The regularization of migrants that the Government has just approved has in the Mercurio platform, the telematic system that channels residence applications in Spain and that will absorb the bulk of files, a critical point.
What is Mercury
Mercurio is the online system that allows to submit applications for residence, work, or rootedness authorizations without going to a physical office, integrating the entire process in digital format within the General State Administration.
Through this platform, the files arrive directly at the immigration offices of each province and are registered immediately, with electronic proof.
In practice, this makes it the structural channel for any mass regularization, as it allows managing large volumes of applications without collapsing the in-person system.
How it works in the royal decree of regularization
The operational scheme will work as follows:
1. Temporary application window
The Government sets a start and end period to submit applications (political key of the decree). During that time, Mercurio is the main channel.
2. Mandatory telematic submission (or priority)
The migrants —directly or through lawyers/agents— must:
- fill out the form
- attach documentation (registration, contract, etc.)
- sign electronically
The entire process is done online and generates an official receipt.
3. Types of authorization
The system is already prepared to process:
- authorizations for exceptional circumstances (rootedness)
- residence and work permits
- renewals or modifications
This allows to adapt the regularization to different legal figures without creating a new system.
4. File Tracking
Once the application is registered:
- the file remains accessible online
- requirements can be received
- the status can be consulted in real time
Practical implications and risks of the system
The central role of Mercury has direct consequences:
1. Absorption capacity
It is the only tool capable of processing hundreds of thousands of applications, avoiding collapses in offices.
2. Digital divide
Access requires a digital certificate or Cl@ve and technical knowledge. This forces many migrants to depend on intermediaries.
3. Risk of saturation
In previous processes, Mercurio has suffered specific drops and slowness in moments of high demand
4. Importance of the initial documentation
The system allows uploading documents, but errors or lack of papers can block the file from the beginning.
What changes politically with Mercury in the regularization
The use of Mercury is not only technical, it has political and legal implications:
- centralizes the process in the State
- leaves a complete digital trace of each application
- facilitates the control of deadlines and statistics
- allows applying homogeneous criteria throughout Spain
Beyond the content of the royal decree, the success or failure of the regularization will largely depend on this tool little known outside the legal field, key for the process to be agile and allow resolving the files within the deadline.