Police departments across Spain, including Alicante, have started requiring Ukrainians to provide proof of legal exit from the country and military registration — a statement from «Reserve+». From 5 August 2026, temporary protection in Europe will be granted only to those who completed military service in Ukraine, proved its absence, or were legally exempted. This rule does not apply to those who relocated and registered for temporary protection before this date.
What has changed and where it’s already happening
Two days ago, printed notices with new requirements appeared on the doors of Alicante police station. This is not Madrid, which is discussed in social media, but precisely Alicante — the district near Torrevieja, where most Ukrainians relocate. The main change: now you need to confirm the legality of your exit from Ukraine and completion of military obligations, specifically by showing a statement from «Reserve+».
Temporary protection in general has been extended until 2028 and will remain in effect as long as hostilities continue. Those who already registered for this status earlier are not subject to the new requirements.
Who is affected by the new requirements
From 5 August 2026, temporary protection in Europe will be granted only to those who completed military service in Ukraine, proved its absence, or were legally exempted. This does not apply to persons who relocated before 4 August 2026 and had already registered for temporary protection at that time.
A legal proof of exit from Ukraine is considered a passport stamp indicating border crossing. Since a new electronic border crossing system is currently in effect and stamps are not issued automatically, it is advisable to ask border guards to stamp your passport manually.
What documents are required at police stations
First and foremost, they require a printed statement from «Reserve+», translated into Spanish — an official (jurado) or apostille translation is not yet required, which is a plus so far. Second, at some stations they ask to show the «Reserve+» app on your smartphone — to verify that the data on screen matches the printed document.
It is unclear how to proceed for those with a basic phone without the ability to install the app, and for those already in Spain who cannot upload military exemption documents to «Reserve+» — the app does not accept them.
Women have also started being asked to show «Reserve+» at some stations, as some women are obligated to be registered with the military.
Verification procedure and grounds for refusal
A police officer compares the printed document with the app data, checks the passport, and searches the Interpol database. Refusal can be issued not only for missing «Reserve+»: for example, the last two refusals concerned people who lived in Poland before 2022 — previously in such circumstances temporary protection was granted without work rights, but now it is being refused.
It is important that the applicant does not have valid temporary protection in another country — a unified database is now in operation, and holding dual status has become grounds for refusal.
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