Citizens of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova with a biometric passport can visit without a visa; citizens of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan need a Schengen visa even for a short visit. To live, work or study in Spain for more than 90 days, everyone needs a national visa or a residence permit. This page explains the main routes, the documents the Spanish consular offices ask for and the first steps after you arrive. We prepare your paperwork and go with you to appointments in almost all of Spain; legal advice is given by our partner immigration lawyers.

Latest news

  • EU extends temporary protection for Ukraine to 4 March 2028

    A Council decision of 30 July 2026 extends EU temporary protection until 4 March 2028. Since 31 July 2026 new applicants must meet their military obligations in Ukraine, with exceptions for those already protected; the Spanish Ministry page still shows 4 March 2027, so the position should be confirmed. Official source

  • Georgia: visa-free travel suspended for official passports

    On 6 March 2026 the European Commission suspended visa-free travel for holders of Georgian diplomatic, service and official passports, who now need a visa. The Commission's notice refers only to those passports. Official source

  • Spain extends validity of ID cards for people displaced from Ukraine

    Order INT/96/2026 of 12 February 2026 extends the validity of foreigner identity cards issued to people from Ukraine with temporary protection; its preamble refers to the extension until 4 March 2027. No Spanish order extending them to 2028 was found. Official source

  • Russia: multiple-entry short-stay visas restricted, as a rule

    Under a Commission decision of 6 November 2025, Russian nationals who live in Russia and apply there for a short-stay visa are, as a rule, no longer issued multiple-entry visas. Exceptions remain for close relatives of EU citizens or of Russian citizens legally residing in the EU, transport workers and justified individual cases. Official source

Your country at a glance

    Can you come without a visa?

    Short stays are up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova are visa-exempt for holders of biometric passports; the other nine countries of this group need a Schengen visa. Entries and exits are recorded in the EU Entry/Exit System (EES). ETIAS, the future online travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers, is not in operation yet. People displaced from Ukraine have a separate status, temporary protection, explained in the last point.

    • Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova are on the EU list of countries whose nationals do not need a visa for stays of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period. The exemption only covers holders of biometric passports issued by those countries. Official source
    • Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan are on the EU list of countries whose nationals must have a visa to cross the external borders. For a short stay in Spain they need a Schengen visa. Official source
    • Georgia: since 6 March 2026 the European Commission has suspended visa-free travel for holders of Georgian diplomatic, service and official passports. The Commission's notice refers only to those passports. Official source
    • Russia: the EU fully suspended its visa facilitation agreement with Russia from 12 September 2022. The European Commission states that Russian citizens face a longer, more expensive and more difficult visa application process, and that Russian travel documents issued in, or to residents of, Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine or breakaway territories of Georgia are not accepted for a visa or for crossing the Schengen border. Official source
    • Russia: under a Commission decision of 6 November 2025, Russian nationals who live in Russia and apply there for a short-stay visa are, as a rule, no longer issued multiple-entry visas. The decision keeps exceptions for close relatives of Russian citizens legally residing in the EU or of EU citizens, for transport workers, and for justified individual cases. Official source
    • The EES registers non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay, both those who need a short-stay visa and those who are visa-exempt. The 90 days are counted as one single period for all the European countries that use the EES, not country by country. Official source
    • ETIAS is not in operation and no applications are collected yet. The EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch. Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova are on the list of visa-exempt countries whose nationals will need it. Official source
    • To stay more than 90 days for work, study or residence you need a national visa. You also need a national visa to work in Spain for less than 90 days. Official source
    • Separate status for people displaced from Ukraine: EU temporary protection has been extended until 4 March 2028 by a Council decision of 30 July 2026. Since 31 July 2026, new applicants are only granted it if they meet their military obligations in Ukraine and show proof where applicable; this does not affect people who already held temporary protection in the same Member State on 30 July 2026 and keep it without interruption. In Spain it gives a residence and work permit. The Spanish Ministry's page still shows 4 March 2027 as the date, so confirm the current position before you rely on it. Official source

    Ways to live in Spain

    Non-lucrative residence visa

    For people who want to live in Spain without working, living on savings, a pension or other regular income.

    Requirements

    • You may not carry out any work or professional activity in Spain.
    • Proof of sufficient financial means for the first year, or of a regular source of income, for you and your family.
    • Public or private health insurance with an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, covering all the risks covered by the Spanish public health system.
    • Criminal record certificate from the country or countries where you lived in the last 5 years, translated and apostilled or legalised.
    • Medical certificate.
    • The residence permit is processed together with the visa. The first residence permit lasts one year.

