Extraordinary regularisation: I have applied, what now?
Soraya Mohamedi · Employment Area Coordinator, Ubuntu Canarias · 8 min read
Between April and June 2026, more than a million people applied for the extraordinary regularisation. Six months later, many are still waiting for an answer and are not sure what they can do in the meantime.
This guide is for people who have already applied. It explains what stage your file may be at, how to check it, what to do if you are asked for more documents and, above all, what to start preparing now for when the first year ends.
First: what stage is your application at?
Having applied is not the same as having your application admitted. This table helps you see where you are:
| What you have | What it means | Can I work? |
|---|---|---|
| Only the receipt (the paper or email you got when you applied) | Your application has been received, but nobody has started to examine it yet | No |
| The start notice (comunicación de inicio, also called “admisión a trámite”) | They have started to examine your application | Yes, anywhere in Spain, as an employee or self-employed |
| The decision (resolución) | There is a final answer: approved or refused | It depends on the answer (see below) |
With the start notice, Social Security also gives you a Social Security number (NUSS) automatically if you did not have one. With that number an employer can register you, and you can ask for your health card at your health centre.
How to check your file
- Go to the official page Consultar mi expediente (Check my file).
- You need your file number. It usually arrives by text message or email. If you applied at a post office (Correos) and do not have it, try the number on your receipt.
- If it says “en trámite” (in progress), that is normal. It means your file is still open.
Letters from the authorities reach you the same way you applied: online with a digital certificate, through the electronic office; through an organisation or a professional, to that person; at Correos or Social Security, by post to the address you gave. Check that mailbox and keep your phone and email active.
If they ask you for documents
Sometimes the authorities ask for more papers: proof that you were in Spain, a translated document or payment of the fee. This is called a requerimiento or subsanación.
- Do not ignore it. The letter says how many days you have to reply. If you do not reply in time, your file may be stopped or closed.
- You can hand in documents online through Mercurio (you need a digital certificate) or at an authorised Correos office, without an appointment.
- If an organisation or a professional helped you, tell them as soon as you get the letter.
If you have been admitted: you can work
The start notice allows you to work from that moment. Some employers ask for the card (TIE) before signing a contract, but it is not needed at this stage. If they ask, you can show them the start notice and the Ministry’s official page, which explains it.
We also recommend that you register as a job seeker with the Canary Islands Employment Service (SCE). It helps you find jobs and courses, and it may matter for the next step, when the first year ends.
More than three months and still no answer?
The rules say the authorities have three months to reply. If they do not, the application can be treated as refused by “administrative silence”, which allows you to lodge an appeal.
The key point is this: according to the Ministry, the provisional authorisation stays valid until there is a final written decision. In other words, if you already have the start notice, the delay does not take away your permission to live and work.
There are hundreds of thousands of pending files across Spain and there does not seem to be a clear order. If yours is taking a long time, it does not mean there is a problem. Before lodging an appeal for silence, ask a professional or an organisation that advises on immigration.
If it is approved
You have one month from the decision to apply for your foreigner identity card (TIE) with the National Police. You need an appointment at a police station to give your fingerprints. Appointments are hard to get, so start looking as soon as you have the decision.
You will usually need:
- the approved decision, printed;
- form EX-17, filled in and signed;
- proof of payment of the fee (form 790, code 012);
- a recent passport-size photo with a white background;
- your original passport.
If you had an open asylum (international protection) application, do not withdraw it on your own too early. You only have to withdraw it once the regularisation has been approved, when you apply for the card. If in doubt, ask first.
What many people do not know: prepare for the second year now
The authorisation lasts one year and is not renewed like other permits. Before it ends you will have to move to another residence authorisation. You can apply in the two months before it expires or in the three months after.
What they ask you for at that point will depend mainly on one thing: whether you have worked, are working or are actively looking for work. That is why it is worth starting now, even if there are months to go:
- Keep all your contracts and payslips. Check your employment record (vida laboral) from time to time to make sure you have been registered.
- Register as a job seeker and keep your registration up to date.
- Take courses in Spanish, job searching or vocational training, and keep the certificates. On our free training page we post courses in Gran Canaria.
- If you cannot find work, find out about the Canary Government’s integration effort report. In some cases it helps you continue.
- Look carefully at the dates on your decision and write them down somewhere safe. Do not wait until the last minute.
If it is refused
If the answer is no, the provisional authorisation ends. Read the decision to the end: it says which appeal you can lodge and the deadline. The deadline is usually short, normally one month, so get legal advice as soon as possible.
Beware of anyone who charges to “speed up” your file
Nobody can make your file go faster in exchange for money. Be wary of anyone who promises it, asks for payments without an invoice or keeps your original documents.
Some organisations help for free. The Ministry publishes a list of free immigration partners. If your question is about your file, you can also use the official enquiry form.
If you do not know where to start, write to us at info@ubuntucanarias.org and we will tell you where to get help in your case.
Official links
- Ministry of Inclusion – Extraordinary regularisation 2026
- Check the status of your file
- Easy-read guide to the regularisation (Spanish)
- Step-by-step guide by the Federación Sur Acoge (July 2026, Spanish)
- Official criterion on the validity of the provisional authorisation
- Royal Decree 316/2026 of 14 April (BOE)
- Mercurio – Hand in documents online
This guide is general information provided by Ubuntu Canarias and does not replace individual legal advice. Immigration rules change often. Always check the information in official sources.
Information reviewed on 18 October 2026.