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Temporary protection for Ukrainians in Bilbao
Basque Country
Bilbao has no reception centre; applications go through the Oficina de Extranjería de Bizkaia. Temporary protection itself is national and unaffected by the Basque arrangements, so the document you receive is the same one issued anywhere in Spain.
The Basque difference appears the moment you start working. Under the Concierto Económico the Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, not the Agencia Tributaria, administers your income tax, with its own forms, its own portal and its own deadlines. Guidance written for the rest of Spain — including most of what circulates in Ukrainian-language community groups — does not apply here, and that mismatch is the most common avoidable problem we see in Basque cases.
Local context: Bilbao
| Extranjería office | Oficina de Extranjería de Bizkaia, in Bilbao |
|---|---|
| Tax filings | To the Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, not the Agencia Tributaria |
| Company registry | Registro Mercantil de Bizkaia |
| Local context | An industrial and services economy with strong public services, attracting employed professionals rather than the sun-belt retiree profile |
| Tax administration | Not the Agencia Tributaria. Under the Concierto Económico (Ley 12/2002) the province collects and administers most taxes itself, with its own forms, deadlines and filing portal |
| Why it matters | A mainland accountant's templates and calendar do not transfer here; income tax and company tax are filed to the foral administration |
| Work authorisation | Granted by the central Oficina de Extranjería |
| Forms and notices | Often bilingual Basque/Spanish |
Sources: Ley 12/2002 — Concierto Económico (BOE) · Diputación Foral de Bizkaia · Eusko Jaurlaritza · Cita previa — Sede electrónica
What we handle: Temporary Protection (Ukrainians)
Registration, renewal, rights, work, healthcare and a path to arraigo.
- Registering for temporary protection (protección temporal)
- Renewing your protection and understanding your rights
- Working legally under temporary protection
- Empadronamiento (town-hall registration)
Questions about this service
Is my temporary protection valid in the Basque Country in the same way?
Identically. Protection is a national status; the Basque Country's autonomy covers taxation and public services, not immigration. Your right to live and work is the same as anywhere in Spain.
Where do I file my first tax return in Bilbao?
To the Diputación Foral de Bizkaia. Filing to the Agencia Tributaria instead is the classic error, and it does not simply bounce — it can leave you registered in the wrong place, which then has to be unwound. Confirm this before your first return, not after.
Official sources
- Orden PCM/170/2022 — who is covered by temporary protection in Spain (BOE)
- Orden PCM/169/2022 — the temporary-protection procedure (BOE)
- Orden INT/96/2026 — TIE validity extended to 4 March 2027 (BOE)
- EUAA — Council extends temporary protection to 4 March 2028 (Decision (EU) 2026/1912)
Last reviewed:
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