Officials will work overtime to expedite your registration

Immigration offices are gearing up for a marathon of work. The government has authorized voluntary, paid overtime so that officials can tackle the mountain of applications for legalization. The number exceeds one million—twice what they expected. And, as expected, the system has reached its limit.

What does this mean for you? Well, it means that officials who wish to do so can stay longer at the office, but only to enter and verify data. No processing of applications. Decisions will continue at their usual pace. That said: if your application was accepted for processing, don’t obsess over the three-month deadline. The provisional permit you were granted does not expire after three months, as some have believed. It remains valid until you’re notified of the final decision, so don’t worry.

Companies have also gotten confused. Some have terminated employees with provisional permits because they believed there would be no response within three months. Attorney María García Hernández, a specialist in immigration law, clarifies that this is a mistake. The work permit linked to the regularization process does not have a fixed deadline. If your company tells you otherwise, show them this article.

Immigration lawyers’ associations believe the measure is merely a stopgap solution. The backlog is deep-rooted: more than a million cases can’t be resolved just by working overtime to enter data. Appointments remain a bottleneck. Meanwhile, the government promises more resources, but the reality is that you’ll need to arm yourself with patience—a lot of it.

If your application is pending, keep a close eye on official communications. Don’t pay attention to rumors or made-up deadlines. And, of course, if you run into obstacles, there are people who can lend you a hand.

If you’re having trouble with your appointment or application, message us on Telegram: https://t.me/cita_extranjeria