Spain Simplifies the Transition from Temporary Protection for Ukrainians

Spain has introduced new rules making it easier for people displaced from Ukraine who hold Temporary Protection (Protección Temporal) to move to other residence permits without leaving the country.

Under SEM Instructions 2/2026, issued by the Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, beneficiaries of Temporary Protection may apply from within Spain for other residence permits whose application procedures can be initiated from Spanish territory.

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✅ What has changed?

1. Applications can be made without leaving Spain
People who meet the relevant requirements may apply for other types of residence permit, including:

• Arraigo permits based on social, employment, family, or educational integration;
• residence and work permits;
• residence permits for family members of Spanish citizens;
• other eligible permits available under Spanish immigration law.

Applicants must still meet the specific requirements of the residence route they choose.

2. Time spent under Temporary Protection will count
Time legally spent in Spain under Temporary Protection will count towards:

• the required two-year period of continuous presence for eligible arraigo applications;
• the five-year period of legal and continuous residence required for national long-term residence (Residencia de Larga Duración Nacional).

Where a person subsequently moves to another residence permit, the periods under both statuses will be combined when calculating the five-year qualifying period.

The Instructions explicitly state:

Spanish original:
“A estos efectos, el tiempo durante el cual hubieran sido titulares de una autorización de residencia en España concedida al amparo de la Decisión de Ejecución (UE) 2022/382 del Consejo, de 4 de marzo de 2022, computará íntegramente a efectos del cumplimiento del plazo de cinco años de residencia legal y continuada exigido, acumulándose al período de residencia correspondiente a la autorización a la que, en su caso, accedan.”

English translation:
“For these purposes, the period during which a person held a residence authorisation in Spain granted under Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 of 4 March 2022 will count in full towards the required five-year period of legal and continuous residence and will be added to the period of residence under any subsequent residence authorisation they may obtain.”

The Instructions also confirm that time spent in Spain under Temporary Protection counts towards the two-year continuous-presence requirement for arraigo:

Spanish original:
“El tiempo de permanencia en España de las personas beneficiarias de protección temporal se computará, a todos los efectos, para el cumplimiento del período de dos años de permanencia continuada en territorio nacional.”

English translation:
“The time spent in Spain by beneficiaries of Temporary Protection will count, for all purposes, towards meeting the required two-year period of continuous presence in Spanish territory.”

3. Temporary Protection does not need to be renounced in advance
Applicants do not need to give up Temporary Protection before applying.

Formal renunciation is required only after the new residence permit has been approved and must be confirmed when applying for the new foreigner identity card (TIE).

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📅 Temporary Protection remains valid until March 2027

Temporary Protection for people displaced from Ukraine remains in force until 4 March 2027.

The new rules therefore provide an opportunity to move gradually from temporary status to more conventional residence pathways before the current protection framework ends.

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🔗 Official source

Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration — SEM Instructions 2/2026 on the transition from Temporary Protection to other residence authorisations

Read the official document in Spanish

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Spain’s approach provides greater legal certainty for Ukrainians who have already built their lives in the country. Crucially, it recognises the years spent under Temporary Protection instead of requiring people to begin their path to long-term residence from zero.