In short: "legalisation" is not one single procedure — it's the everyday term for moving from an irregular situation to legal status. As of August 2026, the route open year-round is arraigo; the extraordinary route under RD 316/2026 closed its application window on 30 June 2026 (if you already filed before that date, your case continues normally).
Before anything — are you really "undocumented"?
- If you're Ukrainian, displaced by the war, and don't hold Temporary Protection, that's your faster, specific path, not arraigo → Temporary Protection — how to apply. If you already have it, you're already legal; your pending task is renewing the TIE → renewing the TP TIE.
- If you already applied for asylum and your case is pending, you hold proof that you're an applicant — you're not in an irregular situation while it's decided → how to apply for asylum.
Current legalisation routes (August 2026):
- Arraigo — the general route, open all year, no deadline: if you've generally been in Spain at least 2 years with ties (work, family, studies), you can apply under one of five types. It's the most-used route. → Arraigo: all types
- Extraordinary regularisation (RD 316/2026) — application window CLOSED on 30/06/2026: opened two routes (international-protection applicants and "extraordinary arraigo") for people already in Spain before 1 January 2026. Doesn't apply to Temporary Protection holders. No new applications can be filed; if you filed on time, your case continues. → details
- Family reunification: if you have a legally resident family member in Spain who can sponsor you. → Family reunification
- Family of a Spanish or EU citizen: a different, more favourable regime, not "arraigo". → family of a Spaniard · EU family
- Asylum / international protection: if your situation in your home country fits the Geneva Convention grounds. → how to apply for asylum
Already have a rejection? It's not the end: in July 2026 the Supreme Court struck down automatic denial for criminal records — an individualised assessment is now required. → appealing a denial
Documentary base useful for almost every route: register on the padrón (even while undocumented) and keep proof of your real time in Spain — contracts, medical reports, your children's school enrolment, etc. → empadronamiento. If you're looking at routes for people coming from abroad with a visa (not regularising from within Spain), see the types-of-residency guide.
Official source: Immigration Regulation (RD 1155/2024) and Royal Decree 316/2026; guidance by situation at information sheets — Ministry of Inclusion.
Informational only, not legal advice; this is a navigation guide — check the card for your specific route, the official source and an immigration lawyer or gestor for your case. You can file for free through a registered NGO.