Vigo Requires a Mother Applying as a Family Unit to Prove Vulnerability

A woman who submitted her application under the Extraordinary Regularization program has run into an awkward requirement. The Vigo Immigration Office, in a document signed electronically on September 11, is asking her to prove that she is in a vulnerable situation. The problem: she did not submit any certificate of vulnerability because her case was filed through a different channel—that of the family unit. She has a minor daughter.

And that is the key. In fact, vulnerability is not a requirement that all applicants must meet. The regulations governing this process opened several avenues for those who do not qualify for international protection: having worked in Spain as an employee or self-employed individual, remaining in the country as part of a family unit—with minor children, for example, or with elderly family members with disabilities—or being in a situation of vulnerability. The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration itself clarified at the start of the procedure that not everyone has to submit that certificate.

That said, don’t jump to conclusions. The letter, on its own, does not explain why the office believes this woman must prove her vulnerability. It may be that the authorities did not consider the family unit to be sufficiently substantiated, or that the case was classified under the vulnerability category. It’s also possible that this is a request that can be resolved by submitting a statement of defense. What doesn’t hold up is the claim that everyone with minor children must now provide this certificate.

If you receive a document like this, check the deadlines. Here, you have ten business days starting from the day after notification. During that time, the processing of your case is put on hold. And be careful not to let the deadline pass: if you don’t respond, they may consider your application withdrawn and close the case. Check which track your application falls under, submit the documents that support your case, and, if you disagree, file a statement of objections.

The rectification phase of the Extraordinary Regularization process remains open until September 30, 2026, for those who need to complete or correct documentation. This is a generous timeframe, but it’s of no use if a specific request goes unanswered.

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