This Monday, April 20, the immigrant regularization process, promoted by the Spanish Government, has commenced in Almería. This initiative aims to benefit a total of 500,000 foreign citizens across the country. In the province of Almería, it is estimated that this measure could regularize the status of between 20,000 and 30,000 people.
The Foreigners' Office in the capital has opened its doors in the afternoon to handle applications in person, while various Correos (post office) branches in the city managed appointments during the morning. The pre-scheduled appointment system has been crucial in preventing the large crowds seen in other parts of the province, such as at the Adra City Council, or during previous events like the queues at the Moroccan Consulate.
“"Everyone knows their appointment time and, more or less, arrives then, without overwhelming the office."
From early morning, officials at the Almería Foreigners' Office have attended to people of various nationalities, including citizens of Maghrebi origin, from the Sahel (such as Mali), and Latin Americans. Many took advantage of the morning to finalize paperwork at law firms and city councils before their afternoon appointments.
In addition to regularization applicants, the offices have also received other foreign citizens conducting administrative procedures, such as collecting their NIE (Foreigner Identification Number), or, in the case of a group of British citizens, managing procedures related to bilateral agreements between the United Kingdom and Spain.
