Thousands of Nepalis Affected as Spain Transfers Legalization Process to Delhi Consulate

April 26, Barcelona – Spain’s extraordinary legalization program for immigrants has sparked great hope among thousands of Nepalis. However, this hope has now been clouded by administrative hurdles and paperwork complications.

The Spanish government launched this procedure to grant legal status to immigrants who arrived before December 31, 2025, and have been continuously residing there for at least five months. The opportunity is open only until June 30, 2026.

A criminal background certificate (police report) is mandatory for the process. Consequently, thousands of Nepalis residing in Spain have simultaneously applied for these police reports.

Even after obtaining the police report, applicants were required to have the documents certified by the Spanish Consulate in Kathmandu. This has led to heavy crowds and long waits in recent weeks at the consulate, where thousands are queuing for document certification. However, a significant change has recently been implemented during this process.

From April 24, 2026, the Spanish Consulate in Kathmandu has been temporarily stripped of the authority to certify Nepali documents.

Following instructions from Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, such certifications must now be conducted solely through the Spanish Embassy in New Delhi, India. This decision has complicated the procedure significantly.

What was expected to be a local document certification process in Nepal now requires documents to be sent to Delhi and then to Madrid, increasing time, costs, and procedural uncertainty.

The Spanish Consulate in Kathmandu stated in a notice issued on April 24, 2026: “In accordance with directives from the European Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the authority and responsibility to legalize signatures on Nepali public documents have been revoked with immediate effect until further notice.”

The notice further clarifies that all future document legalizations must be processed through the Spanish Embassy in New Delhi.

Cross-border complications arise

For Dilbahadur Kshetri of Pokhara Metropolitan City-22, this opportunity has turned from a source of joy into a cause for concern. “My son stayed awake all night queuing at the municipal office to obtain the ‘Certificado de Vulnerabilidad’,” he explains. “We finally had hope of getting the papers, but now that hope is stuck here in Nepal.”

According to the latest notice from the Spanish Consulate in Kathmandu, Nepali documents will no longer be certified locally but must be sent to the Spanish Embassy in New Delhi. This has prolonged the process, increased expenses, and added uncertainty.

Dilbahadur adds, “There were already long lines, delays, and crowds. Now we have to physically take the documents to Delhi, meaning even more time will be required.”

He continues, “We had registered our names at the consulate, hoping to be called, but then this announcement came. What should we do? Do we need to go directly to Delhi? Do we need appointments there? We have no clear information. It’s causing great confusion and stress.”

“Fear of losing the opportunity caused sleepless nights”

Another voice of concern comes from Kavita Rai in Kathmandu’s Kapan area, who arrived in Spain eight months ago. She has prepared all necessary documents to participate in Spain’s legalization program, but is stuck with the final hurdle of police report certification.

“Only certification from the Spanish Consulate was pending on the police report,” she explains. “But they told us it would take at least two months to get an appointment.” Her husband has been visiting the consulate regularly with no success. “He went on Thursday and Friday but returned empty-handed both times.”

Now the issue has become more complicated. “The new notice says certification must be done in Delhi,” Kavita shares. “This has increased my anxiety and fear that this golden opportunity might slip away. Thousands of Nepalis like me are living in mental distress. Without proper paperwork here, work is impossible.”

She asks, “Where can we turn for help? The Nepal government, the Spanish Embassy in Delhi, and the Consulate in Kathmandu need to understand and address this problem immediately.”

“Documents ready but process stalled”

Bimala Moktan from Nuwakot shares a similar story. She has nearly completed two years in Spain. The “Open Immigration” legalization process had given her hope, but now that hope hangs in limbo.

“I expected the police report certification to be handled by the consulate,” she remarks, “but when I sent my sister there, she was only asked to register her name and sent back.”

While waiting for her turn, the situation further deteriorated. “Now they say I have to go to Delhi,” Bimala explains. “Who will go? Costs and complications have increased, and we’re unclear about the procedures there. We lack official information.”

She continues, “All documents are ready, but the process is stopped because we can’t get the police report certified in Nepal.”

Many others share her predicament. “Thousands of Nepalis like me are facing the same issue,” she says. “The fear of losing this opportunity is adding to our stress.”

3,000–4,000 police report certifications pending – NRN Spain

Santosh Shrestha, President of the Non Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) in Spain, describes the situation as increasingly serious. “Many people are already discouraged,” he says. “While passport issues remain unresolved, new problems have emerged. Some passports have still not arrived at the embassy.”

He explains that certification through the consulate was already complex, but the new requirement to travel to Delhi has compounded the difficulties. “This is very distressing news for Nepalis living here,” he states. “The temporary suspension of the Kathmandu consulate’s certification authority is especially unfortunate at such a critical moment.”

Shrestha notes the extended process: “After certification in Delhi, documents must be taken to Madrid for legalization. Only about two months remain to submit all documents by June 30.”

Approximately 3,000–4,000 police reports are still awaiting certification, impacting a large number of Nepali immigrants. NRNA is preparing to issue guidance on how to ease certification procedures in Delhi soon.

He also emphasizes the urgent need for diplomatic intervention by the Nepal government to resolve this crisis. “The Nepal government must act swiftly through diplomatic channels to address this issue,” he urges.

130,000 applications received in five days

Meanwhile, within five days since the extraordinary legalization decree came into effect in Spain, 130,000 applications have been submitted. According to Spain’s Ministry of Social Security and Migration, appointments have been scheduled for 55,000 applicants up to April 30.

This represents approximately 26 percent of the government’s target of legalizing 500,000 immigrants.

On the first day of the decree’s implementation, long lines and disorder were observed nationwide. Especially in Catalonia, the demand for the “Certificado de Vulnerabilidad” overwhelmed social service offices, making this document a major bottleneck. Originally optional, it became mandatory in some cases after recommendations from the State Council.

840,000 irregular immigrants in Spain

Prior to this, Spain had conducted nine extraordinary immigrant legalization programs between 1986 and 2005, which granted legal status to over a million immigrants.

According to a 2025 report by the analysis center Fuenlabrada, the number of irregular non-European immigrants in Spain is about 840,000.

Of these, approximately 760,000 are from the Americas, with Colombians (about 290,000), Peruvians (about 110,000), and Hondurans (about 90,000) comprising the largest groups.