How to obtain the social vulnerability report for the 2026 extraordinary regularisation

The 2026 extraordinary regularisation allows migrants who were already in Spain before 1 January 2026 to apply for a residence and work permit. The application period opened online on 16 April, in-person assistance began on 20 April, and the general deadline is 30 June. The application can be submitted online, including through entities registered in the Register of Foreigners’ Collaborators.

The most important point: not everyone needs this report

The vulnerability report or certificate is not a general document for the entire regularisation process. It is only needed in one very specific case: when the person is in an irregular administrative situation and wants to apply for extraordinary roots on the basis of vulnerability using form EX-32. The official materials state that, for this route, the applicant must prove at least one of three situations: having worked or having a job offer or commitment, living with their family unit, or being in a situation of vulnerability. The certificate is required in this third situation.
https://www.inclusion.gob.es/documents/20121/7817425/Modelo%20de%20certificado%20de%20vulnerabilidad.pdf/a50a2832-48e2-1b30-4040-f072c9c2c582?version=1.0&download=true
https://www.inclusion.gob.es/documents/d/migraciones/ex32-formulario-autorizacion-de-residencia-por-circunstancias-excepcionales-por-razon-de-arraigo-extraordinario-da21-.pdf

In addition, the Ministry has expressly clarified that people who have applied for international protection, those who can qualify through the work route, and those who can prove that they live with their family unit do not have to submit this certificate. In other words, if your application follows one of those other routes, you will not be asked for this report.

For which applications is it actually required?

You should only consider this document if the following situation applies:

Person in an irregular situation + application using EX-32 + the option “Being in a situation of vulnerability” selected.
Form EX-32 includes this option expressly, and its instructions state that, in this situation, the applicant must provide the corresponding certificate.
https://www.inclusion.gob.es/documents/d/migraciones/ex32-formulario-autorizacion-de-residencia-por-circunstancias-excepcionales-por-razon-de-arraigo-extraordinario-da21-.pdf
https://www.inclusion.gob.es/documents/d/migraciones/ex32-formulario-autorizacion-de-residencia-por-circunstancias-excepcionales-por-razon-de-arraigo-extraordinario-da21-.pdf

Which entities can issue it?

According to the model published by the Ministry, the certificate may be issued by:

• the public administration competent in social assistance, or
• a Third Sector entity registered in the Register of Foreigners’ Collaborators; the Ministry’s broader information package also refers to registered trade-union organisations.
  https://www.inclusion.gob.es/documents/d/guest/entidades-colaboradoras?download=false

For practical purposes, this means two very clear things:

1. You can go to public social services if they are authorised to do so in your area.
2. You can also go to a social entity registered in the official register of collaborators. The Ministry created this register so that social organisations and trade unions can provide free support with the regularisation process.

What the report must include

Annex II of the official form requires the entity to complete, at a minimum, the following sections:

1. Details of the certifying entity
Name, tax identification number, type of entity, registration number if applicable, address, telephone number and email address.

2. Details of the person concerned
Name and surname, NIE or passport if available, date of birth, nationality, address, mobile phone number, town or city, postcode and province.

3. Circumstances of vulnerability
The official form allows one or more of the following situations to be selected:

• social isolation or lack of a support network
• homelessness or insecure housing
• discrimination or social exclusion
• insufficient income
• poverty or risk of economic exclusion
• difficulty accessing employment
• dependants
• vulnerable family unit
• single parenthood in a context of hardship
• psychosocial risks
• exposure to exploitation or abuse
• other circumstances, if the entity specifies them.

How the entity should complete it

It is important to be very clear here: this report is not a free-form letter. It has an official format and must be completed using that model.

The entity must:

• state whether it is acting as a public administration or as an entity registered in the register;
• provide its full details;
• properly identify the applicant;
• select the applicable circumstances of vulnerability;
• record that the person is in an irregular administrative situation and that those circumstances negatively affect their living conditions or effective access to rights;
• sign and stamp the document.

The central wording of the model is very important because the entity is not merely describing a social situation: it certifies that the person is in a situation of vulnerability “solely for the purposes provided for” in that provision. That is why any informal statement is not sufficient.

