Temporary Protection in Spain for Ukrainians: Documents and CREADE

236,000 Ukrainians have already received temporary protection in Spain. TIE cards have been automatically extended until March 4, 2027 - no queues, no applications, no police visits. But if you’ve just arrived, want to change your status, or need to translate documents for Seguridad Social - questions remain. Let’s break it all down: from your first visit to CREADE to translation costs and what happens after 2027.

What’s CREADE and how does it work¶

CREADE (Centro de Recepción, Atención y Derivación) - that’s Spain’s reception, care, and referral center for displaced people from Ukraine. Think of it as a one-stop shop where you get everything: legal advice, psychological support, and the actual temporary protection paperwork.

Spain has three CREADE centers:

There used to be a CREADE in Alicante too, but currently the main three are Madrid, Barcelona, and Malaga.

Here’s what happens at your appointment: first, the Red Cross (Cruz Roja) meets you, does an initial interview, provides legal and psychological support. Then you’re referred to the National Police, where they take your fingerprints and process your residence and work permit. The decision is made within 24 hours.

Who qualifies for temporary protection¶

Temporary protection (protección temporal) in Spain covers three groups:

1. Ukrainian citizens who lived in Ukraine before February 24, 2022, or were in Spain (legally or not) when the full-scale invasion started.

2. Citizens of other countries who had permanent or temporary residence in Ukraine before 24.02.2022 and can’t safely return to their home country.

3. Family members of people in the first two groups: spouses or partners, minor children, and close relatives who lived together and depended on them financially.

You can apply until March 4, 2027 - that’s how long the EU has extended temporary protection.

What documents you need for CREADE¶

For your first visit, you’ll need a minimal set:

• Passport (biometric or regular). No passport? A birth certificate or any identity document works
• Proof you lived in Ukraine before 24.02.2022 - registration, registry extract, any document with your address
• Photos - 32x26 mm format (standard Spanish document photo size)
• Address in Spain - empadronamiento (local registration) or at least the address where you’re staying
• For children - birth certificate, custody document if traveling without one parent
• For spouses - marriage certificate

Here’s the good news: at the initial temporary protection stage, sworn translation of documents usually isn’t required. Police accept Ukrainian documents and figure it out themselves. That’s a huge advantage of temporary protection over standard immigration procedures.

But “usually not required” doesn’t mean “never.” Depending on the specific office and the mood of the official, they might ask for a translation of your birth or marriage certificate. So if you can - bring at least a basic translation of your key documents, just in case.

When you actually need translations¶

Temporary protection is your entry ticket. Real life in Spain comes after, and that’s where translations become mandatory.

Changing status - traducción jurada required¶

If you decide to switch from temporary protection to another residency type - residencia por arraigo, work permit, family reunification - you’ll need a full document set with sworn translation:

• Birth certificate (with apostille from Ukraine)
• Marriage / divorce certificate
• Criminal record certificate
• Court decisions (if applicable - custody, divorce)

Diploma recognition (homologación) - required¶

If you want to work in a regulated profession - doctor, engineer, teacher - you need qualification recognition through the Ministry of Education. Sworn translation is mandatory for:

• Diploma and diploma supplement
• School certificate (if needed for secondary education verification)
• Study programs (if ANECA requires them)

Driver’s license exchange (canje) - required¶

To exchange your Ukrainian license for a Spanish one through DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico), you need a sworn translation of your driving license. More details on NIE and documents for license exchange.

Seguridad Social and healthcare¶

For registering with social security and getting your health card (tarjeta sanitaria), translations aren’t usually needed - your TIE is enough. But if you need to prove medical history, disability, or a chronic condition - they might ask for translated medical documents.

How much does Ukrainian-to-Spanish translation cost¶

The Ukrainian-Spanish language pair is one of the most expensive in Spain. Simple reason: there are only 4 registered sworn translators from Ukrainian (traductores jurados) in the entire country. Four. For 236,000 Ukrainians.

