If you’re planning to visit Spain’s beautiful landscapes, rich culture, and historical treasures, you may need to apply for a Schengen visa. Understanding the application procedure and requirements is crucial, whether it’s for leisure, business, or study.
Our visa experts have crafted the following guide to assist you at every stage of the Spain Schengen visa application process. Filled with valuable insights and in-depth information based on our expertise, this comprehensive guide will help you thoroughly prepare for your Spain visa application.
The application process for a Schengen visa for Spain is as follows:
It’s important first to verify whether you need a Spain visa or not. This can change depending on your nationality and whether your country has a visa agreement with Spain.
You need to apply for a Spain visa if you are:
You are exempt from applying for a visa to enter Spain if you fall into any of the following categories:
For those exempt from a visa, check out the required documents for entry into Spain. It’s always good to be prepared!
Depending on your reasons for applying for a Spain visa you can apply for either a short-term visa (Schengen visa) or a long-term visa (national visa).
The location where you should submit your Spanish Short-Stay visa application is determined by your place of residence. See below to find out whether you need to submit your visa application directly to the Spanish Embassy/Consulate or through the authorized visa application centers.
To find the place where you need to submit your Spain visa application, you can use the tool below:
I am a citizen of:
I am travelling to:
I am travelling from:
Have you ever been denied entry into the Schengen Area?
Do you hold a valid residence permit of ?
If you are a resident of Algeria, Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Cameroon, China, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, or South Africa, you should submit you application at BLS International in your country of residence.
Residents of Abuja, Nigeria should apply at the German Embassy in Abuja.
Spain Schengen visa applications may be submitted at the following VFS Global Centers:
If you are a resident of Cambodia, Madacascar, or the Republic of the Congo, you can apply for a Spain visa at the French visa application center TLS Contact. Residents of Rwanda should submit their application at the Belgian visa application center TLS Contact.
If you are a resident of Azerbaijan, Benin, or Burkina Faso you should apply for a Spain visa at the French visa application center CAPAGO.
If you are a resident of Belarus, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Mauritius, Myanmar, or Saint Lucia you should apply for a Spain visa at the French Embassy or Consulate. Residents of Belarus may also apply at the Latvian visa application center VFS Global in Vitebsk.
Spain Schengen visa applications from all other countries not mentioned above can be submitted at the Spanish Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence.
If Spain is the only country in the Schengen Area you plan to visit, it’s straightforward – apply at the Spanish embassy/consulate or the authorized Visa Application Center (VAC) in your country of residence.
However, if your journey includes Spain and at least one more Schengen state, apply at the Spanish embassy/consulate/VAC in your country of residence only if:
You can’t apply for a short-stay Spanish visa from a country where you are currently on a short-stay visa. You must hold a residence permit in the country where you are applying.
To apply for a Spanish visa, you can download the application form from the Spanish Embassy or Consulate website, the BLS International website, or by following this link based on where you apply. Remember that each visa applicant must fill out and sign the Spanish visa application form individually. Also, each applicant must complete a separate form. Lastly, do not forget to sign the application form.
After you have completed the Spanish visa application form, you must set an appointment.
Depending on where you live, you have the option to make an appointment with one of the following:
| Residence | Visa issuing authority |
|---|---|
| Burundi | Belgian Embassy in Bujumbura |
| Canada (Vancouver only) | Swiss Consulate General in Vancouver |
| Georgia | Dutch Embassy in Tbilisi |
| Moldova | Czech Embassy in Chisinau |
| Montenegro | Slovene Embassy in Podgorica |
| Nigeria (Abuja only) | German Embassy in Abuja |
| North Korea | Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | Portugese Embassy in São Tomé |
You should make an appointment to submit your application between 6 months and 15 days before your planned travel date. Seafarers can apply for a visa up to 9 months before their trip.
This depends on the overload of applications in the application centre in your country, but it can take between a few days to a few months. Usually, appointment slots in the summer are booked very early in the year, which makes it more difficult to find available slots during the summer months.
Scheduling an appointment for a Spanish visa application is free of charge. However, there are other fees associated with the application process, which we have outlined below in this article.
We highly advise against scheduling appointments through non-accredited third-party intermediaries, as they may add extra fees.
If you’re eligible to apply for a Spain visa BLS (see above the list of countries), you can cancel your appointment via the designated website from where you apply in your country. There will be an option “cancel appointment” found at the top of the page, and you’re required to submit your appointment number, date of birth, name, and reasons for canceling your appointment.
If you made your appointment via an embassy or consulate, then you may be required to cancel the appointment via a specific email address— the embassy or consulate will let you know how you can do this.
Please note that you’re allowed to cancel your appointment a minimum of one day before your scheduled appointment.
In order to obtain a Schengen visa, applicants need to follow a standardized set of documents specified in the Schengen visa code, though there may be some variations for each member country.
To meet the short-term stay visa requirements for Spain, applicants must submit the following documents to the Spanish embassy or consulate:
Each visa application undergoes a personalized review, so the required documents may differ. The Spanish authorities may also ask for additional documentation in some cases.
Travel Medical Insurance is compulsory for Schengen visas under Regulation (EU) 2009/810 of the European Parliament.
Spanish visa applicants can obtain visa insurance from either Europ Assistance or vti.travel, a European insurance comparison website, comparing insurance policies of AXA, Allianz, Europ Assistance and Mutuaide.
