How many Belarusians live in Spain? According to Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE, Censo Anual de Población), as of 1 January 2025 9,441 citizens of Belarus officially live in the country — 69% more than four years earlier. The community is much smaller than the Russian or Ukrainian ones, but it is growing at the same pace and settling in the same places — along the Mediterranean. This article covers where exactly Belarusians live, which legal routes for moving work in 2026 and what you need to know before buying a ticket.
How many Belarusians there are in Spain and where they live
Here are the official statistics by province — and they hold a surprise. Contrary to expectations, the leader of Belarusian Spain is not Madrid or Barcelona but Alicante, where the community has doubled in four years:
| Province | Citizens of Belarus | Growth since 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Alicante | 1,757 | +101% |
| Barcelona | 1,706 | +47% |
| Málaga | 1,283 | +174% |
| Valencia | 1,019 | +168% |
| Madrid | 571 | +26% |
| Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 520 | +120% |
| Tarragona | 429 | +34% |
| Girona | 339 | +44% |
The Belarusian community is growing fastest in the south and east: Málaga +174%, Valencia +168%, Tenerife +120%. Madrid, usually seen as the “city of opportunity”, is only fifth for Belarusians — a third the size of Alicante. The logic is simple: the wave of recent years is mainly remote workers and families, and they choose the sea, the climate and affordable rent rather than offices in the capital.
Belarusians in Spain rarely live as an isolated community — in practice the environment is shared and Russian-speaking: schools, doctors, chats and services are shared with people from Russia (110,000 people; more in the article “Russians in Spain”) and Ukraine (over 200,000; see a separate article). So even with a relatively small Belarusian diaspora, the infrastructure in their native language is already in place in Alicante, Valencia or Barcelona.
Where to go: a quick look at the regions
Alicante and the Costa Blanca are the number one draw: the most affordable rent among the “Russian-speaking” regions (about €12.4/m²), 300 sunny days a year and infrastructure built up over decades — from schools to doctors. Torrevieja and Benidorm suit a relaxed life by the sea; the city of Alicante suits those who want a balance.
Barcelona is the career choice: IT companies, start-ups, an international environment, the best business schools. The price is rent of about €19/m² and the most competitive housing market in the country.
Málaga and the Costa del Sol are the fastest-growing region for Belarusians (+174% in four years). The south has become a tech hub: offices of Google and dozens of IT companies, with the best climate in continental Europe. Rent is no longer cheap: about €17/m².
Valencia is a city of a million people with all the infrastructure of a big city, but a third cheaper than Barcelona (rent about €14/m²). A strong option for families with children: parks, beaches, Russian-speaking schools and a calm pace. The Belarusian community here has grown 2.7 times since 2021.
Madrid is for those going for a corporate career and the highest incomes in the country. There is little Russian-speaking community in the everyday sense, and rent is the most expensive in Spain (€21.7/m²).
The Canary Islands (Tenerife) offer eternal spring and a growing community of remote workers; the Belarusian community has doubled in four years.
How to move to Spain from Belarus: routes that work in 2026
Belarusian citizens need a visa: to live in Spain you need a national type D visa and then a residence permit. Here are the options that genuinely work — from the most popular to the niche ones.
The digital nomad visa — the main route for remote workers
The digital nomad residence permit suits those who work remotely for a company outside Spain or have a freelance practice with foreign clients. Key conditions: proven income of €2,849 a month or more (200% of the minimum interprofessional wage under BOE 126/2026; extra for family members), a track record with the employer or clients, and a relevant degree or at least three years of experience. The permit is issued for three years straight away with the right to renew, and the family can be included in the application from the start. For Belarusian IT specialists, designers and marketers, this is the most direct route.
The start-up visa — for project founders
The start-up visa is designed for entrepreneurs with an innovative project. No large investment is required at the start — it is the project that is assessed: the application is reviewed by the state agency ENISA, which needs a clear business plan with a technological component and growth potential. An approved project gives a residence permit of up to three years for the whole family and tax benefits for new residents. It is a flexible alternative to the classic entrepreneur visa, where without an investment of €50,000 or more and job creation the chances are slim.
Study
The student visa is still one of the most accessible ways in: it covers the whole period of study, allows part-time work and after graduation can be converted into employee or self-employed status. State universities cost €1,000–3,000 a year, and you can brush up your Spanish while still in Belarus.
Employment
To be honest, this is the hardest route. The employer has to prove that no EU candidate could be found for the position, so the classic work visa is realistic mainly for shortage occupations. The right strategy is to find an employer remotely and get the visa before entering. Coming on a tourist visa “to look around and find a job” is a bad idea: you cannot work on it, and it is generally impossible to regularise your status from tourist status, so such a plan ends in lost time and money.
