Foreign citizens not eligible to apply for ETIAS to Spain will be required to obtain a Schengen visa for Spain to travel to the country. To apply for a Spanish Schengen visa, it is first necessary to download and complete a Schengen visa application.
It is then necessary to make a visa appointment at an embassy or consulate of Spain. When attending the appointment in person, the applicant must bring a variety of supporting documentation, including:
- A completed Spain Schengen visa application form
- Current passport containing at least 2 blank pages
- 2 recent photographs of the applicant, passport-style
- Evidence of return flight bookings or travel itinerary
- Hotel bookings or address where traveler will stay in Spain
- Proof of travel insurance to cover the stay in Spain and the Schengen Area
- Proof of financial means for the duration of the trip.
Applicants are required to specify the type of Schengen visa for Spain they require on the application form, and to pay the Schengen visa fee while attending the appointment.
There are several types of Spanish Schengen visa depending on the duration and purpose of the intended stay in the Schengen zone. It can be issued as a single, double, or multiple-entry visa, and as either a Uniform visa, which can permit travel to multiple Schengen countries or a limited territory visa which only permits entry to one specified Schengen state.
Most Schengen visas allow a total stay of 90 days with each entry to Spain, within every 180-day period. Individuals planning to study, work, or reside in Spain for longer consecutive periods may be granted a Schengen visa with longer validity upon providing proof of purpose for the stay.
Schengen visa requirements for Spain state that it is possible to submit an application up to 3 months before the intended date of entry to the Schengen Area. As it can take up to 2 weeks to process a Spanish Schengen visa, applicants are advised to apply at least 15 days before the start of their planned trip.