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For people from former CIS countries

Can Belarusians get a residence permit in Spain?

Yes, on the general grounds: Real Decreto 1155/2024 applies to third-country nationals [1]. Visa documents are accepted by the visa centre in Minsk on behalf of the consulate in Moscow, and Spain accepts an expired Belarusian passport only within Spain itself [2][3][5].

ReloVictory editorial teamSources reviewed Reviewed by: Francisco Romero Jiménez, abogado ICAB 33641, 5 min read
Information material, not an individual legal opinion. Conditions apply to each specific situation and may change.
In brief
  • Yes, a Belarusian citizen can get a residence permit in Spain on the same grounds as other third-country nationals: work, study, family, no lucrativa, remote work and others [1][6].
  • For trips of up to 90 days, Belarusians need a Schengen visa [2]. The district of the Spanish consulate in Moscow includes Belarus, and the Spanish visa centre operates in Minsk [2][3].
  • From 1 June 2026, residents of the consular district file some national visas (study, employment, family reunification, residencia sin finalidad laboral and others) at the visa centre in their country of residence [4].
  • Joint instruction of 19.01.2026: in Spain an expired Belarusian passport is accepted for permits and the TIE, but only for those who were in Spain on the day it was signed [5].
  • Belarusian criminal record certificates for the remote work visa must be apostilled: the consulate in Moscow says so [7].

Can a Belarusian get a residence permit in Spain?

Yes. The regulation implementing the foreigners law (Real Decreto 1155/2024) applies to third-country nationals and has no separate regime for Belarusians [1]. For the digital nomad permit, the UGE states that it is granted to a third-country national over 18 [6]. Which ground suits you depends on your income, work and family.

Where does a Belarusian apply for a Spanish visa?

WhatWhereSource
Schengen visa up to 90 daysSpanish visa centre in Minsk by appointment; the consulate in Moscow decides[2][3]
National visa, categories from the notice of 14.04.2026Visa centre in the country of residence, from 01.06.2026[4]
Other national visas, including remote workCheck the procedure with the consulate: the notice does not list them[4]

The consulate in Moscow covers Armenia, Belarus, Russia (except the area of the Saint Petersburg consulate), Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan [3]. Take the address and opening hours of the Minsk visa centre only from the consulate’s page [2].

What to do with an expired Belarusian passport?

In an instruction of 19 January 2026, the Directorate for Migration Management (Gestión Migratoria) and the General Commissariat for Foreigners and Borders (Extranjería y Fronteras) allowed an expired Belarusian passport to be accepted for any permit under immigration law and for issuing the TIE [5]. The reason is given in the text itself: since 4 September 2023, Belarusian embassies and consulates abroad have not been issuing passports [5].

The conditions are strict. The instruction covers procedures inside Spain and Belarusians who were in Spain on the day it was signed, and applies for as long as these circumstances continue [5]. If you are applying for a visa from Belarus, it does not apply to you. For the remote work visa, the consulate requires a passport valid for at least one year [7].

Which documents from Belarus need an apostille?

Belarus has been a party to the Hague Apostille Convention since 31 May 1992 [8]. The consulate in Moscow explicitly lists Belarusian criminal record certificates among those that must be apostilled for the remote work visa [7]. The UGE requires an apostille or legalisation for public documents issued by foreign authorities and a sworn translation of the rest [9]. We have not checked which Belarusian authority is competent or how to obtain the apostille.

Social insurance and money

The list of bilateral Seguridad Social agreements for Europe names Andorra, Russia, Ukraine and Moldova; Belarus is not on it [10]. For an employee on a DNV, this means a certificate of applicable legislation under an agreement cannot be obtained, and the UGE expects the foreign employer to register in the Spanish system and the employee to be registered (alta) [9]. Income and document requirements for the DNV are covered in DNV from Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia and Georgia, and the step-by-step filing procedure in the DNV route card.

