How To Get A Tourist Visa For Spain

Spain is a very popular tourist destination for people throughout the world. This means that there are lots of different nationalities that wish to come and visit Spain each year which makes up millions of tourists arriving on holiday in Spain. If you live in an EU country, then this is not a problem as you are allowed to move freely across the borders of the EU. This is not the case for a lot of other people though, and they will have to apply for a visa before they travel to Spain or else potentially be not allowed to travel by the airline they are flying with if this is their chosen mode of transport. Si how easy is the process? It is relatively straight forward and easy, and a lot of the process can be done online.

Do you need a Visa

As well as people within the EU, there are other nationalities as well which do not require a visa if going to Spain for a short period of time on holiday. In order find out which countries these are you should go to the website of your local consulate and see if your country of origin is on the visa exempt list. Some of the countries which do not require a visa are as follows; spain

  • Australia
  • USA
  • Mexico
  • Bermuda
  • North Korea
  • Japan

There are over 50 locations in total, including European countries, which do not require a visa for a limited holiday in Spain. You will be able to get a full list of these on the consulates website.

Applying for a Visa

If you are not fortunate enough to come from a country which is offered a visa exempt status when going on holiday to Spain, then this is not too much of a problem as the process is quite straight forward and not too much hassle. The first thing to do is to visit your local consulate or embassy and obtain the application form, or you can even download this from their website as well. There are also lots of companies which assist people with getting visas that have this to download from their website. Using their services will increase the cost of the visa though, but you can usually download the application form for free. When you have the application form there will also be a list of document which you need to provide to support your application.

Filling out the forms

If you have ever filled out a visa application form before, then the process is quite straight forward and not too much of a problem. The additional supporting information that you will need to provide is usually as follows;

  • A copy of your passport as well as taking the original along with you as well.
  • You will need to provide 2 passport size photos which were recently taken.
  • You will need to show your health insurance documentation as well as valid copies of this as well.
  • Provide proof of transport to Spain, including flights, hotels and excursions where available.
  • Show proof of financial capability which is usually a copy of your bank statement.

Once all of the paperwork is filled out, and you have all of the supporting documents that you require, then you can go to your nearest consulate or embassy and apply for your visa.

Applying in person

You will need to visit the consulate or embassy in person and will not be able to send someone else on your behalf. The good thing is though that you generally do not require an appointment to do this and people are seen in order of arrival. The earlier you get there though the better. Once it is your turn to be seen you will need to take your application with your supporting documentation and have this checked. If everything is ok and there are no problems then you will have to pay for your visa there and then. It usually takes a day or so to process a visa application but sometimes can also be done there and then. The visas are usually valid for around 90 days. Next all you need to do is get on your plane and enjoy your cheap holidays and travel in Spain.