    Income required: 400% of the IPREM for the main applicant plus 100% of the IPREM for each dependent family member. The consular pages for this region do not publish the amount in euros. The Spanish consular section in Washington states for 2026: IPREM = 600 € per month (7,200 € per year), so 400% = 28,800 € per year and 100% = 7,200 € per year.

    Where you apply: At the Spanish consular office for the country where you live legally. In the district of the Consulate General in Moscow (Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan) applications go through the BLS visa centres; in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan they are filed in person at the Embassy in Astana. Decision periods stated by consular offices differ, so check with your office.

    Official source

    International telework visa ("digital nomad")

    For people who work remotely for companies or clients outside Spain and want to live in Spain while doing so.

    Requirements

    • Employees may only work for companies outside Spain. Self-employed professionals may work for Spanish companies only up to 20% of their total activity.
    • A degree from a recognised university, vocational training or business school, or at least 3 years of professional experience.
    • The foreign company must have existed for at least one year, and your working relationship with it must be at least 3 months old.
    • Proof of Social Security cover in Spain or, where a Social Security agreement with Spain allows it, a certificate from your home system. The consular page warns that only some countries issue that certificate.
    • Criminal record certificate for the last 2 years plus a signed declaration covering the last 5 years, translated and apostilled or legalised.
    • You must apply for a NIE at the same time as the visa. The visa lasts up to 1 year; people who are legally in Spain can apply directly for the residence permit, which can last up to 3 years.

    Income required: 200% of the monthly minimum wage (SMI) for the teleworker, plus 75% of the SMI for the first family member and 25% for each additional one. You must also show who owns the funds and that they are lawful and available. The Spanish consular section in Washington states for 2026: SMI = 1,221 €, so 2,442 € per month, plus 916 € and 306 € per month.

    Where you apply: At the Spanish consular office for the country where you live legally (in Moscow, at the Consulate General by appointment), or directly in Spain before the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE) if you are legally in Spain.

    Official source

    Residence and work visa as an employee

    For people aged 16 or over who have a work contract with an employer in Spain.

    Requirements

    • First, the employer obtains the initial residence and employee work authorisation in Spain.
    • You must apply for the visa within 1 month of the date the employer is notified of the authorisation.
    • Criminal record certificate for the countries where you lived in the last 5 years, translated and apostilled or legalised, and a medical certificate.
    • After arrival you must be registered with Social Security before you start working.

    Where you apply: Work authorisation: in Spain, requested by the employer. Visa: at the Spanish consular office for the country where you live legally (in the Moscow district, through the BLS visa centres). The legal decision period for the visa is 1 month.

    Official source

    Residence and self-employed work visa

    For people over 18 who want to open a business or work for themselves in Spain.

    Requirements

    • A plan for the business or activity, with the planned investment, the expected return and, where applicable, the jobs it will create.
    • The licences or permits the activity needs, or proof that you have applied for them.
    • The professional qualification or training the activity requires.
    • Proof of enough financial means for the planned investment, or a commitment of support from financial or other institutions.
    • The visa application includes the application for the residence and work permit. After arrival you must register with Social Security within 3 months and before you start working.

    Where you apply: In person at the Spanish consular office for the country where you live legally (in Moscow, at the Consulate General by appointment). The Consulate General in Moscow states a decision period of 1 month from the date it receives the decision on the residence and work permit.

    Official source

    Highly qualified professional

    For professionals hired by a company in Spain for a highly qualified job, company managers, and graduates or postgraduates of recognised universities and business schools.

    Requirements

    • The company or the professional applies for the residence permit to the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE).
    • There are two types: the EU Blue Card and the national permit for highly qualified professionals. Each has its own conditions.
    • The permit lasts three years, or the length of the contract plus three months if the contract is shorter.
    • With the permit granted, you apply for the visa at the consular office. Criminal record certificate for the last 2 years plus a signed declaration covering the last 5 years.

    Where you apply: Residence permit: UGE (Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration). Visa: Spanish consular office for the country where you live legally (in the Moscow district, through the BLS visa centres). The legal decision period for the visa is 10 days.

    Official source

    Study visa (long-term stay for studies)

    For people who will study, take part in a student mobility programme, volunteer or do a training activity in Spain for more than 90 days.

