Hand on heart, “wooden cross, iron cross” will do the trick. As part of the exceptional regularization of 500,000 irregular migrants announced by the Spanish government, the absence of serious criminal convictions can be certified by a simple declaration on honor, in the absence of official documents. “For an immigrant to be regularized, they must have a criminal record free of any serious criminal conviction. Or simply affirm it”declared this Tuesday the general secretary of the far-left Podemos party, Ione Belarra, during a press conference in Parliament.
In addition to the absence of serious conviction, certified in a declarative manner, candidates for regularization must prove their presence on Spanish territory before December 31, 2025 and provide proof of at least five months of residence in the country. These two conditions must be supported by supporting documents, such as proof of remittances, transport tickets or certificates of medical appointments.
A dire need for labor
According to the Funcas economic foundation, this regularization concerns Latin American nationals in 91% of cases. The system, which is due to come into force from April, will allow the granting of residence and work permits, opening legal access to employment. “in all sectors and in all regions of the country”specified the Minister of Inclusion and government spokesperson, Elma Saiz.
“What we are doing is recognizing and giving dignity, and offering guarantees, opportunities and rights to people who are already in our country”she said after the Council of Ministers. The executive puts forward a dual objective, both social and economic, in a country which lacks labor in several sectors. The regularization will be implemented by royal decree, a constitutional mechanism allowing the government to act without a prior vote from Parliament, where Pedro Sanchez does not have a stable majority.
According to official figures, nearly 37,000 irregular migrants entered Spain in 2025, a sharp drop compared to the previous year. The country today has more than seven million foreigners for a total population of 49.4 million inhabitants.
