Filling the Sink

Author: catalannews

Little by little the sink fills up Filling the Sink is a podcast in English on all things Catalan. Every month the Catalan News team explores a different aspect of Catalonia, from news and politics, to society and culture. Whether you live in Catalonia and need some of the current issues explained, or youre simply curious about what makes this place tick. Either way, Filling the Sink has got you covered. Dont worry if you dont know much about this corner of land nestled between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean. As they say in Catalonia, "de mica en mica, somple la pica" - little by little, the sink fills up. Filling the Sink is a podcast from Catalan News.
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Language: en

Genres: News, Society & Culture

Contact email: Get it

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NIE and TIE appointment chaos
Episode 245
Saturday, 31 January, 2026

In this episode, we explore a problem that refuses to go away: the near-impossible task many immigrants in Spain face when trying to secure appointments for their NIE (foreign identity number) or TIE (foreign identity card). Cybersecurity expert René Serral from UPC breaks down what is happening behind the scenes of the 'cita previa' appointment system – and what could be done to fix it. Law professor Natalia Caicedo examines whether the Spanish government is meeting its legal obligations toward newcomers. Honduran-born activist Carmen Juares describes how migrants are "treated as second-class citizens," calling the process of regularising legal status "a continuous obstacle course." We also hear directly from Catalan News readers, many of whom got in touch to share their own experiences navigating the system. With Lorcan Doherty and Oriol Escudé.