    Requirements

    • Proof of admission and of payment of the enrolment fee at an authorised school or university in Spain.
    • Proof of financial means for the stay and the return trip.
    • Health insurance with an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, valid for the whole stay.
    • For stays of more than 180 days, a criminal record certificate for the last 5 years, translated and apostilled or legalised.
    • Apply two months before the studies start.
    • Higher-education students may work up to 30 hours per week if the work is compatible with their studies.
    • Stays for studies of up to 90 days do not need a study visa, but citizens of the visa-required countries of this group still need a Schengen visa.

    Income required: 100% of the monthly IPREM for the student, plus 75% of the IPREM for the first family member and 50% for each additional one. The amount is reduced if accommodation is already paid for the whole stay. The Spanish consular section in Washington states that the IPREM is 600 € per month in 2026.

    Where you apply: Through the BLS visa centres in the Moscow district and in Kazakhstan (Astana and Almaty), or at the Spanish consular office for the country where you live legally.

    Official source

    Family member of an EU citizen (and of a Spanish citizen)

    For the spouse, registered partner, children or dependent parents of a citizen of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland who lives in or is moving to Spain.

    Requirements

    • Citizens of the visa-required countries of this group need an entry visa as a family member of a Union citizen. It is free of charge and processed with priority; the legal decision period is 15 calendar days, which can be extended to 45.
    • Citizens of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova with a biometric passport are exempt from the short-stay visa requirement.
    • If you want to stay more than 90 days, you must apply in Spain for the residence card of a family member of a Union citizen within three months of entering Spain.
    • You need a valid passport and proof of the family link, translated and apostilled or legalised where applicable.
    • Family members of Spanish citizens follow a different route: the residence visa for family members of Spanish nationals, for stays of more than 90 days. The permit allows you to live and work in Spain.

    Where you apply: Entry visa: Spanish consular office for the country where you live legally. Residence card: in Spain, at the Foreigners' Office or the Police station of the province where you will live. Family member of a Spanish citizen: consular office or BLS visa centre.

    Official source

    Family reunification

    For the spouse or partner and children under 18 of a non-EU national who already lives legally in Spain, and in some cases other relatives.

    Requirements

    • The family member in Spain (the sponsor) applies first for the family reunification permit at the Government Delegation or Sub-delegation of their province.
    • As a general rule, the sponsor must have lived in Spain for at least one year and have applied to stay for at least another year.
    • The sponsor must prove stable and sufficient income and adequate housing.
    • You must apply for the visa within 2 months of the date the sponsor is notified of the permit, with a certified copy of the sponsor's valid residence card and proof of the family link.

    Income required: 150% of the IPREM for a family unit of two people (the sponsor and one family member), plus 50% of the IPREM for each additional member (Royal Decree 1155/2024, art. 67).

    Where you apply: Permit: in Spain, by the sponsor. Visa: Spanish consular office for the country where the family member lives legally (in the Moscow district, through the BLS visa centres). The Consulate General in Moscow states a decision period of 1 month.

    Official source

    The investor ("golden") visa no longer exists. Organic Law 1/2025 removed articles 63 to 67 of Law 14/2013 with effect from 3 April 2025. Buying a home in Spain no longer gives a right to residence. Investor visas and permits that were already valid keep their validity and can be renewed under the previous rules. Official source

    After you arrive

    1. TIE (foreigner identity card)

      If your visa or permit is for more than six months, you must apply in person for the TIE at the Police station. Official source

      Deadline: Within one month of entering Spain (for employees and the self-employed, within one month of registering with Social Security).

    2. Padrón (town hall registration)

      Everyone who lives in Spain must register in the padrón of the town where they usually live. You will be asked for the padrón certificate in many other procedures. Non-EU nationals without a long-term residence permit must renew the registration every two years. Official source

      Deadline: As soon as you have a home address.

    3. Health cover

      For the non-lucrative visa you need health insurance with an insurer authorised to operate in Spain that covers all the risks covered by the public system. For the telework visa the insurance is not needed if you prove cover by the Spanish Social Security. Official source

      Deadline: From day one; keep the policy active without gaps.

    4. Social Security number (if you work)

      The Social Security Treasury (TGSS) gives each person a Social Security number. You apply with form TA.1 or online. Employees must be registered before they start working; self-employed workers within 3 months and before starting. Official source

      Deadline: Before your first day of work.