IVA (Spain’s VAT) is 21%. So a quoted price of 65 euros actually costs you 78.65 euros. Always ask: with or without IVA.

Where to find a sworn translator:

1. MAEC registry - official search on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, filter by language and province
2. Translation agencies - CBLingua, 1Global Translators, Shoptexto have contracts with Ukrainian translators
3. Remote - the translator doesn’t have to be in your city. Send a scan, get the original by post (Correos) for about 10 euros

If you’ve got multiple documents - ask about a package price. A 10-15% discount for a bundle is standard practice.

TIE extension until 2027: what to do (spoiler - nothing)¶

In February 2026, Spain’s Interior Ministry issued Order INT/96/2026, automatically extending all Ukrainian TIE cards until March 4, 2027. This means:

• No application needed
• No police or CREADE visits required
• No fees to pay
• Your card with the old expiry date remains valid

All rights stay intact: work permit, healthcare through Seguridad Social, social assistance, education for children.

The only exception: if you haven’t applied for temporary protection yet and just arrived - you need to go through the standard CREADE or police procedure.

What happens after March 2027¶

This is the question everyone’s asking. Honest answer - nobody knows for sure yet. But here’s what we do know:

Option 1: another extension. The EU has already extended temporary protection three times. If the war continues - they could extend it again.

Option 2: transition to standard residency. The EU Council has published guidelines on a “transition period.” The idea: member states should move Ukrainians from temporary protection to regular residence permits - work, study, or family-based. Spain hasn’t finalized specific rules yet, but the direction is clear.

Option 3: voluntary return. The EU is planning voluntary return programs that would run for at least one year after temporary protection ends.

What to do now: if you’re planning to stay in Spain long-term, start preparing documents for standard residency. Translations, apostilles, diploma recognition - all of this takes time. Better to do it early than scramble at the last minute.

When a regular translation is enough¶

Not everything requires traducción jurada. For many everyday needs, a regular translation works fine:

• For your employer - work history, recommendation letters, certificates - employers accept these without sworn translation
• For your landlord - nobody asks for a sworn translation to rent an apartment
• For the bank - your TIE and passport are enough
• For school - when initially enrolling children under temporary protection, translations are rarely required

For these situations, ChatsControl handles the translation in minutes - keeping the original formatting intact. If you need a certified translation for government agencies - that’s when you go to a traductor jurado.

FAQ¶

Do I need to translate documents for CREADE when applying for temporary protection?¶

Usually no. For the initial temporary protection application at CREADE, original documents in Ukrainian are enough - passport, birth or marriage certificates. Police accept them without translation. But if you’re planning to apply for a status change or diploma recognition later, sworn translation (traducción jurada) will be mandatory.

How much does sworn translation of Ukrainian documents cost in Spain?¶

A single document (certificate, reference) costs 60-75 euros + IVA (21%). That’s more expensive than English translation (30-50 euros) because there are only 4 registered sworn translators from Ukrainian in all of Spain. You can get a 10-15% discount for a bundle of multiple documents.

Do I need to renew my TIE card in 2026-2027?¶

No. Order INT/96/2026 from February 2026 automatically extended all TIE cards for Ukrainians with temporary protection until March 4, 2027. No applications, visits, or payments needed.

How do I book an appointment at CREADE?¶

For Madrid and Malaga - call 666 800 194 (Spanish and Ukrainian, Mon-Fri, 9:00-17:00). For Barcelona - 932 382 199 (Mon-Fri, 8:30-15:00). There’s also the Ministry’s general line: 91 047 44 44. The decision on granting temporary protection is made within 24 hours.

What happens with temporary protection after 2027?¶

Unknown for now. Possible scenarios: another extension (if the war continues), transition to standard residence permits (work, study) or voluntary return programs. The EU Council recommends member states prepare a transition period. If you’re planning to stay - start preparing documents for standard residency now.