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Queues for regularisation again overwhelm the OAC Monumental
High demand for appointments for the extraordinary regularisation of migrants has again left long overnight queues outside Barcelona's OAC Monumental, with Guardia Urbana reinforcement and slots already being assigned for next week.
Dozens of people have once again spent the night outside the OAC Monumental. High demand for the extraordinary regularisation of migrants is causing long queues from early in the day. The Guardia Urbana has stepped up surveillance to prevent incidents. Appointments are already being allocated for next week.
The scene is repeated in the heart of the Eixample: dozens of people have spent the night on Sicília Street, outside the Oficina d’Atenció Ciutadana (OAC) Monumental, hoping to obtain a prior appointment for extraordinary migrant regularisation procedures. Before the centre opened, the queue was already winding through Diputació and Sardenya streets and stretching as far as Gran Via, making the scale of demand clear.
The pressure to obtain an appointment has meant that the first available ones are already being allocated for Thursday next week. Many of those present, after hours of waiting, fear being left without a slot and having to spend another night on the pavement. Far from improving, the situation has become a routine for people seeking to regularise their status in Barcelona.
Given the risk that the tense moments experienced the previous day might recur, when some people tried to jump the queue and intervention by the Mossos d’Esquadra was necessary, the Guardia Urbana has deployed a special operation. The police presence has managed to maintain order and prevent further disturbances, although the atmosphere remains tense because of uncertainty and accumulated fatigue.
The image of endless queues outside the OAC Monumental has become a symbol of the difficulties migrants face in accessing regularisation procedures. The wait, which in many cases lasts all night, reflects the urgency and the lack of resources to meet demand that continues to grow.
The Oficina d’Atenció Ciutadana Monumental, located in the Eixample, is one of the main service points for administrative procedures in Barcelona. In recent months, the increase in requests linked to regularisation processes has tested its operational capacity. The centre has reinforced its staff and opening hours, but attendance exceeds all forecasts. For many migrants, getting an appointment here is the first step towards accessing basic rights and services in the city.
🆕 Night queues at OAC Monumental for regularisation (24 Apr 2026): kilometres on Sicília, Guardia Urbana/Mossos controlling tensions. Appointments next week, numbered tickets. Until 30 Jun.