What documents does a person usually need to request it?

Although each entity may organise the social interview differently, in practice it is advisable to bring:

• available passport or identity document;
• proof of residence in Spain;
• registration certificate, if available;
• documents concerning insecure housing or lack of accommodation;
• documents proving lack of income;
• documents relating to dependants;
• social, health, educational or specialist-care reports, if available;
• any evidence of discrimination, exploitation, lack of protection or exclusion.

This does not replace the official form, but it helps the entity better substantiate the real situation and complete the certificate on the basis of documentary evidence. The official information sheet also requires, for this EX-32 route, a passport or equivalent document, a criminal-record certificate, proof of continuous residence for five months before 1 January 2026, the vulnerability certificate and payment of the fee.
https://www.inclusion.gob.es/documents/20121/7817425/28%20Ter.%20Autorizaci%C3%B3n%20residencia%20temporal%20por%20circunstancias%20excepcionales.%20Arraigo%20extraordinario%20%28DA21%C2%BA%29%20%281%29.pdf/31869954-4f70-ffdb-efab-b9675df61aac?version=1.0&download=true
https://www.inclusion.gob.es/documents/d/migraciones/ex32-formulario-autorizacion-de-residencia-por-circunstancias-excepcionales-por-razon-de-arraigo-extraordinario-da21-.pdf
https://sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/pagina/index/directorio/tasa052

Where to find free help

The Ministry has said that entities in the Register of Foreigners’ Collaborators offer free support and may also act as representatives when submitting the application online.
https://www.inclusion.gob.es/documents/d/guest/entidades-colaboradoras?download=false

Some of the contacts for collaborating entities are as follows:

Frequently asked questions

1. I am an asylum applicant and they are asking me for this certificate. What should I do?

In principle, you do not need it. The Ministry has said that this certificate is not intended for people who enter through the international-protection route.

2. If I have children and live with my family, do I also need the report?

Not necessarily. If you can apply through the family-unit route and prove it properly, you should not have to submit the vulnerability certificate.

3. Can any association prepare it for me?

No. It must be issued by a public administration competent in social assistance or by an entity registered in the Register of Foreigners’ Collaborators, using the official form.

4. Is a free-form social report prepared by an NGO, without the official form, sufficient?

The recommended approach is not to do so. The safest option is to use the official Annex II, signed and stamped.
https://www.inclusion.gob.es/documents/20121/7817425/Modelo%20de%20certificado%20de%20vulnerabilidad.pdf/a50a2832-48e2-1b30-4040-f072c9c2c582?version=1.0&download=true

5. Does the certificate automatically grant me residence?

No. The certificate helps prove that you qualify through the vulnerability route, but the final decision is made by the immigration authorities.

6. Can the entity also help me submit the application?

Yes. Registered entities can provide free support and may also act as representatives when the application is submitted online.

7. What happens if I have neither a job nor a provable family unit?

This is precisely where the report can be decisive, provided that a competent entity assesses and certifies your situation of vulnerability.

8. Where can I consult the official list of collaborating entities?

In the Ministry’s official list of collaborating entities.
https://www.inclusion.gob.es/documents/d/guest/entidades-colaboradoras?download=false

Conclusion

If you are in Spain in an irregular situation and cannot enter the extraordinary regularisation through work or family unity, the social vulnerability report may be the key to submitting your application through the correct route. You do not need it in every case, but if your situation involves exclusion, lack of income, insecure housing, isolation or family responsibilities, you should make an appointment with social services or with a registered collaborating entity and ask them to assess your case using the official Annex II model for EX-32. Always use free channels and check that the entity appears on the Ministry’s official list.
https://www.inclusion.gob.es/documents/20121/7817425/Modelo%20de%20certificado%20de%20vulnerabilidad.pdf/a50a2832-48e2-1b30-4040-f072c9c2c582?version=1.0&download=true
https://www.inclusion.gob.es/documents/d/migraciones/ex32-formulario-autorizacion-de-residencia-por-circunstancias-excepcionales-por-razon-de-arraigo-extraordinario-da21-.pdf