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What it is

Reform of the law on foreign nationals' rights in Spain

BOE step 7 of 7 · Passed

It is a government bill. Introduced by the Government. It was introduced on 7 August 2000. Introduced by: Gobierno.

Official title: Government bill for an Organic Law reforming Organic Law 4/2000, of January 11, on the rights and freedoms of foreigners in Spain and their social integration.

Follow this law

Source: Congreso de los Diputados, file 121/000012· updated 11 Nov

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

  1. This organic law A law on fundamental rights, the electoral system or other matters the Constitution reserves. It needs an absolute majority in the Congreso: 176 votes. amends Organic Law 4/2000 on the rights and freedoms of foreign nationals in Spain. The reform responds to immigration becoming a structural fact and to Spain's commitments to the European Union, such as the 1999 Tampere conclusions.
  2. Foreign nationals' rights are expanded: education, work and Social Security, union membership and strike, housing benefits, family reunification and free legal aid. As a general rule, foreign nationals are understood to exercise these rights on equal terms with Spaniards.
  3. Rules on entry and residence are set out: visas, stay, temporary and permanent residence, and work permits. Temporary residence may be granted for humanitarian reasons, exceptional circumstances or established ties to Spain, and stateless persons are treated differently from undocumented foreign nationals.
  4. The penalty regime against irregular immigration is tightened: carriers who bring foreign nationals without valid documents can be fined, and staying illegally in Spain can lead to expulsion. The law also regulates detention centers and returns at the border.
  5. Permit applications must be decided within a maximum of three months. If the Administration does not answer within that period, a residence extension or work permit renewal is deemed granted.
  6. The Government must approve the law's implementing regulations within six months. The law takes effect one month after its full publication in the Official State Gazette (Boletín Oficial del Estado).

Who it affects

  • Foreign nationals living in or wanting to live or work in Spain: They must apply for visas and residence and work permits, and can be fined or expelled if they are in Spain irregularly.
  • Transport companies: They must check passengers' documents and take back those who are refused entry; they can be fined.
  • Employers who hire foreign nationals: They need prior authorization to hire foreign nationals; hiring without it is a very serious offense.
  • City councils and the Administration: They must register foreign residents in the municipal census and decide permit applications within the legal deadline.

Words worth knowing

Ley orgánica (organic law)
A Spanish law reserved for major matters, such as fundamental rights, which requires special majorities to pass.
Apátrida (stateless person)
A person who holds the nationality of no country.
Reagrupación familiar (family reunification)
The right of a foreign resident to bring certain family members to Spain.
Arraigo (established ties)
A situation of someone who has been settled in Spain for some time, which can allow them to obtain temporary residence.
Contingente de trabajadores extranjeros (annual quota of foreign workers)
The number and characteristics of jobs offered each year to foreign workers who do not live in Spain.
organic law
A law on fundamental rights, the electoral system or other matters the Constitution reserves. It needs an absolute majority in the Congreso: 176 votes.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries

Where it stands

How far did it get?

It took 7 of 7 steps. It reached BOE, and today it is passed.

  1. Introduced7 August 2000Someone registers the text in the Congreso.
  2. Admitted5 September 2000The Bureau of the Congreso accepts it and, for a members’ bill, the plenary decides whether to consider it.
  3. Amendments11 September 2000Groups propose changes.
  4. Committee27 September 2000A committee goes through the text in detail.
  5. Plenary6 November 2000All 350 deputies vote.
  6. Senate23 November 2000The Senate can pass it, amend it or veto it.
  7. BOE14 December 2000It is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and comes into force.
See the 11 official steps on a timeline
Aug 2000Sept 2000Oct 2000Nov 200011. 7 August 2000: Presentación22. 5 September 2000: Comisión Constitucional Publicación desde 05/09/2000 hasta 11/09/200033. 5 September 2000: Calificación44. 11 September 2000: Comisión Constitucional Enmiendas desde 11/09/2000 hasta 06/10/200055. 27 September 2000: Comisión Constitucional Mesa - Calificación desde 27/09/2000 hasta 27/09/200066. 27 September 2000: Comisión Constitucional Debate de totalidad desde 27/09/2000 hasta 05/10/200077. 6 October 2000: Comisión Constitucional Informe desde 06/10/2000 hasta 26/10/200088. 26 October 2000: Comisión Constitucional Dictamen desde 26/10/2000 hasta 06/11/200099. 6 November 2000: Pleno Aprobación desde 06/11/2000 hasta 23/11/20001010. 23 November 2000: Senado desde 23/11/2000 hasta 14/12/20001111. 14 December 2000: Concluido - (Aprobado con modificaciones) desde 14/12/2000 hasta 13/02/2001

Was there a plenary vote?

We have no plenary vote linked to this law in the Congreso’s data.

What happens next

What happens now?

It is law, or will be once published in the BOE. It comes into force on the date its own text sets.

It was presented again:

The same initiative in the other chamber:

Published in the BOE: Ley Orgánica 8/2000, of 22 December, on the reform of Ley Orgánica 4/2000, of 11 January, on the rights and freedoms of foreigners in Spain and their social integration.

Sources

Where does all this come from?

  • The data comes from the open files of the Congreso, the Senate and the BOE, unaltered.
  • Each deputy’s province is the one of their seat on the day of the vote.
  • We only say “passed” or “rejected” when the majority needed is certain; otherwise we say which side had more votes.

Read the full method · Report an error