Who requires a visa for spain?
Visas are NOT required for passports of any of the following countries, regardless of purpose and/or length of stay in Spain:
-1 The European Union
-2 Iceland
-3 Norway
-4 SwitzerlandIf your intended stay in Spain will exceed 90 days, registration with the local police authorities is no longer required.
Passports of all these countries (including UK passports) are valid to visit or stay in SPAIN up to the last day of their validity.
Minors included in the parent’s passport must be accompanied by the parent.
The child’s right to travel on the passport will lapse depending on the age stipulated by the issuing country. Please see passport for details.
visas are not required for:- Holders of valid passports issued by the following countries or dependencies:
Andorra, Anguilla, Argentina, Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, British National Overseas, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong SAR, Israel, Japan, Korean Republic, Liechtenstein, Macao SAR, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, St. Helena, The Caiman Islands, The Falklands Islands, The Virgin Islands, Turks & Caicos Islands, Uruguay, USA, Vatican City, Venezuela- Holders of Travel Documents issued under the Geneva Convention of July 1951, by the following countries:
Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
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Crew members of airlines and merchant navy.- If you hold a valid residence permit in any of the Schengen member states, you are entitled to re-enter the Schengen area without a visa on production of your proof of residence and your passport.
This information applies only to ordinary passports.
All other nationalities, not listed above need a visa and the requirements for these vary according to nationality, passport or Travel Document used, purpose and duration of the trip.
What documents will be required? - fully completed visa application form
- two passport photographs
- valid national passport & one copy
- original of valid resident visa
- confirmation letter from your health insurance stating coverage & one copy
- proof of group travel/ hotel booking in Spain/ airline reservation for Spain & one copy
- current bank statement & one copy
- reference letter from your employer/ education institution
- visa fees for Spanish Visa.
Time required to issue visa:Schengen, tourist or business visa applications must be submitted with a minimum of 15 days in advance.
Visas are not granted on the spot and should be applied for well in advance in order to allow enough time to process them. The foreign national must collect his or her visa within two months of being notified that it has been granted. In the case of a resident’s, work, or student’s visa, the holder must obtain a foreign national’s identity card within one month of his or her entry into Spain.
What is the cost of a visa? A visa fee of $ 92.40 is payable to the Consulate of Spain
For Russia, Ukrania, Macedonia, (ARYM), Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, and Moldavia the fee is $ 53.90 (no personal checks or cash accepted).
The application fee for a visa is an administration fee, which will incur a non refundable charge in all cases, regardless of whether the visa is issued or not.
There will be no charge for children under the age of 6. There will be no charge for the spouse and/or dependants of an EU citizen. However, proof of the relationship must be submitted at the time of application. This proof must be an original EU full national passport or national ID card and an original marriage certificate or civil partnership, (birth certificate in the case of children or dependants). Photocopies are not acceptable. Non EU Certificates should be legalised according to the 1961 Hague Convention.
The purpose of the visit and/or length of stay cannot be altered once the visa has been issued. Please check carefully when collecting passports that the visas are correct, any printing errors or omissions may affect the intended stay within the Schengen area.
Holders of Schengen visas are still subject to immigration control at the point of entry and are not guaranteed entry into any of the Schengen member countries, should they not comply with current travel regulations, even though they may hold a valid visa for these countries.
How long is the visa valid for? Short Stay or Schengen Visas are valid for short stays (up to 90 days)
Other information: Place of application: The visa is requested and issued in the Spanish diplomatic missions and consular offices.
Where there is no Spanish diplomatic mission or consular office in a particular country, a transit or visitor’s visa can be requested from the diplomatic mission or consular office which represents Spain in that country.
Requirements:
The visa must be requested and collected in person at the diplomatic mission or consular office for the area in which the foreign national resides.
This can also be done via a duly authorized proxy in the case of a transit, visitor’s or resident’s visa for reasons of family reunification.
The required fee must be paid at the moment the visa is requested, and will not be refunded in the event the application is refused.
Any other requirements must be consulted in the diplomatic mission or consular office where the visa is requested, as they may vary according to the type of visa and the applicant’s country of origin.
Visa issue:
The foreign national must collect his or her visa within two months of being notified that it has been granted. In the case of a resident’s, work, or student’s visa, the holder must obtain a foreign national’s identity card within one month of his or her entry into Spain.
Refusal and appeals:
Whenever the diplomatic missions and consular offices decide to refuse a visa, the applicant must be always notified. However they are under no obligation to provide reasons for the refusal, except in the case of visas for family reunification or for work for third parties.
