Published: 11.04.2026
According to the source, immigration procedures in Spain currently take roughly three to nine months. Around 150,000 residence and work-permit applications have reportedly been stalled by a failure in criminal-record checks, while appointment shortages are worsened by automated booking activity.
Sources point to a practical access problem: delays affect both initial applications and renewals of immigration documents. For people relocating to Spain, this means allowing several additional months for processing and planning travel and employment carefully, as applications may remain pending while documents are being renewed or checked. The issue is particularly relevant to foreigners seeking residence, work permits, or renewal of a residence card. It is worth factoring into relocation planning, although the reports describe administrative disruption rather than a change to the underlying eligibility rules.