Spain: Hundreds of Indians stranded for months over passport renewal delays

Hundreds of Indians in Spain face over six months of passport delays, leaving them unable to travel, work or access healthcare

Hundreds of Indians are stranded in Spain due to delays in passport renewals. What began as routine applications has turned into a prolonged ordeal, with many stuck for more than six months and unable to travel, work, or access essential services.

 

The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) last week raised alarm over the situation, saying many of those affected come from Punjab. “Many of these stranded individuals are facing urgent medical needs, family emergencies, and other humanitarian crises, yet they remain trapped in limbo with no clear resolution in sight,” said Satnam Singh Chahal, executive director of NAPA.

 

Chahal warned that the crisis had reached a critical point, with passports pending without explanation. The group said the delays had stripped citizens of basic rights, leaving them vulnerable in a foreign country.

 

 

Consular delays and bottlenecks

 

At the centre of the crisis are delays at the Indian consulate in Spain, which has been slow in renewing or re-issuing passports. For those whose documents are damaged, lost, or expired, what should have been routine has stretched into months of waiting. Many have been left in a state of uncertainty, unable to return home or even move freely within Spain.

 

Fundamental rights at risk

 

Those stuck say their lives have been put on hold. With passports tied up in pending files, people cannot access healthcare or attend to family emergencies back in India. The absence of valid documents has also kept many from their jobs, leaving them financially strained while living abroad.

 

AAP MP Malvinder Singh Kang has taken up the matter with external affairs minister S Jaishankar. In his letter, Kang said the backlog had spiralled into a “humanitarian emergency”, with people effectively stripped of their right to mobility and family reunion.

 

“Some of those affected face grave medical conditions requiring urgent treatment, while others are battling heart-wrenching family emergencies,” Kang wrote. He added that the delays not only inflicted hardship but also damaged India’s reputation as a reliable guardian of its diaspora.

 

Kang urged the ministry to direct the consulate in Spain to clear pending cases on priority and overhaul its processes. Posting on X, he said, “Many face critical medical needs or family tragedies. A viral video captures their anguish. Swift and decisive clearance of all pending cases is essential to end their suffering, uphold their dignity, and reunite them with their families.”

 

He also assured the ministry of his cooperation in bridging contacts with those stranded, promising to share further details to help address the crisis.

 

Business Standard’s query to the Spanish embassy in India and the Indian consulate in Spain remain unanswered at the time of publishing this report.