You may appeal the refusal of a visa either by means of a request for reconsideration from the same diplomatic mission or consular office with one month, or by requesting a judicial review before the Supreme Court in Madrid, within two months.
Students Visas for Spain This type of visa allows you to study or do research work in Spain for periods exceeding 3 months.
U.S. citizens do not need a visa to study in Spain for less than 90 days.
This visa must be obtained for studies under 3 months by all nationals that are not EU citizens or they are from the countries that require visas to travel to the Schengen countries.
The application must be submitted in person by you or through an authorized representative (it must have a notarized authorization).
Applications are not accepted by mail.
By submitting your student visa application you can also apply for the visa for your spouse and children under 18 years of age.
The visa will be affixed to your passport before you depart the United States and it must be presented at your point of entry into the Schengen countries.
Documents you must submit in order to apply for a Student Visa:
- 2 Schengen Application forms dully filled out and signed.
- Passport. The passport must be valid for the intended period of your stay in Spain with at least one blank page to affix the visa. Also provide either of the following: US drivers license, US State ID card, current student ID.
- 2 recent photos passport size with a white background. Staple one photo on each of the application forms.
- Letter of acceptance as a full time student from Spain's University/School or US program indicating: name, address and registration number of the school with Spain's Department of Education; (Ministerio de Educación de España) full payment of tuition, duration of the program, subjects of the study and hours of study per week which must be no less than 20.
- Health Insurance (original form): International insurance coverage for health/accident with a minimum coverage equal to €30,000 during the planning period of stay in Spain (or its equivalency in dollars).
- Proofs of financial means during your stay: Please provide one of the following:
1. Letter from the University or School in Spain or in the USA assuming full financial responsibility during your stay (this is often included into the acceptance letter)
2. Proof of financial aid or scholarship for at least $1,000 per month for room and board.
3. Notarized letter from your parents or legal guardians assuming full financial responsibility for at least $1,000 per month for room and board. Suggested wording: “I hereby certify that I'm the (father/mother/other) of (...), will support him/her with a monthly allowance of at least $1,000 while he/she is in Spain and that I'm financially responsible for any emergency that may arise".
4. Personal bank account statements showing at least $1,000 per month of stay.
-"Money-Order" to pay the non-refundable visa fee of $100 for US citizens or $ 92,40* for the other nationalities payable to the Consulate of Spain * For Russia, Ukrania, Macedonia, (ARYM), Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, and Moldavia the fee is $ 53,90 (no personal checks or cash accepted).
- Self-addressed and Pre-Paid US "Express-Mail" envelope from the USPS if you wish to have your passport retuned by mail. We do NOT accept any other type of courier of messenger service. Tracking of mailed items is the sole responsibility of the applicant.
- Evidence of your migratory status in the USA (Only for non US citizens): Provide your "Alien Registration Card" or “US Visa with I-20/IAP-66”(except B1-B2).
- Certificate of Absence of Police Records (Only for stays of more than 180 days) issued by the Police Department from the city/cities where you have resided more than six months in the past five years. This Certificate must bear the "Apostille of The Hague Convention" (Contact the Secretary of State of the issuing state). If the Certificate is issued outside the USA it must be duly legalized by the corresponding Consulate of Spain.
- Medical Certificate (for periods longer than 180 days): Doctor's statement on a doctor or medical center letterhead, indicating that the student has been examined and found in good physical and mental health to travel to study abroad and is free of contagious diseases.
- Notarized authorization letter to travel and study abroad from the parents or custodians (only if the applicant is under 18 years of age).
Additional Requirements & Time may apply
Applicants must submit originals and copies of the above mentioned documents. If your documents are accepted to process the visa they will not be returned.
Applications for this type of visa will neither be accepted more than four months in advance nor less than 7 weeks before the departure date.
The passport must be left in our office so we can process your visa.
It takes a minimum of 7 weeks to process this type of visa.
During this time no telephone consultations will be taken by this office regarding your visa status.
If granted your visa will allow you to study in Spain for the requested period of time, as specified on the visa sticker, (“del….al….”). Keep in mind the date format in Europe: Day, Month and Year.
If your stay in Spain is for a period longer than 180 days you will have to request, within one month of your arrival in Spain, an authorization for the completion of your studies as well as the proper student ID card from the Police Department in Spain ("Policia Nacional").
This visa will allow you for transit in the Schengen countries to and from Spain up to a maximum of 5 days (total).
Embassy contact information: Please contact the
nearest Spanish embassy for information on what documentation you may require to enter Spain.