These insurance providers are acknowledged and accepted by Spanish Embassies and Consulates worldwide. Moreover, you can cancel the insurance at no cost by submitting proof of Spanish visa rejection.
To obtain a Spanish Schengen visa, you are required to have a minimum of €45 per day to cover your expenses in Spain for the duration of your stay.
Make sure to arrive at the embassy, consulate, or VAC on time for your scheduled appointment. Remember to bring all the required documents in their original format, including any photocopies or supporting materials, as specified.
During your scheduled appointment, your biometrics will be collected (photo and fingerprints). Applicants under 12 years of age or who have had their fingerprints recorded within the last 59 months are exempt from fingerprinting. However, if the fingerprints obtained are poor quality, the Consular Office may request that you return for another data collection session.
On the day of your visa appointment, you will be required to attend a short visa interview. The consular officer will ask you some short questions about your scheduled trip to Spain. Please answer all the questions honestly and calmly.
At the time of your appointment, you will need to pay the application fee of 90 EUR. If you are applying from a visa application center, you must pay an extra cost, depending on your nationality. The application fee should be paid in your country’s currency and can be made through cash or other payment methods specified by the embassy, consulate, or VAC.
Yes, someone else can apply for a Spain Schengen visa on your behalf. However, certain conditions must be met.
Most importantly, this is allowed only when you are exempt from submitting your biometrics, e.e., you already have done this in the last 59 months. Additionally, the person applying on your behalf must have your written authorization. Lastly, they may be required to provide proof of their relationship to you (if applicable) and any relevant supporting documents.
After you submit your application, it takes at least 15 working days to process. However, this may extend to 30 days or more. Processing times vary based on factors like the number of applications and the complexity of your case. Be patient and avoid making non-essential travel plans until you receive a decision.
After paying the application fee, the Consular Office will provide an application receipt containing a code. This code enables the applicant to check the processing status of their file through the following link.
If your visa application is positive, you will receive a notification regarding your application. You will be notified on how you can proceed to collect your passport and then enter Spain for the validity of your visa.
It’s a possibility that your visa application may be denied; this can happen for a number of different reasons. In this case, you have one of the following options:
Please note that in your rejection letter, you will find the reasons why your visa request was denied in the first place.
Visa fees are non-refundable. Once you have paid the visa fee and submitted your application, it is unlikely that you will be able to obtain a refund, regardless of whether your visa is approved or denied.
Once your visa finishes processing, you can retrieve your passport, which will have your visa affixed to it as a sticker. It depends on the application center you applied to, whether you’ll be required to pick up your visa or receive it via mail or courier service. If you do have the option to have your passport sent to you, please note that this service may require an additional fee.
Now, after you receive your passport and visa, you can finally enter Spain and stay according to the validity of your visa.
It’s important to note that you need to carry some documents, in addition to your passport, with you when going through border checks. These documents include proof of insurance, proof of financial means, proof of accommodation, and an invitation letter if applicable.
To visit Spain, you must have at least 100 EUR per day for trips lasting less than nine days and a total minimum of 900 EUR per person, regardless of the length of stay intended.
You can stay in Spain with a Schengen visa for 90 days within a 180-dayperiod. Sometimes, the consulate may decide to shorten the validity period, and the actual dates you can enter and exit Spain will be specified on the visa sticker or document issued by the Spanish consulate or embassy.You can use the Schengen calculator to count your days correctly.
You can stay in Spain with a Schengen visa for 90 days within a 180-dayperiod. Sometimes, the consulate may decide to shorten the validity period, and the actual dates you can enter and exit Spain will be specified on the visa sticker or document issued by the Spanish consulate or embassy.You can use the Schengen calculator to count your days correctly.
Yes, it is possible to extend a Schengen visa> under certain circumstances. To extend your visa from Spain, you need to head out to the National Police Website>, where they detail the requirements and documents you need to submit. You then need to submit your request for an extension, in person, to either an Immigration Office near you where you are staying in Spain or the local Police Station.
If you overstay your visa, you’re breaking the law, which can lead to serious consequences. Immigration authorities take overstaying seriously, and depending on the circumstances, you might face fines, deportation, or even being banned from entering the Schengen Area in the future. These consequences can vary depending on the length of your overstay, your previous compliance with visa regulations, and the reasons for your overstay.
Yes, you can visit other Schengen countries with a visa to Spain. Schengen visas issued by Spain allow for travel to other Schengen member states within the visa’s validity period.
If you meet certain criteria, you may be able to travel to non-Schengen countries with a Spain Schengen visa. However, you must check the entry requirements of the country you intend to visit beforehand.
No, you cannot work in Spain with a Schengen visa. Schengen visas are typically issued for short-term stays and tourism purposes, not for employment. If you wish to work in Spain, you must apply for a work visa.
Other Information:
The processing of visa applicants’ personal data aligns with the regulations outlined in the [General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)].
Individuals seeking to exercise their rights regarding access, correction, or deletion of their personal data within the Visa Information System (VIS) can contact:
– Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation
– General Services Inspection
– Postal Address: Plaza de la Provincia, 1, Madrid, Spain
– Email: [ [email protected] ]
For this purpose, the following forms are available:
