The ripple effects of Spain’s new amnesty are spilling over to consular posts. Morocco’s embassy confirmed on 15 April that its consulates in Valencia, Barcelona and Algeciras have seen demand for the "fiche anthropométrique"—a police-clearance certificate required under Spain’s decree—soar by more than 300 % since late January. Valencia’s post is now processing nearly 800 certificates a day and has extended opening hours to 18:00 on weekdays and weekends. Consular officials cite staffing, security and IT constraints. Unlike Spain’s fully online application portal, Morocco still requires applicants to appear in person to submit fingerprints, pay the €10 fee and collect documents three days later. Long queues along Calle Serranos in Valencia have prompted local police to erect temporary barriers and advise neighbouring businesses to adjust delivery schedules. For Moroccan nationals—Spain’s second-largest non-EU community at 900,000 people—the certificate is often the last missing piece for a successful regularization file. Immigration lawyers warn that without it, applications will be deemed incomplete and placed on hold. Some are redirecting clients to smaller consulates such as Murcia, but appointment slots there are now booked out until late May. Spanish employers who sponsor work contracts for newly regularised Moroccans should therefore anticipate delays of two to three weeks while background checks are obtained. The Foreign Ministry in Rabat is reportedly considering a pilot e-certificate that could be transmitted directly to Spanish authorities, but no timeline has been announced. The situation underscores a broader challenge: Spain’s unilateral immigration reforms depend on foreign governments’ administrative capacity to supply documents. Similar pressure is expected at consulates of Colombia, Venezuela and Senegal in the coming weeks, suggesting that the logistical bottlenecks of regularization extend far beyond Spain’s own borders.
Source: Hespress EN
