Overview > Spain

last update: June 2011

Since 2006 ninety percent less migrants have been coming to Spain than in previous years. This is due to the drastic control at the external borders, as well as to the agreements Spain concluded with African countries to prevent people from immigrating.

The usual way to obtain regulation of one’s status is by referring to “arraigo”(roots). Having roots means that a person spent a certain amount of time in Spain and has “integrated” in society. After a stay of three years and the offer of a labour contract, migrants may obtain a residence permit. Another way is by marriage. Getting asylum in Spain is very difficult. 

In Spain the first important step is to get a “padrón” (official address). With this official address everybody has access to the health system and the social services. The official address also shows the time of your stay in Spain, which is important to obtain regulation of your status.

Although the law allows the deportation of people without regulation, once inside the country migrants without a criminal record are at the moment not as severely persecuted by the police as in other European countries. Though this also depends on where you are and on the police officer.
In Spain the control is really concentrated at the land borders and at the airports.

The labour situation is not very good and there is high unemployment in the country, so for migrants it is even harder to find a job. In nearly every town there are associations which support migrants in legal matters, counselling, finding a place to live, education and all other social and fundamental matters.