They charge you up to 400 euros for a free appointment—that's how the scam works.

Getting an appointment at Immigration or the Civil Registry has become a goldmine for some clever people. In Zaragoza, several migrant associations have reported that there are intermediaries who charge you between 200 and 400 euros for an appointment. A procedure that is free —yes, you apply online and it costs you nothing. So this public service that should be for everyone is being sold on a black market.

The mechanism is simple. You know they release appointments at 1:00 p.m. You sit in front of the computer, but you don't catch any. But then an intermediary offers you one in a flash in exchange for cash. "You call and they say: 'I'll get it for you,'" says Nidia Amparo, from Sos Colombianos. "And ten minutes later you have it."

And why do people pay? Because you need to meet legal deadlines and fear plays nasty tricks on you. Javier Arce, from Atarraya Centroamérica, puts it clearly: "It's a toll to avoid bigger troubles. A free service you can't get and you have to fall into these networks." Valentina Pava, from Sos Colombianos, sees it as terrible: "People fleeing violence, and on top of that charging them for an appointment, it's horrible."

This Friday, the associations met with the Justice of Aragon to tell him the story. For now, the Government of Aragon and the Ministry of Justice are working on IT improvements to catch and block these intermediaries. But the problem is still there.

So if you are looking for an appointment, watch out for strange offers on social media or ads. Don't spend a single euro: the appointment is yours, by right. If someone asks for money, report it to the Police or the Immigration Office. Take action.

If you have difficulties with your appointment or procedure, write to us on Telegram: https://t.me/cita_extranjeria