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Schengen short-stay visa

SpainShort stays and visits

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Explore pathways in Spain Read the five questions ↓

For the relevant traveller scope, is a visa, electronic authorisation, visa on arrival or no advance visa normally required?

The Schengen visa is issued to nationals of third countries listed in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806; the Spanish consulate page states the Schengen visa obligation for those nationals expressly for Gibraltar.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The source does not reproduce the Annex I list of nationalities.
  • The Gibraltar sentence is the page's only explicit 'obligation' wording; for Spain it says the visa 'se expide' to Annex I nationals.
  • Source is the Spanish Consulate General in Houston page; documents and amounts are specific to that consular district.

What short-visit purposes does this route cover?

Tourism, business, family visits, medical treatment, studies, non-work internships or volunteering of up to 90 days, or other non-lucrative activities; it also allows territorial and airport transit.

See recorded sources

What maximum stay, rolling-period rule, validity and entry rules apply?

A total of no more than ninety days in any period of one hundred and eighty days counted from the first entry into the Schengen area, continuous or in successive periods. A uniform visa covers the whole Schengen area with one, two or multiple entries; a limited territorial validity visa covers only some Schengen States. The visa does not give an automatic right of entry; border authorities may refuse entry if conditions are not met.

See recorded sources
  • https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2024/11/19/1155/con
    1. El visado de estancia de corta duración es aquel que autoriza a su titular, una vez en España y durante su periodo de vigencia, a permanecer en España por un periodo ininterrumpido o suma de periodos sucesivos cuya duración total no exceda de noventa días naturales en cualquier periodo de ciento ochenta días naturales a partir de la fecha de la primera entrada en el Espacio Schengen.
  • https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2024/11/19/1155/con
    Podrá permitir uno, dos o múltiples tránsitos o estancias cuya duración total no podrá exceder de noventa días naturales en cualquier periodo de ciento ochenta días naturales. b) Visado de validez territorial limitada: válido para el tránsito o la estancia en el territorio de uno o más de los Estados que integran el Espacio Schengen, pero no para todos ellos.
  • https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/houston/es/ServiciosConsulares/Paginas/index.aspx?scca=Visados&scco=Estados+Unidos&scd=155&scs=Visado+de+estancia+%28visado+Schengen%29
    El visado Schengen permite viajar a cualquiera de los Estados Schengen y transitar por su territorio, pero no implica un derecho automático de entrada en el área Schengen. Las autoridades de frontera pueden denegar la entrada si no se aportan pruebas del motivo y las condiciones del viaje o si no se cumplen el resto de las condiciones de entrada

What important funds, accommodation, invitation, insurance, onward-travel or passport evidence may be required?

Passport valid at least 3 months after leaving Schengen, with two blank pages, issued less than 10 years ago; travel medical insurance covering repatriation and emergency care throughout the Schengen area, minimum 30.000 euros; documents proving purpose, conditions of stay, sufficient means and intention to leave; return ticket; accommodation (hotel booking, or an official invitation letter issued by the local police where the host lives); bank statements with at least $144 per person per day, minimum $1440 (Houston district); business trips need an invitation from the Spanish company.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Source is the Spanish Consulate General in Houston page; documents and amounts are specific to that consular district.

Where/how is permission obtained when required, and under what important circumstances can a stay be extended or changed?

Apply in person (minors through legal representatives); in the Houston consular district via a BLS International Houston appointment, between 6 months and 15 days before travel; decision within 15 calendar days, extendable to 45. A granted short-stay visa can be extended, under EU law, for humanitarian reasons or force majeure preventing departure, or for proven serious personal reasons; the total stay including the extension may not exceed ninety days in any period of one hundred and eighty days. Extensions are processed by the National Police station of the province where the person stays.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The Houston page also states a different window ('entre 25 dias y 6 meses previos'); the page is internally inconsistent.
  • Source is the Spanish Consulate General in Houston page; documents and amounts are specific to that consular district.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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