Spain's migration offices start to stamp out appointment scam with new system
Some 'extranjería' offices in Spain are succeeding in preventing scammers from charging desperate foreigners for residency appointments by sidestepping the traditional 'cita previa' system.
The Spanish extranjería offices are making progress in curbing the appointment scam that has plagued foreigners seeking residency in Spain. Traditionally, scammers would exploit the online appointment system, monopolize all slots using bots, and then sell the limited free spots for high prices through various platforms. While arrests and government promises have been made, the issue persisted.
However, some immigration offices in Cantabria, Tarragona, Castellón, and Alicante have successfully implemented an automated system that sends applicants a date and time to visit their local extranjería office for the fingerprints process. This new system appears to be effective, with lawyer Arianne Cobo reporting that the Cantabria office has already issued several appointments using this method.
Nonetheless, the success of this system does not eliminate the need for appointments for other administrative procedures, leaving many foreigners still facing the challenge of securing slots for these services.
Written by urgent.news from The Local Spain's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
