Spain Has Granted Refuge To 75,000 Displaced Persons From War In Ukraine
Spain’s Ministry of Home Affairs has processed, decided on and granted temporary refuge to 74,965 cases of displaced persons from the war in Ukraine seeking refuge in Spain since the emergency procedure to meet these asylum applications was activated.
Of these 74,965 cases, 39,031 (52.1%) were processed and decided on in police stations, as explained by the Secretary of State for Security, Rafael Pérez, during his visit this Tuesday to the office responsible for processing temporary refuge for Ukrainian citizens in Cantabria, which is located in the National Police force’s Central District police station in Santander, and which has already granted temporary refuge to 991 cases.
“I would like to take advantage of this visit to highlight the extraordinary work being carried out in this matter by the national police since 10 March. They have been processing applications from displaced persons in a matter of minutes, in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Asylum and Refuge Office, and doing their utmost to alleviate the suffering from these applicants have been put through”, he stressed.
Refugee profile
By age, 38.44% of the cases of temporary refuge granted in Spain correspond to refugees under the age of 18 years; 23.65% to displaced Ukrainians aged between 19 and 35; 31.53% to Ukrainian refugees aged between 36 and 64 and 6.39% to people over the age of 65. And by sex, 67.58% of temporary protection documents have been granted to displaced women, compared to 32.42% of decisions to displaced men.
Furthermore, 98.74% of temporary protection has been granted to refugees of Ukrainian nationality, while 1.26% has been granted to legal but non-Ukrainian national residents of Ukraine.
Temporary refuge includes a residence permit and, for adults, a work permit in all cases. In addition, under the provisions of the Directorate General of Traffic, displaced persons who obtain temporary refuge are legally entitled to use their driving licences in Spain for at least one year.
Madrid (14,709), Catalonia (14,377), Valencia (13,155), and Andalusia (11,236) are the autonomous communities receiving the most applications. All data on temporary refuge, broken down by province, can be consulted on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ website. Ukrainian citizens can use the website to see a complete list of police stations and the contact details needed for making appointments as well as download temporary protection orders.
Extra national police and Guardia Civil police officers
The Secretary of State for Security, Rafael Pérez, held a meeting yesterday, Monday, with the Government Delegate in Cantabria, Ainoa Quiñones Montellano, to analyse the issues affecting security in the autonomous community, such as the development of the State Security Forces in the region.
Pérez highlighted the investment in human resources that the Home Affairs Ministry has made a priority. The number of National Police and Guardia Civil officers in Cantabria has increased by almost 5% since 2018.
The meeting also addressed the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Infrastructure Plan, which in Cantabria, among other actions, includes work on the Guardia Civil barracks in Potes, the construction of a new barracks in Polanco, other reforms in Laredo, Castro Urdiales, Ramales, Santander and Suances, and improvements to the National Police Headquarters.
Spending on security is an investment in rights and freedoms, and we at the Ministry are working to provide the police and Guardia Civil forces with the best resources.
After he has visited the office for processing temporary refuge for Ukrainians in Cantabria, the Secretary of State will travel to the Guardia Civil police post in Tama and visit the Guardia Civil police’s Mountain Rescue and Intervention Group (GREIM) base in Potes.
“The Guardia Civil police’s Mountain Rescue and Intervention Group team in Potes carries out exceptional work in the Picos de Europa mountains,” remarked the Secretary of State for Security.