Since October last year, town halls have been receiving police demands for certain checks on the registrations of foreign citizens.
The National Police are looking into illegal registration, this largely having come about following arrests in connection with the processing of registrations in exchange for payment. In Inca, it was discovered that 85 people had been registered at three properties. Two individuals were charging 400 euros per person. The police investigation established that although 85 people had been registered, some were deceived and paid the money without ever being registered with the town hall.
The immigration brigade is pursuing cases of possible fraud involving foreigners who arrive in Spain through invitations or as tourists and register at addresses, initially on a regular basis. Registration is the first step to obtaining a health card, a TIB travel card and social aid. After three months, if foreigners do not obtain a residence permit, they are considered to be undocumented immigrants.
Fines for illegal registration range from 500 to 10,000 euros. According to the Felib federation of town halls, a typical fine is 1,000 euros, with mayors having expressed their concerns about this police trawl of registers. For example, long-established residents are said to be facing fines for having registered live-in caregivers for elderly people who are subsequently not de-registered.
There is a case of this in Maria de la Salut, whose mayor, Jaume Ferriol, is the Felib president. He says that the town hall started to receive police demands in October and adds that he is aware of fines having been issued in respect of properties in Sa Pobla.
Having met the previous Spanish government delegate in the Balearics, Aina Calvo, to discuss this matter, Ferriol is now seeking another meeting with the new delegate, Alfonso Rodríguez, the ex-mayor of Calvia. "We need to find out how we can address this problem."