Registration of the asylum application

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The Asylum Regulation provides that the authorities responsible for the lodging of asylum claims on the territory are: the Office of Asylum and Refuge (OAR), any Aliens Office under the General Commissariat for Aliens and Borders (Comisaría General de Extranjería y Fronteras) of the Police, Detention Centre for Foreigners (CIE), Spanish Embassies and Consulates, or police stations.^[1] In practice, “registration” and “lodging” of asylum applications entail different procedural steps.

Rules on making (presentación), registering and lodging (formalización)

Persons willing to seek international protection in Spain must make a formal application during their first month of stay in Spain.^[2] When this time limit is not respected, the law foresees the possibility to apply the urgent procedure.^[3] In practice however, the competent authority will reject any asylum application that does not comply with the 1-month deadline when it considers that no valid justification exists for the delay.

The process begins with the presentation (“making”) of the application, which the applicant shall present in person or, if this is not possible, with representation by another person. For persons disembarking in ports, the intention to apply for international protection is registered by the police, usually following the intervention of NGOs.

Upon the registration of the intention to apply for asylum, the applicant receives a paper-form “certificate of intention to apply for asylum” (Manifestación de voluntad de presentar solicitud de protección internacional).

After registration has been completed, the applicant is given an appointment for the formalisation (“lodging”) of the application, which consists of an interview and the completion of a form, and shall always be realised in the presence of a police official or an officer of the OAR. Upon the lodging of the application, the person receives a “receipt of application for international protection” (Resguardo de solicitud de protección internacional), also known as “white card” (tarjeta blanca). This document is later replaced by a “red card” (tarjeta roja), issued after the asylum application has been deemed admissible by the OAR.

According to the Asylum Law, all registered asylum applications are communicated to UNHCR, which will be able to gather information on the application, to participate in the applicant’s hearings and to submit reports to be included in the applicant’s record.^[4] UNHCR shall receive notification of an asylum application within a maximum period of 24 hours, which is applied in practice.^[5]

In a decision issued in November 2024, the Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo) established that the return procedure must be suspended as soon as the intention to apply for international protection is expressed before any public authority, such as the police, border guards, immigration authorities and staff of detention centres, even if they are not the competent authorities to process the application.[6]

Obstacles to registration in practice

Due to the increase in asylum applications in Spain in recent years, which created a significant backlog in the Spanish asylum system, applicants have to wait long periods of time before getting an appointment to be interviewed.

The average waiting time for an appointment varies depending on the province. In certain provinces, waiting times could range from few months to more than 1 year in practice. Detailed statistics on the average waiting time per province is not available, but practice suggests that they can vary from one month to another or even one week to another, depending on the workload that asylum interviewers have.

In order to reduce timeframes, the administration was set to increase the personnel in charge of registering asylum applications at police stations. However, no significant changes have been observed in this respect.

In 2025, UNHCR continued to observe long delays in accessing the asylum procedure throughout the year, often exceeding three months, depending on the location. Despite efforts by the authorities, UNHCR continued to note the need for the establishment of a uniform system at the national level to ensure access to a procedure that is efficient, accessible, secure and sensitive to all individuals seeking asylum in Spain. UNHCR also observed that challenges to accessing the asylum procedure continued to negatively affect the rights of asylum seekers – in particular access to reception – leaving them at risk, including individuals with specific needs.

In its 2024 annual report, the Spanish Ombudsperson continued to comment on the hundreds of complaints it received related to the difficulties in obtaining appointments to express the manifestation of intent to apply for international protection.[7] Therefore, it issued a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Security and, due to the worrying situation in the Valencian Community, a reminder of legal duties to the Valencia Police Headquarters. Both referred to the need to ensure that persons who have manifested to apply for international protection are given the opportunity to submit the application as soon as possible and that it is registered.

The fast-track channel established in 2024 in Madrid at the CREADE centre (also used to process temporary protection through a one-stop-shop system) continued to facilitate access to asylum for around 6,000 applicants who had been transferred to the mainland from the Canary Islands. Among them many Malians, who constitute the second largest nationality among asylum-seekers in Spain after Venezuelans. UNHCR considers that this is a good practice and encouraged its continuation. Within the ordinary procedure, expedited processing channels introduced by the Office for Asylum in 2024 and applied to an increasing number of nationalities resulted in a record of 160,586 decisions issued by the Office for Asylum, compared with the 96,000 issued in 2024. While acknowledging this effort, particularly in view of the need to reduce Spain´s important backlog, UNHCR expressed concern over the overall quality of these decisions, as decision-making appears to be based almost solely on the initial interview conducted by the police, often of limited quality.[8]

Difficulties in accessing the asylum procedure remained one of the main challenges in the Spanish asylum system in 2025[9] and at the beginning of 2026.[10]

In February 2025, the Minister of Interior indicated having been working on the implementation of a system allowing for the possibility to present online applications for asylum.[11]

In its 2024 annual report, the Forum for the Social Integration of Migrants (Foro para la Integración social de los Inmigrantes – FISI)[12] revealed that, in 2024, it had become more difficult to obtain an appointment

to apply for international protection. Online access is almost impossible for most people, and telephone access has restricted hours (sometimes one day per week), it is sometimes only available in Spanish, and the lines are often busy.[13]

In April, more than 30 asylum seekers – mainly Malians – denounced the cancellation of their asylum appointment in Melilla without any justified reason, and the consequent impossibility to access the CETI. After the denounce supported also by different NGOs, they were granted access to the reception centre.[14]

In May, a network forging ‘red cards’ (i.e. the residence and work permits issued to asylum applicants) was dismantled in Segovia.[15] A similar crime was committed in Valladolid, where four women were detained in July for forging red cards with the aim of being able to work.[16]

In June, a police officer in the Canary Islands was convicted by the Superior Court of Justice of Madrid for offering speeding up the asylum procedure to young migrants in exchange of sexual favours.[17]

In December, the police dismantled a network in Segovia forging registration of residence’ documents and offering asylum appointments.[18]

According to practices observed by Accem, asylum seekers have to request an appointment to express their intention to apply for asylum; only after the appointment, they can register their asylum application. Obtaining an appointment resulted however extremely complicated in practice, especially for what concerned long waiting times.

Source: Accem, March 2026.

Source: Accem, March 2026.

Source: Accem, March 2026.

Access to the procedure in Ceuta and Melilla

Beyond the mainland, most shortcomings concerning the registration of asylum claims in Spain relate to the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, due to the difficulties in the Access to the Territory. Since November 2014, the Ministry of Interior established asylum offices at the borders’ crossing points in Ceuta and Melilla,^[19] and UNHCR guaranteed its presence starting from mid-2014.

Since its establishment, the border checkpoint in Melilla became one of the main registration points for asylum applications in Spain.^[20] Conversely, there has been virtually no asylum claim made at the Ceuta border point. This is mainly due to the impossibility to exit the Moroccan border for migrants and asylum seekers, due to the thorough checks performed by Moroccan police, as mentioned in Access to the territory and push backs. This issue also affects Melilla but mainly impacts on the nationalities that can access the Spanish border rather than the overall number of asylum claims. In fact, most of persons on the Moroccan side are stopped following racial profiling, meaning that nationalities such as Syrians cross the border more easily than persons from Sub-Saharan countries (see section on Access to the Territory).^[21]

In July 2024, the Bar Association of Melilla opened an office at the CETI with the aim of assisting migrants and asylum seekers accommodated in the centre.[22]

Following a research mission in Ceuta, Amnesty International informed that the access to asylum at the borders is in practice impossible, due to the impunity for the Spanish Security Forces that has always facilitated them to act freely at the borders, as well as due to the collaboration between the Spanish and Moroccan authorities. In addition, the organisation has also collected testimonies of the additional difficulties that Moroccans and Algerians face when applying for asylum, as they cannot apply for asylum from the CETI but have to do so themselves via an app and with a Spanish phone. Many persons face an added difficulty because they do not speak Spanish and do not understand the procedure.[23]

In its 2025 annual report, Human Rights Watch denounced the obstacles that many persons faced in accessing asylum in Ceuta in 2025 and reported that only one person could apply at a border post during the first five months of the year. In addition, the organisation reported that civil society groups raised concerns that Moroccan asylum seekers in Melilla were left destitute and unable to access the CETI or make asylum applications.[24]

Access to the procedure from detention

During the years, shortcomings have also been reported concerning the possibility to claim asylum from administrative detention due to the difficulties faced by detained persons in accessing legal assistance. In this regard, the Spanish Ombudsperson recommended the General Commissariat for Foreigners and Borders to adopt instructions to establish an appropriate system for registration of asylum applications in CIE in accordance with the law.

In July 2018, the General Commissariat for Aliens and Borders of the Police issued instructions to all CIE to adapt their systems for registration of asylum applications to the existing law, following a recommendation made by the Spanish Ombudsperson.^[25] This included establishing a register and providing applicants with a receipt of their application for international protection. It seems that the access to the procedure has slightly improved since then, and that detainees are provided information on the right to asylum by the Spanish Red Cross.

Access to the procedure on the Canary Islands

As already explained in the Arrivals by sea section, the Canary Islands were under significant pressure also in 2025 following the high number of arrivals and the lack of available resources. This hindered the access to registration and to the asylum procedure.

^[1] Article 4(1) Asylum Regulation.

^[2] Article 17(2) Asylum Law.

^[3] Ibid.

^[4] Articles 34-35 Asylum Law.

^[5] Article 6(4) Asylum Regulation.

[6] Tribual Supremo, Sala de lo Contencioso-Administrativo, Sentencia núm. 1772/2024, 6 November 2024, available here.

[7] Defensor del Pueblo, ‘Informe anual 2024’, March 2025, available here.

[8] Information provided by UNHCR in March 2026.

[9] 20 minutos, ‘Las peticiones de asilo y un retraso de cuatro meses en su trámite colapsan los centros de acogida de Madrid’, 17 March 2025, available here; Cadena Ser, ‘Colapso en extranjería: pasan meses hasta conseguir una cita para renovar la tarjeta de residencia o pedir asilo’, 27 April 2025, available here; EPE, ‘Trabajadores angustiados y asociaciones desbordadas: las consecuencias del colapso en el sistema de renovación de asilo de Madrid’, 21 April 2025, available here; Abogacía, ‘El inaceptable colapso de las citas previas’, 8 May 2025, available here; Público, ‘”En España hay un problema grave con el colapso de las citas previas para pedir asilo”’, 19 June 2025, available here; El País, ‘Las autoridades, incapaces de frenar el mercado ilegal de citas previas para los extranjeros’, 24 August 2025, available here; Público, ‘500 euros por una cita para el asilo en el mercado ilegal: cuando un derecho se vende al mejor postor’, 2 November 2025, available here; El País, ‘Mujeres solicitantes de asilo cuentan en el Congreso las trabas administrativas que han puesto en peligro su supervivencia en España’, 28 October 2025, available here.

[10] Cadena Ser, ‘Siguen los problemas en las citas de Extranjería y para solicitar asilo en la Comunitat Valenciana’, 11 January 2026, available here; Cadena Ser, ‘Amadou Buaré, refugiado maliense: “Tengo mi cita prevista para 2028, no puedo esperar tanto”’, 5 February 2026, available here.

[11] La Vanguardia, ‘Interior trabaja para implantar a corto plazo un sistema online para solicitudes de asilo’, 5 February 2025, available here.

[12] See: https://www.foroinmigracion.es/

[13] Foro para la Integración Social de los Inmigrantes, ‘Situación de las personas migrantes y refugiadas en España. Informe anual 2024’, 2025, available here.

[14]  Melilla Hoy, ‘Denuncian que se les están “vulnerando” el derecho de asilo a siete migrantes de Mali por anularles su cita sin ningún motivo justificado’, 25 April 2025, available here; Europa Press, ‘Marlaska afirma que se está “garantizando” el acceso a la protección internacional en Melilla’, 16 April 2025, available here; Melilla Hoy, ‘Entran en el CETI los solicitantes de asilo malienses que denunciaron la anulación de citas sin motivo justificado’, 12 April 2025, available here; Europa Press, ‘Saiz defiende al CETI de Melilla tras quedar en la calle solicitantes de asilo: “El Gobierno lucha contra las mafias”’, 28 April 2025, available here.

[15] Gaceta, ‘Desarticulada en Segovia una red que falsificaba tarjetas de protección internacional a inmigrantes ilegales’, 14 May 2025, available here.

[16] ABC, ‘Detenidas cuatro mujeres en Valladolid que se hacían pasar por otras personas para poder trabajar’, 1 August 2025, available here,

[17] El Día, ‘Suspenden a un policía en Canarias por ofrecer asilo a migrantes a cambio de sexo’, 12 June 2025, available here.

[18] Cadena ser, ‘Desmantelada una red de falsificación de empadronamientos para pedir asilo en Segovia’, 17 November 2025, available here.

^[19] UNHCR Spain, ‘ACNUR da la bienvenida a la creación de oficinas de asilo en puestos fronterizos de Ceuta y Melilla’, 6 November 2014, available here.

^[20] Oficina de Asilo y Refugio – OAR, ‘Asilo en cifras 2019’, July 2020, available here; Oficina de Asilo y Refugio – OAR, ‘Asilo en cifras 2018’, September 2019, available here; Senate, Reply of the Government to question 689/1339, 20 September 2017, available here.

^[21] El Diario, ‘Migrantes que solo pueden pedir asilo si saltan la valla en contra de lo que dice Marlaska’, 6 December 2022, available here. 

[22] El Faro de Melilla, ‘El Colegio de Abogados de Melilla abre una oficina en el CETI para asistir a migrantes’, 13 July 2024, available here.

[23] Amnistía Internacional, ‘España: Amnistía Internacional denuncia que persiste la impunidad en la frontera sur que hace casi imposible acceder al asilo en Ceuta’, 19 June 2025, available here.

[24] Human Rights Watch, ‘World report 2026. Spain. Events of 2025’, February 2026, available here; La Verdad de Ceuta, ‘HRW denuncia trabas para pedir asilo en Ceuta: “no hay un acceso adecuado” a la protección internacional’, 8 February 2026, available here.

^[25] Defensor del Pueblo, ‘Interior acepta la recomendación del Defensor para adecuar el sistema de registro de las solicitudes de asilo en los CIE a la normativa vigente’, July 2018, available here.