Spain Tourist Visa from Nigeria

Visit Spain with Tourist Visa

Nigerians need a tourist visa to visit Spain for tourism or sightseeing purposes. This visa is also known as a ‘C’ short-stay visa. It allows Nigerians to stay in Spain for a maximum of 90 days for vacation or to visit family and friends. You cannot work in Spain on a tourist visa. If you intend to work in Spain, you must apply for an appropriate work visa.

Spain is a member of the Schengen Area, so a Spain tourist visa permits you to visit Spain and other countries in the Schengen Area. 

You must apply for a tourist visa at the Spanish embassy or consulate in Nigeria before travelling to Spain. You must prove to the consulate officials that you have sufficient funds to support your stay in Spain and that you intend to leave the country at the end of your visit. You must also list all the Schengen countries you’ll be visiting on your application.

However, if you intend to spend more nights in another Schengen country other than Spain, you must apply for a tourist visa from that country’s consulate. If you’ll be spending equal time in all countries, then you should apply to the consulate of the country through which you’ll be entering the Schengen area for a tourist visa.

A Spanish tourist visa allows you to stay in the Schengen zone for a maximum of 90 days within 180 days. If you want to renew your tourist visa, you must spend the next 90 days outside the EU to be eligible for reentry to Spain.

Do I Need a Tourist Visa to Visit Spain from Nigeria?

Nigeria is a visa-required country for EU travel. Therefore, you’ll need a tourist visa to visit Spain from Nigeria, unless you hold dual nationality in a country that does not require a visa for Spain, and you’ll be travelling on your second passport.

You must apply for a tourist visa at the Spanish consulate or visa application centre in Nigeria and receive approval on your application before travelling to Spain. There are several categories of short-term visit visas for Spain. They include:

• Tourist visa – For tourism, sightseeing, or vacation.
• Business visa – For short business trips to Spain
• Conference/Symposium visa – For attending a conference, seminar, or symposium in Spain.
• Airport Transit Visa – For those travelling through Spain who won’t leave the airport transit area.
• Seamen Transit visa – Allows seamen travelling to a country outside the Schengen area to stay a maximum of 5 days en route to their destination.
• Studies or Training visa – For short-term studies or training that will last a maximum of 3 months.
• EU/EEA/Swiss Family Member visa – for visiting an EU/EEA family member.

The type of tourist visa you’ll need depends on the purpose and duration of your visit. Each visa type has specific eligibility criteria and requirements.

Spain Tourist Visa Requirements for Nigerians

To qualify for a tourist visa, you must meet two key requirements, among many others. You must provide proof that:

• You have sufficient financial resources to support yourself (and any dependents) in Spain 
• You intend to leave Spain at the end of your visit.

Financial Requirements

One of the key requirements for a tourist visa is that you submit evidence of sufficient finances to support yourself (and any dependents) for the entire duration of your stay. 

If you’re staying for 10 days or less, you must show that you have at least 10% of the Spanish national minimum wage for each day of your stay, which is €90 for each day. If you’re staying longer than 10 days, you must prove that you have at least €70.77 for each day.

You can prove your financial capability by providing one of the following documents.

• Your bank statements for the 6 months preceding your visa application
• A letter of sponsorship is required if someone is covering the cost of your trip. The letter should also include your sponsor’s bank statements.

Intend to Depart Requirements

You must prove to Spanish visa officials that you intend to leave Spain and the Schengen area at the end of the approved visa duration.  The documents you’ll need to prove this depend on your employment situation.

If you’re employed, you must provide the following:

• Your letter of employment
• Bank statements for the last 6 months
• An Income Tax Certificate as evidence that your tax is being deducted
• A letter from your employer stating that they’re aware and approve of your trip to Spain and that you have an obligation to return to work on a specified date.

If you’re self-employed, you must provide the following.

• Your business licence
• Your company’s bank statements for the last 6 months
• Income tax return.

If you’re a student, you must submit the following:

• Your admission letter
• Letter of leave approval from your school.

If you are retired, you must submit:

Pension statement for the last 6 months.

What Documents Do I Need to Apply for a Spain Tourist Visa?

You’ll need to provide the following documents to support your tourist visa application.

• A completed and signed tourist visa application form. 
• Your Nigerian passport. Your passport should not be more than 10 years old, have at least 2 blank pages, and be valid for at least 3 months after your intended departure date from the Schengen Area.
• A recent passport-sized, coloured photograph taken within the last 3 months in accordance with Schengen visa specifications. It should be attached to your visa application form.
• Proof of residence in Nigeria. You can use your national ID, driver’s license, student ID, or voter registration card that contains your current address.
• Proof of flight reservation. Your confirmed round-trip tickets showing the expected dates of arrival and departure from Spain.
• A travel and health insurance certificate covering your medical costs up to €30,000, valid for the entire duration of your stay in the Schengen Area.
• A cover letter stating your purpose for travelling to Spain and your intended duration of stay.
• Proof of sufficient financial means to support your stay, including bank statements for the last 6 months or letters of sponsorship.
• Proof of professional status showing intent to leave Spain at the end of your visit. It could be a letter of employment, proof of business ownership, retirement statements, or an admission letter for students.
• Proof of accommodation in Spain and every country you’ll be staying in the Schengen Zone. You can use

• Hotel reservations for every night of your stay, showing the name, address, and contact details of each hotel.
• Original and photocopies of an official Letter of Invitation if you’ll be staying with family and friends.
• Booking confirmation with complete itinerary and hotel reservations if you’re travelling with a cruise ship.

