MADRID, Spain – A Russian woman who has lived and worked in Spain for 16 years has been denied a residence permit, sparking outrage after she claimed that migrants with criminal records are being approved while her application is rejected.
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Natalia Khodzinskaya, a former model, journalist, and MasterChef Spain contestant who speaks seven languages and holds two university degrees, has been paying social security contributions for over a decade and a half . Despite her long-term integration, authorities have denied her latest application, prompting her to publicly question the system.
In a video that has garnered over half a million views and more than 38,000 likes, Khodzinskaya questioned why Spanish authorities are granting residency to undocumented migrants from Morocco—whose identities, ages, and criminal histories are unknown—while she, a law-abiding and fully integrated immigrant from Russia, is being pushed out of the country.
Her case has drawn attention to a recent Supreme Court ruling that overturned the automatic denial of residency permits for migrants with criminal records . The court ruled that authorities must now assess each case individually, weighing factors such as the severity of the crime, the time elapsed, family ties, and the best interests of children.
Natalia Khodzinskaya lleva 16 años viviendo en España, habla 7 idiomas, 2 carreras, cotiza, pero las autoridades le han rechazado la residencia permanente:
— Alber (@albernap) August 8, 2026
"llevo muchos mucho días cotizados… y me acaban de rechazar. Resolución con negativo. Estaban todos en shock en…
The ruling, which affects family members of Spanish citizens and other protected categories, does not mean that all individuals with criminal records automatically qualify—but it does eliminate the blanket ban that previously existed . The government launched a mass regularization programme in April that closed on June 30, which required applicants to have a clean criminal record, though the Supreme Court has since added nuance to how criminal histories must be assessed.
Khodzinskaya has lived in Spain for 16 years and participated in the fourth season of MasterChef on Spanish television, finishing in seventh place . She is fluent in Spanish and has built a stable life in the country, yet authorities have repeatedly denied her residency, most recently rejecting her fourth application . The Interior Ministry has not commented specifically on her case, and it remains unclear whether the recent Supreme Court ruling could affect her application or others in similar situations.
