With Spain’s extraordinary regularisation programme approaching its 30 June deadline, Correos warns of potential ‘chaos’ in its 2,389 branches once face-to-face Ministry counters close. From 1 July all remaining applications—potentially tens of thousands—must be lodged electronically via Correos’ ORVE digital-record system, and the Ministry is withdrawing the dedicated call-centre number that has spaced out appointments until now. Internal briefings seen by *El Debate* reveal that 900,000 files have already been submitted, triple initial forecasts. Correos managers fear walk-in queues could overwhelm staff trained primarily in parcel logistics rather than immigration documentation. The government has earmarked €3 billion over four years to compensate the postal service for its expanded public-service remit, but unions say no extra headcount has been authorised for July–August. For employers sponsoring applicants under the new work-experience pathway, the shift to digital filing means HR teams must ensure that power-of-attorney forms and police-clearance apostilles are uploaded in the correct PDF sequence—errors will now trigger automatic rejection codes with no in-person correction window. Immigration lawyers advise applicants to create their *Cl@ve Permanente* digital ID immediately to avoid system bottlenecks. The episode highlights Spain’s increasingly hybrid immigration administration, where public-private channels such as Correos act as front-office gatekeepers. Multinationals should update onboarding timelines: authorities have three months to rule on each file, so first residence cards may not be issued until October.
Source: El Debate
