Spain’s Ministry of the Interior has quietly circulated an internal note confirming that, from 12 June 2026, police and immigration offices will stop issuing and renewing **residence permits for humanitarian reasons**—a route that since 2018 allowed tens of thousands of Venezuelans to regularise their status almost automatically. The change is framed as a consequence of the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum (PEMA), which requires Member States to keep humanitarian authorisations clearly separate from formal international-protection procedures. Officials argue that the Spanish scheme – introduced as an emergency measure at the height of Venezuela’s crisis – now risks creating confusion because it is processed by the same units that handle asylum claims.
According to Interior data quoted in the note, Spain granted about **50,000 humanitarian cards in 2025 alone**; since 2018 the total exceeds 240,000, turning Venezuelans into the country’s third-largest foreign community. Holders can work, travel in Schengen and renew annually with little red tape. Critics inside the ministry say the programme became a “de facto amnesty” that attracted ever-larger flows.
What happens next? Anyone already in possession of a humanitarian card may convert it to another residence category under Spain’s recently reformed Immigration Regulation (April 2026). But **no new or renewal applications will be accepted after 12 June**. Lawyers expect most Venezuelans to shift to regular work permits or Spain’s new three-year residence for social roots, yet warn that applicants will face stricter requirements on income, insurance and criminal records.
![Spain to Phase Out Humanitarian Residence Permits for Venezuelans from June 12]()
For those weighing their options, VisaHQ can streamline the process. Through its dedicated Spain portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/), the service pre-screens eligibility, prepares the necessary documentation, secures appointments and tracks file progress, guiding applicants—and the employers who sponsor them—from humanitarian status to work, student or family residence permits before critical deadlines hit.
For employers, the decision removes one of the fastest hiring channels for Venezuelan talent. Companies that relied on humanitarian cards to onboard staff will now need to plan for longer processing times or sponsor work permits directly. Venezuelan professionals already holding offers should lodge conversion files before the June deadline to avoid falling out of status.
From a policy standpoint, the move signals Spain’s determination to align national practice with the EU’s harmonised rules just as the bloc prepares to roll out the biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) and the ETIAS travel authorisation. It also highlights Madrid’s broader shift from ad-hoc regularisations toward channelled labour migration and highly skilled visas such as the Digital-Nomad or Start-up residence categories.
According to Interior data quoted in the note, Spain granted about **50,000 humanitarian cards in 2025 alone**; since 2018 the total exceeds 240,000, turning Venezuelans into the country’s third-largest foreign community. Holders can work, travel in Schengen and renew annually with little red tape. Critics inside the ministry say the programme became a “de facto amnesty” that attracted ever-larger flows.
What happens next? Anyone already in possession of a humanitarian card may convert it to another residence category under Spain’s recently reformed Immigration Regulation (April 2026). But **no new or renewal applications will be accepted after 12 June**. Lawyers expect most Venezuelans to shift to regular work permits or Spain’s new three-year residence for social roots, yet warn that applicants will face stricter requirements on income, insurance and criminal records.
For those weighing their options, VisaHQ can streamline the process. Through its dedicated Spain portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/), the service pre-screens eligibility, prepares the necessary documentation, secures appointments and tracks file progress, guiding applicants—and the employers who sponsor them—from humanitarian status to work, student or family residence permits before critical deadlines hit.
For employers, the decision removes one of the fastest hiring channels for Venezuelan talent. Companies that relied on humanitarian cards to onboard staff will now need to plan for longer processing times or sponsor work permits directly. Venezuelan professionals already holding offers should lodge conversion files before the June deadline to avoid falling out of status.
From a policy standpoint, the move signals Spain’s determination to align national practice with the EU’s harmonised rules just as the bloc prepares to roll out the biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) and the ETIAS travel authorisation. It also highlights Madrid’s broader shift from ad-hoc regularisations toward channelled labour migration and highly skilled visas such as the Digital-Nomad or Start-up residence categories.
