About eighty people have queued this Monday at the municipal space of Som Salt, on Anselm Clavé street in Salt, to receive advice on the extraordinary regularization process for migrants opened by the State. The City Council, together with several entities, has launched a specific office to guide those interested on the necessary documentation and the way to submit the application.
The influx has surprised the teams that manage the service. The office functions as an information point and also for accompaniment during the entire processing, whether the process is done via telematics or if it is completed in person by prior appointment in Post Office or Social Security offices.
"It was a surprise for everyone, nor was it very indicated where one should go and, therefore, today many people have come to us because of this issue" - Xavier Xarbau, reception and citizenship technician of the Salt City Council
Daily attention until the end of June
The Som Salt service opens from Monday to Friday until the end of June, from 9:00 to 14:00 hours. The management is carried out by Càritas Salt, the Casal dels Infants, the Fundació SerGi, Avancem Santa Clara, Comunalitats Som de Salt, the A Porta y Vincle project, in addition to municipal technicians.
Xarbau has explained that the neighborhood response has been quick since the device was launched. More than twenty people have signed up in less than a week, in a context marked by the need to resolve practical doubts about the procedure and administrative requirements.
"More than twenty have signed up in less than a week" - Xavier Xarbau, reception and citizenship technician of the Salt City Council
The municipal technician emphasizes that the attention is not limited to a first consultation. The objective is to accompany each person until they complete the process, either with the support of professionals from the collaborating entities or from volunteering.
"A priori it would seem that it is only an information point, but it is much more because this person is accompanied until the process is finished, either by the technicians of the entities or by the volunteers" - Xavier Xarbau, reception and citizenship technician of the Salt City Council
WhatsApp Channel and doubts about the electoral roll
To broaden the dissemination of information, the Salt City Council has activated a WhatsApp channel that already gathers almost a thousand followers. From this space, information is provided about the regularization process and about the steps that interested people must follow.
One of the aspects clarified by the council is that it is not necessary to request the registration form or certificate to carry out the procedures. The verification of residence data is carried out through the exchange of information between administrations, which avoids added procedures for applicants.
Girona enables a provisional space
In Girona, the City Council has enabled the Mercadal civic center as a provisional space to handle inquiries linked to this extraordinary regularization. The Girona city council has criticized the lack of extraordinary resources for the city councils to be able to undertake this process and also the delay in the definition of the regularization criteria.
Salt and Girona have activated municipal support devices given a high demand in the first days. In both cases, the city councils seek to organize the service and resolve doubts in a process that concentrates many people in a short time and that forces to reinforce proximity information.