Ukrainians in Spain: how to switch from temporary protection to residency

Ukrainians in Spain: what temporary protection is and until when it has been extended

Temporary protection (protección temporal) under Directive 2001/55/CE has applied to persons displaced from Ukraine since 4 March 2022, when the Council of the EU adopted Decision (EU) 2022/382 [1]. Decision (EU) 2026/1912 of 30 July 2026, published on 4 August 2026, extended protection to 4 March 2028; before that the end date was 4 March 2027 under Decision (EU) 2025/1460 [1][4]. In Spain, protection is supplemented by Real Decreto 1325/2003 and the 2022 orders: Orden PCM/169/2022 on the recognition procedure and Orden PCM/170/2022, which widened the group of eligible people [1].

Council decisions apply directly in the member states, so no separate national decisions are needed to extend protection [1]. A table of all extensions and the application procedure are covered in temporary protection for Ukrainians in Spain. According to the February 2026 order, Spain has granted protection to more than 265,000 people [1].

What temporary protection gives you

Protection gives a residence and work permit for the whole period of protection, the right to work as an employee or self-employed, healthcare and, for children under 18, education [9]. The application is made to the Policía Nacional by appointment, and in Barcelona appointments are given by the CREADE centre: the procedure and addresses are on the ministry’s page [9]. Ukrainians enter without a visa for 90 days in any 180-day period [5][6].

What's new from 31 July 2026

Decision (EU) 2026/1912 introduces a condition for people receiving protection for the first time: the applicant must confirm that they comply with their military obligations in Ukraine, if these apply to them. It applies from 31 July 2026 and does not affect people who held protection up to and including 30 July 2026 and kept it without interruption [4]. How this is checked in Spain is not described in public materials: ask the police.

TIE and deadlines: what you need to do and what not

The TIE card issued under temporary protection is automatically valid until 4 March 2027: this is stated in Orden INT/96/2026 (in force since 17 February 2026). You do not need a new card to comply with article 209 of the Reglamento [1]. The card remains a document proving your residence permit, not a travel document [6]. Those who have given up protection must hand the card in [1].

In previous years such orders came out at the end of February: INT/169/2024 of 26 February, INT/195/2025 of 27 February, INT/96/2026 of 12 February [1]. As of 2 October 2026 we had not found an order extending TIE cards to 4 March 2028: check the BOE and the website of the Ministry of the Interior.

Other residence grounds for Ukrainians and the “bridge” from temporary protection

Until 16 April 2026 the Reglamento only promised that an order would set out how holders of protection could move to other permits. In February 2026 an Interior Ministry order stated that such a “bridge” (pasarela) had not yet been regulated either in the EU or in Spain [1][2]. Real Decreto 316/2026 amended the Disposición adicional decimonovena: holders of a protection permit may apply, under the ordinary procedures, for stay and residence permits whose procedure can start in Spain, including arraigo (article 125) and Ley 14/2013 permits [2][3].

How these rules fit together is not entirely clear. After the amendment, article 126 requires an arraigo applicant not to hold an authorisation for stay or residence, while the Disposición adicional decimonovena explicitly names article 125 [2]. We found no official clarification of how they apply to a holder of protection, and we consider this a question for a lawyer.

More on the grounds: Digital Nomad in Spain, types of arraigo, residence permit in Spain: where to start. Step-by-step plans: DNV, arraigo, work.

If you are outside Spain

For short trips, Ukrainians do not need a visa for 90 days in any 180-day period [6]. To live in Spain on a DNV, no lucrativa, work or study you need a visa from the consulate for your place of residence (article 26 of the Reglamento) [2]. The consular section of the Spanish Embassy in Kyiv handles visa questions by email at emb.kyiv.vis@maec.es; the embassy’s page carries the official advice not to travel to Ukraine under any circumstances [8]. If you live in another country, you must apply where you legally reside, and the procedure depends on that country’s consulate. Overview of consulates: Spanish consulates and submitting documents.

Questions we found no direct answer to

• Whether time under temporary protection counts towards the five years of residence for larga duración and the ten years for citizenship. Articles 176 and 183 of the Reglamento refer to lawful continuous residence but do not mention protection directly [2].
• How the Disposición adicional decimonovena fits with the condition in article 126 h) about not holding an authorisation.
• What the timeline and form of TIE renewal will be after 4 March 2027.
• How Spain checks military obligations under the new condition.

These are questions to put to a lawyer in a consultation.

Common mistakes

• People confuse the period of protection with the validity of the card: protection is extended to 4 March 2028, while the TIE under the 2026 order is valid until 4 March 2027 [1][4].
• People change status without checking how the switch will affect their right to work and the timelines: the procedure and conditions differ from permit to permit [2].
• People assume that time under protection automatically counts towards the five years for larga duración. We found no explicit rules on this [2].
• People rely on someone else’s retelling of the new 2026 condition on military obligations: read the Council decision and the clarifications of the Spanish authorities [4].
• People put off gathering documents for the DNV: you need a contract, invoices or payslips, certificates and a Spanish translation [7].
• People apply for a visa in the wrong consular district: the district rule is set out in article 26 of the Reglamento [2].

How we can help

We look at what your status is now, which permits you can apply for from Spain and how to gather the documents for the chosen ground. Questions about how protection fits with the general regime are passed to the team’s lawyer. Case management is priced by quote, and fees (tasas) and translations are paid separately. Book a consultation. Services: arraigo, digital nomad residence permit.

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