Before traveling to Spain it is important to know what the immigration requirements are and what procedures must be done. The necessary documentation is not the same for all people, since the reason for the trip and the traveler's country of origin must be taken into account.

Below you have an index with all the points that we are going to deal with in this article.

Necessary documents

The papers that are needed to go to Spain vary depending on the nationality of the traveler, as well as the reason for which they want to enter the country.



ID and Passport

The citizens of the Member States of the European Union, in addition to Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, they only need to present their National Identity Document to enter Spain.

Likewise, holders of a residence permit or a long-term visa in one of the member countries of the Schengen area. You can find out which territories are part of this agreement in the following article: The Schengen area and the Member States of the European Union.

These people must present their passport, a return ticket and justify that they have sufficient financial means for the visit.

In addition to those already mentioned, there are a significant number of countries whose citizens are allowed to travel to Spain without visa, only with a passport, as long as they enter as tourists and their stay is less than 90 days in a period of 180 days. They are the following territories:

  • A: Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Australia
  • B: Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei
  • C: Canada, Chile, Vatican City, Colombia, South Korea, Costa Rica
  • D: Dominican
  • E: El Salvador, United Arab Emirates, United States
  • G: Grenada, Guatemala
  • H: Honduras, Hong Kong
  • I: Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Solomon Islands, Israel
  • J: Japan
  • K: Kiribati
  • M: Macao, Malaysia, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro
  • N: Nauru, Nicaragua, New Zealand
  • P: Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru
  • S: Samoa, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Marino, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore
  • T: Taiwan, East Timor, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu
  • U: Uruguay
  • V: Vanuatu, Venezuela

These people must present a valid passport with a minimum validity of three months after the departure date and that has been issued in the last ten years, as well as a hotel reservation or invitation letter and a return ticket. It may also be requested that economic solvency be demonstrated.

Visa

Travelers from countries not named above must request a Schengen visa to be able to go to Spain for tourism and for a maximum of three months in a period of 180 days. This must be requested at a consulate or embassy in person. The requirements to get it, whether or not the first time you visit the country, are the following:

  • Application form completed, signed and with a passport-size photograph. You can buy it by clicking this link.
  • Passport with a minimum validity of three months at the time of departure.
  • Photocopy of the first three pages of the passport and other pages of interest.
  • Medical insurance with a minimum coverage of € 30.000.
  • Round trip ticket or documentation of the vehicle to be taken.
  • Bank statement for the last three months. In the case of being a student, proof of enrollment and proof of financial means of the parents.
  • If necessary, authorization from the Foreign Exchange Office to export foreign currency.
  • Hotel reservation or original and copy of an invitation letter.

The fee that must be paid to acquire this permit is usually € 60 and must be requested between three months and fifteen days prior to the trip. These same requirements apply to travel to Spain as a family visit.

The invitation letter must be processed at the Police Station that corresponds to the place of residence or must be written before a notary.

Special situations

If you want to go to live in Spain to study or work, you must have a long-term visa, unless you come from the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

Likewise, to travel with a work contract, it is necessary to request a residence and work authorization for someone else. To get it, you have to have a job offer from Spain and be in your country.



With regards to family reunification, It can be requested for the spouse and children under 18 years of age or disabled who are not married, as well as the first degree ascendants of the applicant or their spouse who are over 65 years of age.

The person who requests this temporary residence authorization for their relatives must be living in Spain for at least one year and have an authorization to stay for at least one more year.

Other requirements

Is allowed travel with your pet to Spain. In the case of dogs, cats and ferrets that come from a country of the European Union, they have the following requirements:

  • Identifying microchip or tattoo
  • Rabies vaccination
  • European passport for the movement of pets
  • They cannot be less than 15 weeks

Likewise, if you come from a country that is not a member of the European Union, you must enter Spain through a Travelers Entry Point and to declare To the Fiscal Resguardo of the Civil Guard that you go with a pet. In addition, if you do not have a European passport for the movement of pets, this is necessary:

  • Zoosanitary certificate in Spanish signed by an official veterinarian.
  • Declaration.
  • Certified copy of the animal identification and vaccination data.
  • Identifying microchip or tattoo.
  • Rabies vaccination.
  • Submission to a serological test against rabies in an authorized laboratory, unless it comes from one of the countries that appears in the list that you can consult by clicking this link.

On the other hand, when traveling with children, they should not meet any additional requirements. However, if you are traveling with only your National Identity Document (coming from a country authorized to do so), you must have a parental permit.

Similarly, there is no mandatory or required vaccination to travel to Spain. It is only recommended to have the basic vaccination:

  • Tetanus-diphtheria
  • MMR (measles, rubella and mumps)
  • Hepatitis A

Questions from users

Can I get a Schengen visa for Spain without having an invitation letter?

Yes, it is not necessary to have an invitation letter, it is also accepted to have made a hotel reservation.

What are the requirements to travel to Spain as an American resident?

In the case of being an American resident, when applying for the Schengen visa, proof of immigration status in the United States must be presented.

How much does it cost to travel to Spain?

The price varies greatly depending on the starting point. From the rest of Europe, flights are quite cheap, but from other continents it usually costs more than € 500.

This article has been shared 214 times. We have spent many hours collecting this information. If you liked it, share it, please: