Spain is debating a large-scale legalization of migrants, and this process is already causing concern among experts. The reason is the inability to promptly check the fingerprints of the huge number of applicants. According to police estimates, with current capabilities, it would take at least a year to process the biometric data of everyone applying for legalization. This means that even with all efforts and resources fully deployed, the system will be unable to cope with the workload.
The issue becomes particularly acute given that there are only 240 National Police stations in the country where fingerprinting can be done. Even if all migration offices are involved—of which there are just over 50—the workload for each unit will increase several times over. According to RUSSPAIN.com, even if police officers focus solely on checking migrants and neglect the investigation of other crimes, the process will still drag on for many months.
Technical limitations
Each station has a dedicated operator responsible for entering and analyzing fingerprints in the automated SAIB system. The work requires precision and takes about an hour per person. After uploading the data, the system produces a list of 20–30 similar fingerprints that have to be compared and excluded manually. This approach does not allow for faster processing, even if the number of shifts is increased and breaks are shortened.
On average, each office can handle no more than 20 fingerprint checks per day. Combined, all the divisions can conduct around 3,000 verifications daily across the country. To check one million applicants would take over a year, even without factoring in the police’s other duties. This poses a threat to other ongoing investigations, as resources will have to be redirected.
Risks for the system
Difficulties with biometric checks may allow some migrants to obtain legal status without thorough screening. Such a scenario raises concerns among security experts. If the government decides to speed up the process and ease requirements, it could result in individuals with unverified backgrounds entering the country. As specialists warn, this puts Spain at risk of rising crime rates and eroding trust in institutions.
In addition, the legalization process itself does not require a strict criminal record check—an applicant’s personal statement is sufficient. This further heightens the risks, since without proper vetting, public safety cannot be ensured. When the number of applications exceeds the system’s capacity, control becomes a mere formality.
Potential consequences
If the government fails to find a way to increase the number of specialists and modernize equipment, legalization may become a mere formality. In this case, experts believe Spain will face a choice: either stretch out the process for years or allow mass legalization without safety guarantees. Both options carry serious consequences for society and the rule of law.
In recent years, Spain has already faced difficulties with mass document and biometric checks. For example, during previous migrant legalization campaigns, application processing deadlines were repeatedly missed due to a lack of resources. Authorities were then forced to temporarily simplify procedures, which sparked a wave of criticism from both the police and the public. Now the situation is repeating itself, but the scale of the problem has grown significantly.
