In short: voluntary return is a free and voluntary programme for migrants who want to go back to their country of origin and lack the means to do so. It is not handled at a state office: in Spain it is run by IOM (International Organization for Migration) through its PREVAP project.
In person or by representative? Mixed: first contact can be by phone or through the form on IOM's website; after that, whoever handles your case provides the support.
What the support covers. According to IOM Spain, the programme offers "psychosocial support, as well as administrative, logistical and economic assistance", and the page stresses that "the entire process is free and voluntary".
Who it is for. IOM describes it as being for "migrants who want to return to their countries of origin and lack the economic means to do so", without setting an administrative-status requirement on that page. Projects funded by the Ministry of Inclusion target non-EU migrants in social and/or economic vulnerability, according to Order ISM/820/2023. Confirm your own case with IOM.
Two types of projects. The 2026 grant call (now closed) distinguished: (1) assisted voluntary return and reintegration, for third-country nationals in situations of special vulnerability, with individual pathways; and (2) sustainable reintegration projects supporting entrepreneurial skills through self-employment and business-management training, technical assistance and follow-up of the initiative. Each call and each project sets the specific conditions.
Where to go. IOM Spain: C/ Fernando el Católico 10, 1ºB, 28015 Madrid; phone +34 915943670; there is a contact form on their website.
How it is funded (and why you see it in the BOE). The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration funds these projects through agreements with IOM published in the BOE and through grant calls for non-profit NGOs and international organisations with a permanent seat in Spain, not individuals (art. 4 of Order ISM/820/2023). The 2026 call is exactly that, and it is already closed. You do not apply to that call: you contact IOM.
⚠️ A weighty decision. Return means leaving Spain. Before deciding, check how it affects your situation (residence, open files, the possibility of coming back) with a professional or with IOM itself.
Official sources: IOM Spain — Voluntary return projects; Order ISM/820/2023, BOE-A-2023-16807; 2026 call, BOE-B-2026-18853.
Informational only; confirm requirements and conditions with IOM for your specific case.
