Moving to Spain from Russia in 2026: step-by-step plan, documents and costs

Step 1. Choose the ground for moving

Start with the ground, not the documents. It decides the income you need, where you apply and when you can ask for long-term residence. Thresholds are based on the minimum wage (€1,221 a month in 14 payments) and the IPREM indicator (€600 a month)[3][4].

All thresholds by ground and family size are in how much money you need for a Spanish residence permit in 2026. You can check yourself against the digital nomad visa conditions in the calculator.

Step 2. Find out where to apply

Russians apply for national visas where they live. The Consulate of Spain in Moscow covers most of Russia. Residents of Saint Petersburg, the Leningrad, Murmansk, Novgorod, Pskov and Kaliningrad regions and Karelia belong to the consulate in Saint Petersburg[5][7].

Since 1 June 2026, residents of the Moscow consular district submit applications for studies, internships, family reunification, employment and non-lucrative residence through the visa centre[6]. If you already live legally in another country, apply at the Spanish consulate there.

The digital nomad visa can also be requested from inside Spain if you are here legally[2]. But a European Commission decision of 6 November 2025 restricted multiple-entry Schengen visas for Russians living in Russia[8]. A single-entry visa gives one entry: if you leave Spain before applying, you need a new visa. That is why documents are prepared before you travel.

Step 3. Collect your documents from Russia

What you need depends on the ground, but the Russian part of the file is almost always the same:

• international passport and a full copy of the internal passport: the consulate uses it to check that you live in its district[5];
• criminal record certificate: issued by the Interior Ministry, up to 30 days according to Gosuslugi; the apostille is also placed by the Interior Ministry, not the Ministry of Justice[9]{10};
• marriage and children's birth certificates with an apostille if you move as a family;
• proof of income or savings: for the digital nomad visa, a bank statement and payslips or invoices for three months[2];
• health insurance for the whole period; for the digital nomad visa and non-lucrative residence, with no co-payments.

All foreign documents are filed with an apostille and a sworn translation into Spanish {11}. The criminal record certificate usually takes longest, so order it first. More: Russian criminal record certificate and apostille.

Step 4. Work out how much moving to Spain costs

The cost of moving to Spain has four parts. Nobody can give an exact figure for translations, insurance and housing in advance: it depends on the city, the family and the number of documents.

If you need help with preparing and filing, ReloVictory's fees are on the prices page: consultation €121, digital nomad visa support from €1,936, all amounts including IVA. You can calculate the fees for your family in the fee calculator.

Step 5. Money, banks and taxes

Cash from €10,000 per person entering or leaving Spain must be declared in advance. Without a declaration the whole amount can be temporarily seized {14}.

A Spanish bank must establish where a client's money comes from. The bank decides which documents it wants, so bring statements and sale contracts for property with you.

Taxes depend on residence, not on the visa: more than 183 days a year in Spain means tax on worldwide income. By Decree No. 585 of 8 August 2023, Russia suspended most articles of its double taxation convention with Spain {15}. The Spanish tax agency still describes the convention as in force. How this affects your case: double taxation between Russia and Spain.

Step 6. Long-term residence and citizenship

Moving to Spain permanently starts with an ordinary residence permit. Long-term residence (larga duración) is requested after five years of legal, continuous residence[1]. Years on the digital nomad visa and other permits count.

Citizenship by residence is available to Russians after ten years. You need DELE A2 or higher and the CCSE exam. Russia is not on the list of countries whose nationals are exempt from renouncing their previous nationality, so a Russian declares that renunciation at the oath {16}. Periods for other cases: how many years until Spanish citizenship.

Frequently asked questions

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ReloVictory · Sources reviewed 28.10.2026 · Not a substitute for individual legal advice.