The electoral roll computer system has collapsed this Monday in Barcelona's citizen service offices, on a day marked by long queues for procedures linked to the extraordinary regularization. In some service points, the wait has reached three hours, in a context of strong influx of people who were trying to complete basic administrative procedures.
The incident has fully affected one of the key procedures for those who want to avail themselves of the extraordinary process promoted by the Spanish Government. To access this regularization, it is necessary to prove permanence in Spain since January 1, 2026, and an uninterrupted stay of at least five months.
Delays at peak influx in the OACs
The collapse of the register has complicated the service in the OACs of the Catalan capital just when demand has increased. The pressure has been especially noticeable in the procedures related to the necessary documentation to regularize the administrative situation of thousands of people.
The central Executive estimates that 500,000 people will be able to benefit from regularization in Spain, 150,000 in Catalonia and at least 24,000 in Barcelona. That forecast explains the volume of users registered in the municipal offices during the morning.
The vulnerability reports, pending until April 24
In parallel, currently no social vulnerability reports are being issued in Sant Miquel square. The City Council foresees that from April 24 these documents can be requested in the OACs themselves or at the SAIER.
From the town hall, work is already underway on the implementation of a specific device to help organize the queues and relieve the accumulation of people at the points of attention. The intention is to respond to a situation of high demand that, for now, is tensioning the service.
"but we must work to make them as human as possible" - Raquel Gil, councillor for Social Rights
The day has once again evidenced the difficulty of absorbing in a few days such a high volume of procedures in Barcelona, with prolonged waits and technical problems in a service that proves decisive for those who need to prove their rootedness and advance in the regularization process.