Entry
Spain belongs to the Schengen Area, a bloc of European countries applying one shared set of short-stay rules. The rules apply to non-EU visitors, meaning anyone whose nationality is not that of Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland or any EU country. Visits may total 90 days at most within any period of 180 days, with days counted across the whole area. Passports decide the visa question: some nationalities have to obtain a Schengen visa prior to travel, whereas for others a short stay needs no visa. The country lists are on the page below about EU visa policy. A visa applicant goes to the consulate of the country to be visited. With several countries on the trip, that means the one where most time will be spent, or the first one entered if the time is equal. Residence matters too: the application is made through the consulate covering the country of legal residence. Medical insurance covering repatriation, hospital treatment and emergency care is needed, along with documents showing why the trip is being made, what money and accommodation are available, and the intention to return home, while the consulate is free to request more. The passport needs at least 3 months of validity after the planned departure date and its issue date must fall within the past 10 years. Upon reaching the border, travellers may have to account for the purpose and details of their stay, evidence of sufficient funds included. Passport stamps are replaced by the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES), which reached full operation on 10 April 2026. At the border, every non-EU short-stay visitor (visa or not) is registered using a facial photo and/or fingerprints along with passport data, and all entries, exits and refusals are recorded. A list below shows which travellers are exempt. First-time crossings take longer than later ones, so leave extra time. Visa-exempt travellers will need an ETIAS travel authorisation for 30 European countries, Spain among them. The system is not running at present (as of November 2026): applications are not being collected, and no start date is confirmed. The EU has said the date will be announced several months ahead of launch, so look at the official ETIAS page before travelling, and disregard any site that offers to sell an ETIAS now.
- EU - Visa policy (Schengen) OfficialOfficial EU information on Schengen visas, with links to the country lists.
- EU - Applying for a Schengen visa OfficialWhere to apply and which documents you need.
- Your Europe - Travel documents for non-EU nationals OfficialPassport validity and entry conditions.
- EU - Entry/Exit System (EES) OfficialWhat the new border registration means for you.
- EU - How the EES works OfficialWhat happens at the border on your first and later crossings.
- EU - Who the EES does not apply to OfficialThe full list of exempt travellers.
- European Commission - EES status OfficialStates that the system became fully operational on 10 April 2026.
- EU - ETIAS OfficialFor visa-free nationalities only; check the current status and start date here.
- EU - ETIAS: who should apply OfficialWhich nationalities and countries ETIAS will cover.
- EU - Short-stay (90/180) calculator OfficialCount how many days you may still stay.
