Tourist Visa for Spain

When you apply for the tourist visa for Spain, you actually get the Schengen visa which will allow you to spend a maximum of 90 days in Spain. Furthermore, since Spain is part of the 27 countries in the Schengen area, the visa permits you to visit Spain and other Schengen countries.

The tourist visa, also known as the category C short-stay visa, is purely for tourism and sightseeing purposes and does not permit the holder to work.

Before you apply for this visa, it is necessary to confirm if you need the Schengen visa to enter Spain or the Schengen area. This is because some nationals are exempt from applying for the tourist visa.

To get the visa, you must prove to the consulate that you have enough money to support yourself during your stay in Spain. You must also convince the consulate that you will leave Spain when your permit expires.

Note that if you intend to spend more nights in another country in the Schengen area other than Spain, you must apply at that country’s embassy. However, if you will be spending equal time in all the countries you intend to visit, then it is essential that you make your application to the consulate of the country through which you’d be entering the Schengen territory.

Your visa permits you to stay for a maximum of 90 days out of 180, and should you want to renew, you’d have to spend the next 90 days in a non-EU country.

Page Contents

• Overview of the Tourist Visa for Spain
• Who Can Apply for a Tourist Visa for Spain?
• What Are the Requirements?
• Required Documents
• How Do I Apply?
• Where Should I Submit My Application?
• What Are The Fees And Processing Times?
• How Can IAS Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

If you are from a non-European country, you will need a Schengen visa to visit Spain.

There are exceptions, though. For example, the citizens of Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Australia and the US can visit Spain if they intend to stay for less than 90 days. This is because the European Union agreed with these countries to grant their citizens visa-free entry into the EU.

However, this visa-free entry only applies to the citizens of these countries and not the residents.

It is necessary to note that from November 2023, the citizens of these countries who enjoy visa-free entry into the Schengen area would need the ETIAS visa waiver to enter the Schengen area for tourism, business or transit.

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) visa waiver process can be completed online.

Here are the documents you’ll need to provide. Note that the consulate reserves the right to request additional documents to support your application:

• A completed and duly signed visa application form. This form can be found online.
• A passport. Your passport should have at least 2 empty pages, be less than 10 years, and be valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen territory.
• Two photographs taken within the last 3 months following the Schengen photograph specification. This should be attached to your visa application form.
• Copies of your passport pages. You must make copies of the biodata pages of your passport and the pages with visa stamps.
• Proof of flight reservation. This should have your name and the dates you intend to arrive and leave Spain.
• Proof of residence in the country you are applying from. This could be your student ID, National ID, driver’s licence or voter card. Note that they should contain your current address.
• A travel medical insurance certificate. This should cover medical costs of up to €30,000 and must be valid in all Schengen countries for the duration of your stay. Your medical insurance covers your medical bill in an instance of a health emergency.
• Proof of accommodation to show where you will be spending the night throughout your stay. The following can serve as proof of accommodation:
  • Proof of hotel reservations for all the nights of your stay. The reservation should have the name, address and contact of the hotel.
  • If you are visiting a friend or family, they will have to send you a letter of invitation which you will present to the consulate. You will have to show both the original and the copy.
• If you are travelling with your child, who is a minor and your spouse isn’t going with you, you will have to provide a notarised authorization letter showing your partner’s consent to travel with the child. You’ll need to provide this, too, if the child is not yours.
• Birth/adoption certificate of the minor.
• A cover letter that explains why you are travelling to Spain and how long you intend to stay.
• Evidence of visa fee payment.

To apply for the tourist visa for Spain, do the following:

Download and Fill out The Application Form

Go to the website of the Spanish embassy in the country where you reside and download the visa application form. Ensure the details you fill in are correct and up-to-date. Also, make sure you sign at the end of the form.

To avoid your application being rejected, the details in the application form should tally with the details of the documents you will submit to the embassy. For example, your age and name on the application form should be the same on your ID and passport. It is not unheard of that discrepancies in personal details cause visa denial.

Schedule An Interview

When your form and documents are ready, go to the Spanish embassy website and schedule an interview. Scheduling could be done via phone call or the website.

Attend Your Interview

Take your documents with you to the embassy. There, you will meet with a consular officer who will ask you some questions regarding the purpose of your application. The officer will also be the one to review your documents.

If you are applying for a Schengen visa for the first time in 5 years, your biometrics will be captured.

It is vital to note that you should only submit your application to the Spanish embassy if:

• You will only stay in Spain.
• You will tour other countries in the Schengen area but will spend the most time in Spain.
• You will spend an equal amount of time in several countries in the Schengen territory but will enter through Spain.

Once you meet any of the conditions above, proceed to the Spanish consulate in your country to submit your application. In some countries, Spain outsources their visa application to a third party. Therefore, you should visit the third-party application centre to submit your application.

If your country does not have a Spanish consulate or a third party responsible for managing their visa applications, you will have to visit the consulate in the nearest neighbouring country.

Fees

A tourist visa for Spain costs €80 if the visitor is above 12 years of age. For children within the age bracket of 6 to 12, the fee is €40. The visa is free for children younger than 6 years.

Processing Times

On average, the Spanish embassy and all other Schengen embassies process short-term visas within 15 working days. But it can take longer if the consulate is dealing with a surge of applications. When this happens, it might take 30 to 60 days to get a decision on your application.

Note that you cannot make your application more than 180 days or less than 21 before departure. It is wise to complete your application early, within the 180 days window.