OPGF Urges Pakistan to Waive Police Report Condition for Passports of Undocumented Pakistanis in Spain

MADRID: The Overseas Pakistanis Global Foundation has called on the Government of Pakistan to abolish the requirement of obtaining a police report in Spain before the issuance of new Pakistani passports, stating that the condition is jeopardizing the future of thousands of Pakistanis residing there. In letters addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Overseas Pakistanis Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain and Director General Immigration and Passports Mustafa Jamal Qazi, Chairman Akhtar Zaher Ahmed urged immediate intervention on humanitarian grounds.
The foundation stated that the Spanish government has introduced a historic policy after 25 years, offering undocumented residents an opportunity to regularize their status. Around 30,000 Pakistanis living illegally in Spain could benefit from the policy, which would secure their employment and enable their full integration into Spanish society.
In an open letter, the foundation highlighted that a major obstacle facing these migrants is the absence of valid Pakistani passports. Many of them reportedly reached Spain through difficult and irregular routes and are currently contributing valuable foreign exchange to Pakistan. However, under existing Pakistani regulations, applicants must first report to local Spanish police stations before being issued a passport.
This mandatory requirement has led to long queues outside police stations across Spain, causing administrative strain and delays. Due to the inability to fulfill the condition in time, many Pakistanis risk missing the limited window provided under Spain’s new legalization policy. The foundation warned that the requirement imposed by Pakistan could ultimately harm its own nationals.
The Overseas Pakistanis Global Foundation has urged authorities to provide immediate facilitation in passport issuance and to temporarily suspend the police reporting condition in view of the extraordinary circumstances and time-sensitive nature of Spain’s policy. It said that enabling undocumented Pakistanis to secure legal status in Spain would not only stabilize their future but also allow them to better serve Pakistan as lawful and economically productive members of the diaspora.