33,690 applications for legalization in Seville and a flood of questions

Seville was the Andalusian province with the second-highest number of applications for the extraordinary regularization of foreign nationals—33,690 to be exact, between April and June 2026—second only to Málaga. Across Andalusia, 161,557 applications were filed, and in Spain, 1,174,978. The government had estimated half a million beneficiaries; the actual number is nearly double that projection. So be warned: not all applications will be approved.

Each application goes through the government’s screening process. Just because so many have been submitted doesn’t mean they’ll all be approved—keep that in mind. Meanwhile, specialized law firms—such as Méndez Izquierdo in Seville—are reporting a flood of inquiries. Typical questions include: How do I track my case? How do I get provisional authorization to work? What should I do if they ask for more documents? How do I renew my permit when it’s been a year? Regarding the latter, you’ll need to have a clear understanding of the timeline.

But that’s not all. Many are wondering if they qualify for other pathways—and that’s normal. Current law recognizes several types of ties to Spain: second chance, socio-labor, social, socio-educational, and family-based. Almost all of them require two years of continuous residence in Spain, except for the family-based category. There are also growing questions about citizenship through residency. Keep this in mind: simply being registered with the municipal census does not equate to a residence permit or citizenship. So before applying for anything, carefully review your administrative status, your history, and any periods you’ve been absent from the country. You don’t want to have to deal with that later.

The foreign population in Seville now exceeds 65,000 people—9.32% of the total. In just one year, it has grown by nearly 8%, while the native population has barely changed. The regularization process has brought the entire system into the spotlight, and for good reason. Take action if you have any doubts.

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