United Kingdom
Spain
Spain visa for British citizens
Entry requirement
British citizens can visit Spain without a visa for up to 90 days.
- Maximum stay
- 90 days
- Where to apply
- Nothing to apply for in advance
Checked 31 October 2026 · Passport Index · Confirm at exteriores.gob.es
For longer stays: study, work and residence
Spain: visa decisions in the United Kingdom
| Year | Applications | Visas issued | Refused | Refusal rate | Multiple-entry share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 88,295 | 83,778 | 1,827 | 2.1% | 45.8% |
| 2024 | 123,058 | 115,860 | 4,755 | 3.9% | 48.6% |
| 2025 | 138,195 | 126,336 | 8,138 | 6.0% | 42.7% |
In 2025, Spain’s embassy and consulates in the United Kingdom (London, Manchester and Edinburgh) received 138,195 applications for short-stay Schengen visas and issued 126,336. The refusal rate was 6.0%. The refusal rate rose by 2.1 points from 3.9% in 2024. Applications rose by 12% compared with 2024 (123,058).
For comparison, all Schengen states together refused 10.5% of the applications lodged in the United Kingdom that year, from 1.0% at the consulates of the Netherlands to 32.0% at those of Iceland. Spain’s consulates worldwide refused 14.6%. Spain was the most applied-for Schengen state in the United Kingdom.
You apply to the Schengen state that is your main destination (the longest stay or the main purpose; the state of first entry only when there is none), so a lower rate elsewhere is no reason to apply there. The figures cover applications lodged in the United Kingdom, by any nationality: mostly citizens, but also residents from other countries.
Source: European Commission, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, visa statistics for consulates 2023–2025 (© European Union, reused under CC BY 4.0). Short-stay (type C) visas. How these figures are made
Spanish citizens travelling to the United Kingdom
SpainUnited Kingdom Electronic travel authorisation (ETA) United Kingdom visa for citizens of Spain
Travel advice for Spain
- US State Department Level 2: Exercise increased caution
- UK Foreign Office (FCDO) No advice against travel
- German Foreign Office No travel warning
What the US, British and German foreign ministries tell their own citizens about travelling there, in each ministry’s own terms.
British citizens planning a trip to Spain can compare how foreign ministries rate it: the US State Department rates Spain at Level 2, exercise increased caution (updated 31 July 2026), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office does not advise against travel to Spain (updated 28 October 2026) and the German Foreign Office has no travel warning for Spain (updated 2 November 2026). Each ministry writes for its own citizens.
Good to know
How long British citizens can stay in Spain
British citizens may stay in Spain for up to 90 days. Days in Spain count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period across all member states.
Spain and the Schengen area
Visa-free stays of British citizens in Spain count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period, shared with every other member state.
Spain’s neighbours for British citizens
Andorra, Portugal, France and Morocco admit British citizens visa-free.
Spanish citizens travelling to the United Kingdom
Spanish citizens need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) for the United Kingdom, obtained online before travel, for stays of up to 180 days.
Frequently asked questions
Do British citizens need a visa for Spain?
British citizens can visit Spain without a visa for up to 90 days.
How long can British citizens stay in Spain?
British citizens can stay in Spain for up to 90 days, within the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180.
Do Spanish citizens need a visa for the United Kingdom?
Spanish citizens need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) for the United Kingdom, obtained online before travel, for stays of up to 180 days.
Can British citizens enter Spain visa-free?
Yes, British citizens can enter Spain without a visa and stay for up to 90 days.
Visa data: Passport Index via passport-index-data, as of 31 October 2026. Rules change, sometimes overnight. Confirm with the embassy or the official government portal before you book.