    5. Bank account

      A Spanish account makes it easier to pay rent, utilities and insurance. Banks may charge up to 3 € per month for a basic payment account. Which documents the bank asks for in your case is a question for the bank and, if needed, for the lawyer. Official source

      Deadline: In the first weeks.

    6. Driving licence

      Spain has licence-exchange agreements with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova: once you are resident you can exchange a car or motorcycle licence without tests. A licence obtained in your country when you were already a legal resident of Spain cannot be exchanged. Licences from the other countries of this group are valid in Spain only for six months from the date you become resident. Official source

      Deadline: Six months from becoming resident, if your country has no exchange agreement.

    7. Tax residence

      You become tax resident in Spain if you spend more than 183 days here in a calendar year, or if the main centre of your economic interests is in Spain. Plan your arrival date with a tax adviser. Official source

      Deadline: Counted per calendar year (1 January to 31 December).

    8. Renewals

      Do not let your permit expire. A non-lucrative permit is renewed at the Foreigners' Office during the two months before it expires. Telework visa holders can apply for the residence permit during the 60 days before the visa expires. Official source

      Deadline: Two months (60 days) before expiry.

    Documents to prepare

    • Valid passport with at least 1 year of validity and two blank pages; passports issued more than 10 years ago are not accepted. Russian citizens must also bring the original and a full copy of their internal passport. Official source
    • Criminal record certificate from the country or countries where you lived in the last 5 years, translated and apostilled or legalised. For the telework and highly-qualified visas: certificate for the last 2 years plus a signed declaration covering the last 5 years. Official source
    • Certificates issued in Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Uzbekistan must carry the Hague Apostille. Certificates issued by Turkmenistan must be signed by a diplomatic agent of its consulate in Russia; Turkmenistan has not signed the Apostille Convention. Official source
    • Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan: the apostille goes on the original document, not on a copy or on the translation, and both the certificate and its apostille must be translated into Spanish. Official source
    • Medical certificate stating that you do not have any disease that could have serious public-health consequences under the International Health Regulations (2005), with a translation into Spanish. Official source
    • Health insurance certificate from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain. Official source
    • Proof of financial means for the first year of residence, or of a regular source of income, for you and the family members who come with you. Official source
    • Proof that you live in the consular district. In the Moscow district: internal passport for Russian citizens, travel passport for citizens of the other countries of the district, residence permit for citizens of other countries. Official source
    • Family documents (birth and marriage certificates, registration as a couple) with a Spanish translation made by a sworn translator or legalised at the Consulate. Official source
    • The legalisation section of the Consulate General in Moscow only accepts translations between Russian and Spanish. Documents issued in Armenian, Belarusian, Uzbek or Turkmen need an intermediate translation into Russian, certified at that country's diplomatic mission in Moscow. Official source

    Taxes

    • You are tax resident in Spain if you stay more than 183 days in the calendar year, or if the main base of your economic activities or interests is in Spain. Short absences count as days in Spain unless you prove tax residence in another country. Official source
    • Workers who move to Spain can choose a special tax regime (often called the "Beckham law") for the year they arrive and the next five years, if they were not resident in Spain in the previous five years and meet the other conditions. Under it, income up to 600,000 € is taxed at 24% and the rest at 47%. Holders of the international telework visa who are employees are expressly included. Official source
    • The option is made with form 149, within six months from the start date of the activity shown in your Spanish Social Security registration. Official source
    • Spain has its own double-taxation conventions with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Uzbekistan and the Russian Federation. How each type of income is taxed depends on the convention; a tax adviser should review your case. Official source
    • The old Spain-USSR convention initially applied to the other former Soviet republics. According to the Spanish Tax Agency it stopped being in force for Turkmenistan on 1 January 2000 and for Kyrgyzstan on 1 January 2023. The Agency's page lists no termination for Ukraine or Tajikistan; ask a tax adviser to confirm which text applies to you. Official source
    • Russia: the Spanish Tax Agency lists the convention signed in Madrid on 16 December 1998. Ask a tax adviser to confirm how it is being applied today before you rely on it. Official source
    • Spain has bilateral Social Security agreements with Russia, Ukraine and Moldova. The other countries of this group are not on the Spanish Social Security list of bilateral agreements. Official source

    Notes for Russia

    • You need a Schengen visa for short stays. The EU visa facilitation agreement with Russia has been suspended in full since 12 September 2022.
    • Since the Commission decision of 6 November 2025, Russian nationals who live and apply in Russia are, as a rule, issued single-entry short-stay visas, with exceptions for close relatives of EU citizens or of Russian citizens legally residing in the EU, and for transport workers.
    • Visa applications in Russia are handed in at the BLS visa centres in Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Novosibirsk, Nizhny Novgorod and Samara. Telework and self-employed visas are filed at the Consulate General in Moscow by appointment.
    • Russian citizens must bring the original and a full copy of their internal passport, which is also their proof of residence in the consular district.
    • Criminal record certificates issued in Russia must carry the Hague Apostille.
    • Spain has a Social Security agreement with Russia. There is no driving-licence exchange agreement between Spain and Russia.

    Notes for Ukraine

    • With a biometric passport you do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
    • The visa section of the Spanish Embassy in Ukraine is closed. The Spanish Embassy in Poland handles visas for residents of Ukraine; the appointment is requested by email to that embassy.
    • Temporary protection for people displaced from Ukraine is a separate status from the residence routes on this page. The Council has extended it until 4 March 2028.
    • In Spain, temporary protection is requested through the reception centres (CREADE) in Pozuelo de Alarcón (Madrid), Barcelona and Málaga, or at National Police stations; it gives a residence and work permit.
    • Spain has a driving-licence exchange agreement with Ukraine (in force since 31 October 2010): car and motorcycle licences are exchanged without tests.
    • Spain has a Social Security agreement with Ukraine.

    Notes for Belarus

    • You need a Schengen visa for short stays.
    • Belarus belongs to the district of the Spanish Consulate General in Moscow. There is a BLS visa centre in Minsk.
    • Criminal record certificates issued in Belarus must carry the Hague Apostille.
    • Spain and Belarus have a double-taxation convention, in force since 9 May 2021.
    • There is no driving-licence exchange agreement between Spain and Belarus.

    Notes for Kazakhstan

    • You need a Schengen visa for short stays.
    • Study visas and Schengen visas are handed in only at the BLS visa centres in Astana and Almaty, with an online appointment. The other national visas are processed directly at the Spanish Embassy in Astana, by appointment.
    • Documents issued in Kazakhstan must carry the Hague Apostille on the original, and the document and its apostille must be translated into Spanish.
    • Spain and Kazakhstan have a double-taxation convention, in force since 18 August 2011.
    • There is no driving-licence exchange agreement between Spain and Kazakhstan.

    Notes for Uzbekistan

    • You need a Schengen visa for short stays.
    • Uzbekistan belongs to the district of the Spanish Consulate General in Moscow. There is a BLS visa centre in Tashkent.
    • Criminal record certificates issued in Uzbekistan must carry the Hague Apostille.
    • Spain and Uzbekistan have a double-taxation convention, in force since 21 July 2010.

    Notes for Kyrgyzstan

    • You need a Schengen visa for short stays.
    • The Spanish Embassy in Astana (Kazakhstan) is the consular office for Kyrgyzstan. Schengen visa applications are handed in at the BLS centres in Astana and Almaty.
    • Documents issued in Kyrgyzstan must carry the Hague Apostille.
    • The old Spain-USSR double-taxation convention stopped being in force for Kyrgyzstan on 1 January 2023.

    Notes for Tajikistan

    • You need a Schengen visa for short stays.
    • The Spanish Embassy in Astana (Kazakhstan) is the consular office for Tajikistan. Schengen visa applications are handed in at the BLS centres in Astana and Almaty.
    • Documents issued in Tajikistan must carry the Hague Apostille.

    Notes for Turkmenistan

    • You need a Schengen visa for short stays.
    • Turkmenistan belongs to the district of the Spanish Consulate General in Moscow.
    • Turkmenistan has not signed the Hague Apostille Convention: its documents must be legalised through the diplomatic channel. Criminal record certificates must be signed by a diplomatic agent of the Turkmen consulate in Russia.
    • The old Spain-USSR double-taxation convention stopped being in force for Turkmenistan on 1 January 2000.

    Notes for Armenia

    • You need a Schengen visa for short stays. The EU has an ongoing visa liberalisation dialogue with Armenia.
    • Armenia belongs to the district of the Spanish Consulate General in Moscow. There is a BLS visa centre in Yerevan.
    • Criminal record certificates issued in Armenia must carry the Hague Apostille.
    • Spain and Armenia have a double-taxation convention, in force since 21 March 2012.