If you are considering your own business instead of employment, registering a company or autónomo (self-employed) status in Spain takes from a few days and does not require an entrepreneur visa if you already hold a residence permit with the right to work.
Residence permit without the right to work
An option for people with passive income or savings: you need to show funds of roughly €2,400 a month for the applicant plus amounts for family members, insurance and housing. You cannot work under this status — it suits people living off investments, rental income or dividends.
An important note on the “golden visa”: since 2025 the programme granting a residence permit for buying property in Spain has been closed for good. A flat no longer gives the right to residence — but it remains evidence of financial means when applying for other types of visa, and the income from renting it out counts as passive income.
First steps after moving
The order of things in the first weeks is the same for any type of visa:
- Empadronamiento — municipal registration at the town hall. It is free, gives access to healthcare and schools, and many later procedures count from it.
- NIE and the TIE card — the foreigner’s identity number and the physical residence card. Without an NIE you can do nothing in Spain: neither open an account nor sign a contract. Plan your appointment at the Oficina de Extranjería (immigration office) in advance — free slots in large cities go quickly.
- Bank account — with a passport and NIE, most banks open one with no monthly fee.
- Tarjeta sanitaria — the health card from your local health centre; residents get access to public healthcare, one of the best in Europe. Private insurance (€50–150 a month) is needed for the visa and is handy for quick access to specialists.
- School for children — state schools are free for registered residents, and there are special programmes to help foreign children adapt. International schools cost €500 to €2,000 a month.
Some of these procedures you can do yourself, others are easier to delegate: booking appointments at Extranjería, submitting documents, tax registration and subsequent reporting are a gestor’s job, and at the start this saves weeks.
The cost of living
Guidelines for one person per month: rent from €600–800 for a one-bedroom flat in Alicante or Valencia to €1,200–1,500 in Barcelona and Madrid; utilities €80–150; groceries €250–350; transport €30–60 (in many regions travel passes are subsidised); phone and internet €30–50. A comfortable budget in total: from €1,500–1,800 a month on the coast to €2,500–3,500 in Madrid and Barcelona. The difference in rent between regions is almost twofold, so choosing a city is also a financial decision: you can compare all provinces by rental costs and average incomes on the interactive map.
Taxes: residents (more than 183 days a year in the country) declare their worldwide income, and rates are progressive — from 19% to 47%. Preferential regimes apply to new residents under a number of programmes — this is worth working out before the move, not after.
Safety: what agencies keep quiet about
Not every relocation story has a happy ending. In recent years the Spanish police have several times freed Belarusian citizens from situations of labour exploitation: people were brought over “for a good job” on a tourist visa, had their documents taken away and were forced to work on farms and building sites for almost nothing. Simple rules that protect you from this scenario:
- Never hand over the originals of your passport and documents to intermediaries and “employers”.
- Do not agree to a “come on a tourist visa and we’ll sort it out there” scheme: legal work does not happen that way.
- Check the company and the contract before you leave; do not pay the full amount for services up front without a contract.
- Keep a financial cushion for 2–3 months and the consulate’s contact details.
Frequently asked questions
How many Belarusians live in Spain?
9,441 citizens of Belarus according to INE as of 1 January 2025. Since 2021 the community has grown by 69%.
Which Spanish city has the most Belarusians?
Among provinces, Alicante (1,757 people) and Barcelona (1,706) lead. The community is growing fastest in Málaga and Valencia.
What is the easiest way for a Belarusian to get a Spanish residence permit?
For remote workers — the digital nomad visa (income from ~€2,850/month, a residence permit for 3 years straight away for the whole family). For project founders — the start-up visa, with no requirement for large investment.
Can you get a Spanish residence permit by buying property?
No: the “golden visa” programme has been closed. Property can serve as proof of financial means for other types of visa, but by itself it does not give residence.
When can a Belarusian get Spanish citizenship?
As a general rule — after 10 years of legal residence (unlike citizens of Latin American countries, for whom the period is shorter). Permanent residence (EU long-term residence) is available after 5 years.
Moving without mistakes
Between “I’ve decided to move” and “I’ve got my residence card” lie months of work with documents: proof of income, apostilles, translations, insurance, filing with the UGE (the large companies and strategic groups unit) and dealing with government offices. At Relotus we go through this journey together with our clients: we assess your situation, choose the best type of residence permit — digital nomad, start-up visa or another route — prepare the documents and handle the case until the decision. Most of our applications are approved without requests for additional documents.
