Govt assures overseas Pakistanis of full support for Spanish Residency Card process
- Eligible individuals will initially be issued a residency card for one year, says ministry
The Ministry of Interior on Sunday reaffirmed its commitment to providing legal protection and facilities to overseas Pakistanis, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs assured full support for the Spanish Residency Card process.
A high-level special meeting regarding the Spanish Residency Card has resulted in several key decisions. The session was co-chaired by Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Salik Hussain, the Ministry of Interior said in a handout.
During the meeting, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Spain, Dr Zahoor Ahmed, provided a detailed briefing on the matter.
It was clarified that this policy is not intended for asylum seekers.
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According to the ministry, the provision of character certificates and other required documents has been declared mandatory. Eligible individuals will initially be issued a residency card for one year. Completing seven to eight years will pave the way for permanent residency and citizenship.
The forum decided to accelerate the document verification process to prevent difficulties for applicants.
Separate character certificates will not be acceptable; instead, a single national character certificate will be issued by the National Police Bureau.
Minister Naqvi directed that the verification process be simplified and expedited for the convenience of applicants, ensuring they are provided full facilitation at every level. Minister Salik welcomed the development, stating that providing legal status to thousands of Pakistanis is a positive step.
The meeting was attended via Zoom by the ambassador to Spain, the consul general in Barcelona, and the Community Welfare Attaché. Other participants included Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, the secretary of interior, the secretary for overseas Pakistanis, Chairman NADRA, DG FIA, DG Passports, and other senior officials.
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