SpainVisits and short stays

Spain tourist visa (Schengen type C)

Schengen visa (visado de estancia) for tourism

In short

Holidays in Spain (or Gibraltar as main destination) of up to 90 days need a Schengen visa from the Spanish consulate responsible for your place of residence, lodged directly or through its external service provider. You show EUR 122.10 per day with a minimum of EUR 1,098.90, a return ticket and recent bank statements; the consulate normally decides within 15 days.

checked 25 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Fee
€90From age 12 EUR 90; ages 6–12 EUR 45; under 6 free. The consulate states the currency and method of payment; an external service provider, where used, charges its own service fee.
Funds required
€122.10 per day10 % of the gross minimum wage per person per day, with a minimum of EUR 1,098.90 per person regardless of the length of stay (Order PRE/1282/2007, as notified to the European Commission).
Processing time
15 calendar days from submission, extendable up to 45 days if documents or an interview are requested.
Work
No.
Where to apply
Spanish consulate responsible for your place of residence, or its external service provider.

When to apply to Spain

Apply to Spain when it is your only or main Schengen destination; a Spanish visa also covers Gibraltar if it is the main destination. The consulate accepts applications from residents of its district between six months and 15 days before travel.

Funds required

Spain requires 10 % of the gross minimum wage per person per day, EUR 122.10, and at least EUR 1,098.90 per person regardless of the trip length, plus a fixed-date return or onward ticket. Bank statements must have been issued within the last 15 days.

Fees

EUR 90 from age 12, EUR 45 for children aged 6–12, free under 6. The consulate states the currency and method of payment, and an external service provider, where one is used, adds its own service fee.

Refusal and appeal

A refusal can be challenged with an optional administrative appeal (recurso de reposición) to the consulate within one month, or directly before the High Court of Justice of Madrid within two months.

Documents

Required documents

Identity

  • Schengen application form (Spanish-English), signed
  • Recent colour photo with light background
  • Passport issued less than 10 years ago, valid three months after leaving Schengen, two blank pages; copy of data page and of pages with visas and stamps
  • Proof of legal residence in the consular district; non-nationals: residence permit valid at least three months beyond the return

Travel

  • Flight reservation and hotel booking or travel plan

Money

  • Bank statement of the last three months issued within the last 15 days, plus payslips or pension income

Work

  • Employer letter with position, salary and approved leave, plus proof of social security registration; business owners: company registration and tax returns; students: enrolment certificate

Insurance

  • Travel medical insurance for the whole Schengen area, minimum EUR 30,000

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Money

  • No own income: sponsorship from a spouse or first-degree relative with proof of relationship and the sponsor's documents

How to apply, step by step

  1. Check which Spanish consulate covers your place of residence and that Spain is your main destination.
  2. Book an appointment with the consulate, or with the external service provider it uses where there is one.
  3. Prepare the documents on the consulate's list for your purpose; bank statements must be no older than 15 days.
  4. Lodge the file in person, give fingerprints and pay the visa fee in the currency the consulate indicates, plus any provider fee.
  5. Track the application online with the code on your receipt; the decision normally comes within 15 days.

Frequently asked questions

Why must my bank statement be so recent?

The consulate requires the three-month statement to have been issued within the last 15 days.

Is there a minimum amount even for a short trip?

Yes, EUR 1,098.90 per person whatever the length of stay.

Can I track my application?

Yes, online on the Foreign Ministry's tracking site with the code on your receipt.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Spain

Visits and short stays

Business and self-employment

Study and training

  • Student visa Processing time: Apply at least two months before studies start; once the stay authorisation is favourable, the visa is decided within one month.
  • Researcher visa Validity: Visa: one year, or the authorisation's validity if shorter; the visa itself proves residence and the TIE is optional. Residence authorisations under Law 14/2013 are renewable for two years at a time.

Work

  • Work visa Validity: Up to 180 days for authorisations of up to six months, otherwise 365 days; seasonal contracts up to 270 days.
  • EU Blue Card Validity: Visa: one year, or the authorisation's validity if shorter; the visa itself proves residence and the TIE is optional. Residence authorisations under Law 14/2013 are renewable for two years at a time.
  • Intra-company transfer visa Validity: Visa: one year, or the authorisation's validity if shorter; the visa itself proves residence and the TIE is optional. Residence authorisations under Law 14/2013 are renewable for two years at a time.
  • Digital nomad visa Validity: Visa up to one year; then a residence authorisation of up to three years, renewable for two.

Family

Residence

  • Retirement visa Validity: Visa valid for 365 days; apply for the TIE within one month of arrival; renewals are filed in the two months before expiry.
  • Permanent residence Validity: The status is indefinite; the TIE card is first renewed after five years, then every five years until age 30 and every ten years after that.

Faster processing

  • Fast-track and priority visa services Validity: Visa: one year or the authorisation's length if shorter. Highly qualified, entrepreneur and teleworker authorisations: up to three years, renewable for two.

Protection

  • Asylum and international protection Processing time: Border: admission decision within four days; inside Spain: within one month; regular procedure: six months, after which silence counts as refusal.

Spain visa guide