• A notarised authorisation letter from your spouse/partner if you’re travelling with your child who is a minor.
• Birth/adoption certification of the child.
• Evidence of visa fee payment.

The consular authorities can request additional documentation if deemed necessary.

How to Apply for a Spain Tourist Visa from Nigeria? 

Spain tourist visa applications in Nigeria are made through the Spanish Embassy-approved Visa Application Centre (VAC) – BLS International. You can download the application form from the Spanish Embassy’s or the BLS’s website. However, you must submit the application in person at the VAC. Legal representatives are not allowed, except for minors.

You can apply for a tourist visa 15 days to 6 months before your expected travel date. Below is the step-by-step application process for a Spain tourist visa.

1. Download and fill out the application form: Go to the website of the Spanish Embassy in Nigeria and download the tourist visa application form. Complete all sections of the form, ensuring the details match those in your supporting documents.
2. Collect required supporting documents: Prepare the necessary documents to prove your eligibility as enumerated above. It’s crucial to have the required documents before submitting your application.
3. Schedule a visa appointment: Book an appointment on the visa application centre’s website and pay any applicable service fees.
4. Attend your visa appointment: Go for your scheduled appointment at the VAC. During this appointment, you’ll submit the completed visa application form along with your supporting documents. You may be interviewed and also required to submit your biometric data.
5. Wait for a decision: Although you must submit your application at the VAC (BLS International), the VAC does not process Spanish visas. They’ll forward your application to the Spanish authorities responsible for visa decisions. 

You can typically expect a decision on your application within 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on application volume and whether further verifications are required. You can travel to Spain once you receive your tourist visa.

How Much Does it Cost to Apply for a Spain Tourist Visa? 

A tourist visa for Spain costs €90 for Nigerians aged 12 and above and €45 for children between  6 and 12 years old. Children below 6 years are exempt from visa fees.

Aside from the visa application fees, you may incur other costs during the application process, such as the cost of notarising documents (where required) and the visa application centre’s service charges.

Processing Time for Spain Tourist Visa 

Spanish consulates and immigration authorities in most Schengen countries typically process tourist visas within 2 weeks. However, during peak travel periods, delays can occur for up to 60 days. Your application process can also be prolonged if the consulate requests additional documentation to verify the claims in your application.

Ideally, you should submit your visa application 21 to 180 days before your intended travel date to ensure there’s enough room for flexibility should there be delays in processing your application.

What if My Spain Tourist Visa is Refused? 

If your Spain tourist visa application is refused, the Spanish consulate will notify you in writing. The refusal notice will contain the grounds for the application refusal.

Depending on the reasons for the refusal, you can either reapply for a visa at a later date or you can appeal the decision. 

If you believe you met all the requirements for the visa and were refused due to a mistake from the consulate officials, you can submit an appeal for reconsideration to the Consular Office. The appeal must be submitted within 1 month of receiving the refusal notification. You can submit the appeal yourself or through a legal representative. If using a legal representative, the appeal file should also include proof of representation.

If your appeal for reconsideration is dismissed, you can file for a Judicial Review with the High Court Justice of Madrid. You must file the Judicial Review within 2 months of receiving a notice of visa refusal or an appeal for consideration dismissal notice.

Can I Work in Spain With a Tourist Visa?

You cannot work in Spain on a Schengen tourist visa. You can only attend short-term training for less than 3 months. 

If you wish to reside in Spain for long-term work, you must apply for an appropriate Spanish National Visa. Spain offers several visa routes that allow you to work in the country. They include:

• Internship visa
• Employee visa
• Highly Qualified Worker visa
• Non-Working Residence visa
• Researcher visa
• Investor visa
• Entrepreneur visa
• Family Reunion visa

How Can IAS Help With a Spanish Tourist Visa

Applying for a tourist visa for Spain from Nigeria can be quite taxing because of the sheer amount of documents you need to provide to prove your eligibility. Gathering the required documents for the application can be time-consuming and stressful, particularly if you’re a busy person.

Our Spain immigration lawyers at IAS Nigeria can help relieve you of the stress. We can guide you through the application process and help you compile the required documents to reduce the chances of refusal and streamline your vacation planning. 

A dedicated lawyer will help assess your eligibility, check your documents to ensure they meet the Schengen visa standards, and complete your application. And if you’ve applied for a Schengen tourist visa and were refused, we can provide legal representation to appeal the decision.

You can contact us today at +234 2013306361 or via our website to get immediate assistance from one of our immigration advisors.