Friends and Family Visit Visa for Spain

What is Short-Term Family Visit Visa for Spain?

The Spanish friends and family visit visa (also called the Schengen Visitor Visa) is a short-stay permit for individuals who want to visit their relatives and friends in Spain. This kind of visa allows foreigners, who have families in Spain, to visit them frequently while sightseeing in the country.

Your Schengen Visitor Visa (Spain) is valid for a maximum of 90 days per six months or per year, depending on the embassy you obtained your visa. However, the number of days you can spend in Spain will be indicated on a sticker glued to your passport.

Keep in mind that you will not be allowed to work with a friend and family visit visa (Spain). Also, you are to submit your visa application at least 2-3 calendar weeks before the day of your trip. This way, you can get your visa in time and leave without hiccups. Furthermore, you can submit your application a maximum of 3 months before your departure date.

If your application gets rejected, you can appeal if you believe it was rejected by mistake. Otherwise, you can reapply but you will be required to pay the any associated fees again.

Visa at a Glance – Spain Friends & Family Visit (Schengen)

Note: Through this article, we will refer to the Spanish Friend and Family Visit Visa as the Schengen Visitor Visa (Spain) since it is also for the purpose of visiting family members and friends in the Schengen area. Spain is a member country in the Schengen area.

Who Can Apply for the Schengen Visitor Visa for Spain?

On the one hand, citizens of countries like the UK, the USA, and South Korea don’t need a visa to visit their families in Spain. However, those who are not citizens of these countries but reside in them would need to apply for a Schengen visa.

On the other hand, if your country of origin is countries like Ghana, Afghanistan, or Nigeria, you will need a Schengen Visitor Visa (Spain) or airport transit visa, depending on your purpose.

The Airport Transit Schengen Visa is a transit permit for foreigners who only want to enter the Schengen territory to change their flights at the Schengen airport. It allows them to stop and wait for their flight to their destination at the international transit area of the Schengen airport.

You won’t need the airport transit visa if you:

• Hold a residency permit from a member country in the Schengen area. It could be any short or long-stay Schengen visa, i.e., the Schengen Visitor Visa.
• Have a residency permit from Japan, Canada, San Marino, or the USA.
• Are a family member of a European Union (EU) citizen.

If you need to find out what category you belong to regarding the Schengen visa, you should check this list of countries whose citizens can visit their families in the Schengen area.

Eligibility Criteria – Who Can Apply?

What Is the Duration of the Friends and Family Visitor Visa?

The duration of your stay may vary depending on the embassy or consulate that issued your visa. However, it is usually between 90 days per year to 90 days per 6 months. The validity period of your visa is typically specified on the Schengen visa sticker glued to your passport.

The visa sticker contains details of countries you can visit, including Spain. The phrases VALID FOR or VALABLE PUR will be set in front of Spain and other nations you can visit. However, if your visa includes ETATS SCHENGEN or SCHENGEN STATES, you can visit any or all Schengen member countries.

Additionally, the countries you can visit are indicated in acronyms — Spain is represented with the acronym E. Although it is rare, extending the Schengen Visitor Visa for more than 90 days is possible but for the following reasons:

• Humanitarian purpose.
• Force majeure (unforeseeable circumstances).
• Important personal matters.

Another reason that may be valid is your late entry in the country. If the ministry grants your visa extension, you will have an additional requirement to fulfill — you will need proof that you have substantial financial means to stay in the country.

What Are the Restrictions of the Family and Friends Visit Visa for Spain?

For a successful application, you must provide every compulsory document later mentioned in this article. Additionally, you must complete your documents before your appointment and set your application date 15 calendar days from your leaving date. Applications that don’t have at least 15 days will likely not be accepted.

You are also to make sure that your documents are A4 paper size. Furthermore, the Spanish Consulate will probably ask for more documents than you may find in this article at your appointment, so you should arrive at the Visa Application Centre (VAC) at least 10 minutes before your interview starts. You should also be compliant with the security rules when you arrive at the embassy because you won’t be allowed in the VAC if you don’t.

What Are the Requirements for the Friends and Family Visa?

Schengen Visa Application Form

You must complete and sign the Schengen visa form. Applicants who are below 18 years need to fill out their forms with their parents. After filling out the forms, applicants are required to translate the document and get a copy in Spanish. Both forms should have the telephone number and email address in capital letters.

Passport

Your passport should have a validity period of at least three months (105 days) from your departure date from Spain. The passport should also contain two opposing blank pages and should not be over ten years old. If your passport is damaged, you should renew it before applying.

Two Color Photographs

You are to provide two color photographs with dimensions 3,5 cm x 4,5 cm, your head in the center of the frame, and white background. Your forehead and face must be clear, even from the hijab and hair. It is best to stick with a white background as other backgrounds are not accepted, and you should not wear a facemask or veil when taking your photograph.

Invitation Letter

The invitation letter is to be written by your relative or a friend in Spain. The letter should include the address of your relative in Spain and the invitation date ( the date you are meant to arrive in Spain). Alongside, you are to submit a copy of their ID or residency permit in Spanish only if the inviting person is Spanish. If the inviting relative or friend isn’t Spanish but has a permit, you can submit an English copy of their permit. Lastly, the invitation letter should also include their full name.

Proof of Income

When submitting your application, you will be required to submit your proof of income which can be in any form of a leave letter, salary slip, letter of appointment and bank statement if you are an employee. Each of the documents should be at most six months old.

If you are retired, you can use your proof of retirement or bank statement of your pension account within the last six months. Lastly, if you are a business owner or employer, you can use original documents related to your company as proof. For instance a Tax Clearance Certificate, Certificate of Incorporation or Registration, etc.

You can also use any of your bank statements (personal or business) from the last six months.

Documents & Evidence Checklist

Visa Fee

For a successful application, you must pay the visa fee, which varies per age. For instance, if you are older than 12, you will pay about €90. However, the visa fee will be waived for the following categories:

• Children below the age of 6
• School pupils, postgraduate students, and their accompanying teachers who are visiting for educational purposes
• Non-profit organizations representatives aged 25 years or under participating in non-profit conferences, seminars, cultural, sports, or educational events.

Below is a table that summarizes the fee:

If you have further questions about the fee you need to pay for the Friend and Family Visit Visa in Spain, don’t hesitate to contact our immigration lawyer for expert advice.

Call us at (+44) 333 4149244, or contact us online today.

How Can IAS Help with a Friends and Family Visit Visa?

The Spanish Consulates will receive many visa applications so it is essential for you to apply with the highest standard. It can be easy to fall short of the requirements, leading to undue stress, difficulty, and anxiety for the applicants.

Before your interview appointment date, you should prepare adequately, so your responses don’t leave room for doubt about your eligibility. It may look challenging, but with the help of IAS, you will not have to do it alone.

Our immigration lawyers are professionals who are experienced with Spanish immigration laws and can help you handle your application.

For more information about our services and how we can help you with your Schengen visa interview, reach out to us at (+44) 333 4149244, or contact us online today.