What we don't know

We have not found an official answer on where a Belarusian living in Belarus files a remote work visa application after 1 June 2026: at the consulate in Moscow or at the visa centre in Minsk. We do not know whether Spain will extend the passport instruction or whether it covers those who arrived in Spain after 19 January 2026. On choosing a ground for CIS citizens: residence permit for Belarusians: grounds. The overall path from registration to the TIE card: residence permit in Barcelona on your own. To have your case reviewed, book a consultation.

Frequently asked questions

Do Belarusians need a visa for Spain?
Yes. For trips of up to 90 days, Belarusians need a Schengen visa. The district of the Spanish consulate in Moscow includes Belarus, and visa applications are accepted by the Spanish visa centre in Minsk by appointment; the consulate makes the decision. Take the address, opening hours and booking procedure only from the consulate’s page: they change [2][3].
Where does a Belarusian apply for a Spanish visa?
The district of the Spanish consulate in Moscow includes Belarus, and the Spanish visa centre operates in Minsk. From 1 June 2026, residents of the district file at the centre in their own country visas for study, family reunification, employment, residencia sin finalidad laboral and several other categories from the notice of 14.04.2026. Check other categories with the consulate [2][3][4].
Does Spain accept an expired Belarusian passport?
Yes, but only in Spain. The joint instruction of 19.01.2026 allows an expired Belarusian passport for permits and the TIE, because since 4 September 2023 Belarusian consulates abroad have not been issuing passports. The condition is strict: the instruction covers those who were in Spain on the day it was signed and applies for as long as these circumstances continue. It does not apply to visa applications from Belarus [5].
Can a Belarusian get a digital nomad residence permit?
Yes, if you work remotely for a company outside Spain and meet the other conditions. The UGE names the applicant as a third-country national over 18; there is no separate regime for Belarusians. The consulate’s notice does not say where exactly residents of Belarus file the national remote work visa after 1 June 2026, so it is worth clarifying this in writing [3][4][6].
Do Belarusian documents need an apostille?
Public documents do. Belarus has been a party to the Hague Apostille Convention since 31 May 1992, and the consulate in Moscow explicitly requires an apostille on the Belarusian criminal record certificate for the remote work visa. We have not checked which Belarusian authority apostilles a given document or how long it takes: clarify this before ordering [7][8].
Do Spain and Belarus have a social security agreement?
No, Belarus is not on the list of bilateral Seguridad Social agreements. For an employee on a DNV, this means a certificate of applicable legislation under an agreement is not available. The UGE expects the foreign employer to register in the Spanish system as a non-resident and the employee to be registered (alta). A self-employed person needs RETA in any case [9][10].

Official sources

  1. BOE · Real Decreto 1155/2024, regulation implementing the foreigners law ↗
  2. Spanish consulate in Moscow · visa application locations, Minsk centre ↗
  3. Spanish consulate in Moscow · consular district ↗
  4. Spanish consulate in Moscow · notice on national visas of 14.04.2026 ↗
  5. Ministry of Inclusion · joint instruction of 19.01.2026 on Belarusian passports ↗
  6. Ministry of Inclusion · UGE: questions and answers on international remote work ↗
  7. Spanish consulate in Moscow · remote work visa, documents and apostille ↗
  8. HCCH · Status of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention ↗
  9. Ministry of Inclusion · UGE: documents for the remote worker permit ↗
  10. Seguridad Social · Spain’s bilateral agreements ↗

Sources reviewed on 02.10.2026. Consolidated texts and government reference pages are for information only: applying the law depends on official publications, amendments and the specific circumstances. Reviewed by lawyer Francisco Romero Jiménez (ICAB 33641) on 21.10.2026.

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Spanish residence permit for Belarusians: routes, consulate, documentsSpanish nomad visa from Kazakhstan and CIS countries: where to applyCan Russian Citizens Get a Spanish Residence Permit in 2026?Apostille on Russian documents for Spain: is it required?

ReloVictory · Sources reviewed 02.10.2026 · Not a substitute for individual legal advice.

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