    Notes for Azerbaijan

    • You need a Schengen visa for short stays.
    • Spain and Azerbaijan have a double-taxation convention, in force since 1 January 2022.
    • There is no driving-licence exchange agreement between Spain and Azerbaijan.

    Notes for Georgia

    • With a biometric passport you do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period (since 28 March 2017).
    • Since 6 March 2026, holders of Georgian diplomatic, service and official passports need a visa.
    • Spain has a driving-licence exchange agreement with Georgia (in force since 29 September 2024): car and motorcycle licences are exchanged without tests.
    • Spain and Georgia have a double-taxation convention, in force since 1 July 2011.
    • The Spanish Embassy in Georgia is at Freedom Square 4, Tbilisi. Confirm with the embassy where national visa applications are filed.

    Notes for Moldova

    • With a biometric passport you do not need a visa for stays of under 90 days in any 180-day period (since 28 April 2014).
    • The Spanish Embassy in Bucharest is accredited to Romania and to the Republic of Moldova.
    • Spain has a driving-licence exchange agreement with Moldova (in force since 29 September 2024): car and motorcycle licences are exchanged without tests.
    • Spain and Moldova have a double-taxation convention, in force since 30 March 2009, and a Social Security agreement.

    Common mistakes

    • Assuming visa-free entry lets you stay or work: the 90 days do not allow work and, in most cases, cannot be turned into residence.
    • Travelling without a biometric passport from Ukraine, Georgia or Moldova: the visa exemption only covers biometric passports.
    • Applying at a consular office that does not cover the country where you live legally.
    • Getting the apostille on a copy or on the translation instead of on the original document.
    • Presenting documents in Armenian, Belarusian, Uzbek or Turkmen in Moscow without the certified intermediate translation into Russian.
    • Working, even remotely, while holding a non-lucrative permit.
    • Missing the one-month deadline to apply for the TIE after arriving.
    • Confusing temporary protection with an ordinary residence permit: they are different statuses with different rules and dates.

    Frequently asked questions

    Do I need a visa just to visit Spain?

    It depends on your passport. Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova: no visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period if your passport is biometric. Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan: you need a Schengen visa.

    I am from Ukraine. Is temporary protection the same as a residence permit?

    No. Temporary protection is a separate EU status for people displaced by the war. The Council has extended it until 4 March 2028, and since 31 July 2026 new applicants must meet their military obligations in Ukraine. In Spain it gives a residence and work permit. Whether one of the ordinary routes on this page suits you better is a question for the lawyer.

    I am a Russian citizen. Can I still apply for a Spanish visa?

    Yes. The Spanish Consulate General in Moscow publishes the requirements for Schengen and national visas, and most applications are handed in at the BLS visa centres in Russia. The EU has suspended the visa facilitation agreement, and since November 2025 short-stay visas for Russian nationals applying in Russia are, as a rule, single-entry. The residence routes on this page are national visas with their own requirements.

    How much money do I need for the non-lucrative visa?

    The rule is 400% of the IPREM for the main applicant and 100% more for each dependent family member. The Spanish consular section in Washington states that in 2026 this is 28,800 € per year for one person and 7,200 € per year for each dependent. The IPREM changes every year, so check the current figure before you apply.

    Can I work remotely for a foreign company from Spain?

    Not with a non-lucrative visa: it does not allow any work. The route designed for this is the international telework visa. Employees can only work for companies outside Spain; self-employed professionals can also work for Spanish companies up to 20% of their activity. You will also need to show Social Security cover.

    Does buying a property give me residence?

    No. The investor visa was removed by Organic Law 1/2025 with effect from 3 April 2025. You can buy property as a non-resident, but you need another route to live in Spain.

    Can I exchange my driving licence?

    If it is from Ukraine, Georgia or Moldova, yes: Spain has exchange agreements with those three countries. Licences from the other countries of this group are valid for six months after you become resident; after that you need a Spanish licence.

    What do you do and what does the lawyer do?

    We prepare and organise your documents, book appointments and go with you to them in almost all of Spain. Legal advice on which route fits you, and any legal representation, comes from our partner immigration lawyers.

    Official sources used on this page

    General information taken from the official sources linked on this page. It is not legal advice and rules change: our partner immigration lawyers confirm your specific case.

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