arrived before 2026. The Supreme Court recently abolished the 183-day absence rule for permit cancellations and struck down automatic residency denials for those with criminal records. Additionally, a hike in the Minimum Interprofessional Wage (SMI) has raised the monthly income requirement for digital nomad families to over €3,900.
Spain ends automatic residency denials for non-EU citizens with criminal records
Spain's Supreme Court struck down restrictive immigration provisions, making it easier for companies to sponsor non-EU workers. The ruling also introduces a proportionality test for criminal records in residency cases and simplifies family reunification requirements.
Spain ends automatic permit loss for absences over 183 days
The Spanish Supreme Court ruled that immigration authorities cannot deny residency renewals for non-lucrative or digital nomad permits based solely on time spent abroad. This decision effectively eliminates the mandatory six-month stay requirement previously needed to maintain legal status.
200,000 Britons in Spain risk 90 day limit breaches under EES rules
British residents in Spain continue to navigate post-Brexit residency requirements and the transition from green certificates to TIE biometric cards. While most have secured status, new arrivals must now meet stricter third-country national income and healthcare thresholds.
Spain grants 1 year work permits to 500,000 undocumented foreigners
A new extraordinary regularisation law allows non-EU foreigners who arrived in Spain before the end of 2025 to apply for legal residence and work permits. Applicants must submit their files before the June 30 deadline to transition from irregular status to legal residency.
Spain accepts regularisation applications for 500,000 people until June 30
The court postponed a decision on whether to suspend the 2026 extraordinary regularisation plan for undocumented foreigners. This delay creates continued uncertainty for those seeking legal residence through this specific route to stay in Spain.
Spain grants 1-year permits to undocumented foreigners under Royal Decree 316/2026
Royal Decree-Law 316/2026 allows foreign nationals to regularize their status if they can prove five months of residency before Jan. 1. Eligible expats and irregular migrants have until June 30 to apply for the renewable one-year residence and work permits.
Spain’s regularization window is open
Spain’s mass regularization (amnesty) program for undocumented migrants opened for in-person applications on April 20, 2026 (online applications began earlier). By April 20, approximately 42,790–43,000 migrants had registered in the first three days. The program offers a one-year renewable residence permit (with work rights) to those who have lived in Spain for at least five months, have a clean criminal record, and meet other criteria. It targets hundreds of thousands of foreigners (estimates range from 500,000 government figure to ~840,000), primarily from Latin America, Africa, and Morocco. This provides a pathway to legal work, tax contributions, and social security for previously unauthorized residents, benefiting sectors like tourism, agriculture, and services. It is not specifically a digital nomad program but creates a legalization route for some long-term expats/foreign workers. Applications run through June 30, 2026, via post offices, social security offices, migration offices, or online. Long queues were reported at processing points in Madrid and Barcelona. (Sources: https://www.euronews.com/2026/04/20/almost-43000-migrants-register-in-first-three-days-of-spains-regularisation-amnesty; https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-04-21/es/spain-launches-historic-2026-migrant-legalisation-drive/)
Spain’s 500,000-Permit Amnesty Opens Fast
Spain is launching a large-scale regularization process in April 2026 that provides a legal path to residence for thousands of undocumented individuals currently in the country.
Spain's New SMI Hike Means Families Need Over €3,900 Monthly
https://www.jobbatical.com/blog/spain-digital-nomad-visa-income-smi-increase (reported ~3 days before April 12, aligning with early April updates); cross-referenced in contemporaneous articles.
Spain Updates Digital Immigration Systems for Remote Workers
Spain is introducing a unified digital system to standardize immigration applications and reduce regional processing delays. This overhaul aims to simplify documentation requirements and provide more consistent outcomes for expats and foreign workers across all provinces.
Spain Updates Healthcare Access for Undocumented Residents
A new royal decree guarantees free public healthcare for undocumented migrants who can prove six months of residency in Spain. This policy shift reinforces Spain's commitment to universal health coverage and may impact those currently in the process of regularizing their residency status.
Spain Rolls Out Massive Regularization Program
Spain will launch a mass regularization process in April 2026, allowing approximately 500,000 undocumented residents to apply for one-year residence and work permits. This initiative aims to integrate long-term residents into the formal economy and provides a pathway to legal status for those currently without valid papers.
Spain Updates Residency Pathways for Foreigners
The Spanish government has drafted new pathways for legal residency starting in 2026, including a transitional provision for asylum seekers and a new 'extraordinary arraigo' for those with work or family ties. These changes aim to simplify the transition to legal status and prevent overlapping immigration procedures.
Spain Rolls Out Major Travel Flexibility for Temporary Residents
The Supreme Court has annulled the regulation that allowed authorities to cancel temporary residency permits if holders spent more than six months outside Spain in a single year. This ruling provides expats with significantly more travel flexibility, though they must still meet the original conditions of their residency to renew.
Spain Updates Residency Rules for Half a Million People
The Spanish government has approved a decree to grant residence and work permits to approximately 500,000 undocumented individuals currently in the country. To qualify, applicants must have been residing in Spain before December 31, 2025, and maintain a clean criminal record.