General elections are on November 29. And no, that doesn’t put your immigration case on hold. The 2026 extraordinary regularization process is still in effect, as are your asylum proceedings, and your work authorization remains valid. This is the information that matters to you if you have an open case right now.
Pedro Sánchez announced it on Monday, October 5: elections on November 29. He first informed King Felipe VI and convened an extraordinary Council of Ministers meeting to approve the dissolution of Parliament. The decree was published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) on Tuesday, October 6. From then on, it’s campaign season. But your application won’t be put on hold.
Your case remains active
The regularization process is enshrined in the Immigration Regulations by royal decree. It has already been approved and is in effect. It is not an election promise nor a measure that depends on a vote. Between April 16 and June 30, 1,174,978 applications were filed. Nearly eight out of ten were based on extraordinary ties to Spain; the rest were filed under the pathway for applicants seeking international protection.
While your case is being processed, the royal decree grants you provisional authorization to reside and work—whether as an employee or self-employed—anywhere in Spain and in any sector. This authorization remains in effect during any legal suspensions of the proceedings. It only expires upon receipt of a denial decision. If it has already been granted to you, it does not expire.
Offices and Government: What Remains Operational
Immigration Offices, the Immigration Case Processing Unit, and the General Directorate of Migration Management continue to operate. These are administrative bodies, not parliamentary ones. And the Executive Branch does not go into caretaker status simply because Congress is dissolved: it retains its full powers until the elections. The change will take effect after November 29.
The same applies to asylum. Law 12/2009 remains in force, and as of June 12, 2026, the European Pact on Migration and Asylum will apply, with ten EU regulations on procedures, border control, and solidarity among member states. No election schedule suspends the right to seek international protection.
What lies ahead is not administrative paralysis, but political uncertainty. The next government will be able to change immigration policy, but it will need to pass new regulations and establish how they are to be implemented. Residency permits, family reunification, renewals, amendments, and work permits will continue to be processed under the current regulations. If you have an appointment or a pending case, check your status on the online portal and be sure to respond to any requests: deadlines are not extended due to the election campaign. Take action.
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