Do I need visa for Spain as a US citizen? Planning to travel or move to Spain soon? Are you asking yourself Do I Need Visa For Spain As A US Citizens? In this article, we’ll take a look at what it’s like and what you can expect if you have dependents (like children) and if you have dual citizenship.

If you are planning a trip to Spain, it is probably one of the most exciting trips you will ever take in your life. You need to make sure that you’re prepared and ready for your trip. One thing that you need to be aware of is that Spain has visa requirements for US citizens. It’s important for you to know since it can affect your decision about which countries you can travel in. If you don’t get the necessary documents, there’s a good chance that your passport will be confiscated at passport control and you could be detained until the situation is resolved.

Do I Need Visa For Spain As A Us Citizen

The United States of America has always been one of the most popular nations with travellers around the world. The convenient location and ease of entry make this a top destination for Americans to spend their holidays as well as for holidaymakers from around the world.

One of the things to take into account before traveling throughout Europe is that every time you cross a border in the European Union, you will need a passport. So what are the EU Schengen member countries and territories related to Spain, who can travel without a visa and those that require it?

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Spain Visa Application and Entry Requirements

Spain is the second-largest country in the European Union by territory, with an area of 505,990 km2. It is officially known as the Kingdom of Spain and is located mostly on the Iberian Peninsula in Europe. 46,710,000 people live in Spain, and speak Spanish as their official language.

The tourism industry here is the second-largest tourism industry in the world. Spain benefits around 40 billion each year from it. Some of the most famous Spanish cities are Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Valencia etc.

Spain is well known for the sport of bullfighting, the festival of tomatoes, the Ibiza parties and flamingos. Among the most visited tourist attractions are the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens, the Sagrada Familia and Gaudi Sites and the Great Mosque of Cordoba.

You can apply for the Spanish Schengen Visa since 1995 when Spain as an EU Member State also became a member state of the Schengen Area.

Fun fact: The stapler was invented in Spain!

Spain Entry Restrictions in Response to Coronavirus

Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, Spain and the rest of the EU/Schengen Area members imposed an EU-wide entry ban on third-country nationals in mid-March 2020, on the recommendation of the EU Commission. In addition, entry restrictions to Spain are frequently changing based on the COVID-19 situation in other countries.

Check Schengen.News to get the latest updates regarding Spain’s travel entry restrictions and other measures imposed by Spanish authorities.

Spain Entry Requirements

All persons entering Spain through land, sea or air need to present at least one document to the border police. What document(s) you will need to carry with you when you travel to Spain, all depends on your nationality.

If you are a traveller from one of the EU/EAA countries, all you need to carry with you is a valid personal identity card or passport.

However, if you are a non-EU/EEA traveller you will need to present several documents to the border police when you show up at the Spanish port of entry. These documents are as follows:

A valid passport or travel document. Valid for at least three more months beyond your planned date of exit from Schengen, and issued within the last 10 years.
A visa – if you are subject to the Spanish visa regime.
Proof of accommodation. A document that shows where you will be staying during your time in Spain.
A return or round-trip ticket. Or proof of onward travel, if you do not plan to return to your home country upon the end of your stay in Spain.
Documents proving your purpose of entry.

The Spanish border officer will ask you to provide him/her with these documents. He/she may also ask you a few questions related to your trip to Spain like:

What is your purpose for visiting Spain?
How long do you intend to stay in Spain?
Where are you going to stay in Spain? Etc.

Note that the border police have the competence to deny you entry to Spain if they think there is something wrong with your documents or the purpose of entry to Spain. If the Spanish border officer concludes that you are no risk for Spain, upon checking your documents, you will be permitted to enter Spain, and thus the Schengen territory.

Make sure that the Spanish border officer stamps your passport when you enter Spain. Without a stamp, you could be fined or detained from Spain.

Who Needs a Schengen Visa to Enter Spain?

Since Spain is a member country of the Schengen zone, it applies the Schengen visa code to all short-stay travellers. This means that you will need to obtain a visa prior to your trip if one of the following statements corresponds to your situation:

You are a national of a third-world country that has not reached a visa liberalization agreement with the Schengen states
You are a national of a third-world country that has reached a visa-free movement agreement with the Schengen states, but you were previously rejected from entering Spain or any other Schengen country without a visa.

What Type of Visa Do I Need to Enter Spain?

If you are planning to visit Spain for a short stay trip (up to 90 days), then you have to apply for a Schengen short-stay visa to Spain, known also as a C-type visa.

Depending on your purpose of entry to Spain, you can get one of the following Schengen visa types for Spain:

Austrian Airport Visa – for those who need to transit through one of the Austrian airports, to reach their travel destination country, outside the Schengen Area.
Spanish Tourist Visa – for those wishing to visit Spain for holidays or sightseeing.
Spanish Visitor Visa – for travellers who want to visit friends or family members residing in Spain.
Spanish Business Visa – for business people who need to attend business-related activities in Spain.
Spanish Visa for Official Visit – for Official Delegations coming to Spain on an official trip.
Spanish Medical Visa – for people seeking medical treatment in Spain.
Spanish Study Visa –for students that wish to attend a course for up to three months at an educational institution in Spain.
Spanish Visa for Cultural, Sports, and Film Crews – for people wishing to attend an activity in Spain that belongs to this nature.

What Documents Are Required for a Spain Schengen Visa Application?

The Spanish embassy/consulate in your country of residence wants you to prove your identity, background and purpose of entry to Spain. You will need to do so by submitting several required documents for a Spanish Visa.

The mandatory Spain visa requirements are as follows:

Spanish visa application form. Fulfil the form with your computer, print it and then sign it at the end.
Two passport photos. The photos should be of passport format – a recent whole-face capture with a light background. Learn more about photograph requirements for Spanish visa applications.
Your valid passport. Make sure your passport meets the following criteria:
- It has two blank pages in order to affix visa,
- It is not older than 10 years,
- It has a validity of at least three more months beyond the date you plan to leave Spain and the whole territory of Schengen.
Copies of:
- all the pages of the travel passport.
- your previous visas.
- other valid or expired travel passports.
- all the pages of other valid or expired travel passports.
Spain Travel Health Insurance. Prior to your visa application, you should obtain travel health insurance for the whole territory of Spain and all the other Schengen states. Your insurance must cover medical emergencies with a minimum of 30,000€, including repatriation in case of death.

Health insurance policies for foreigners travelling to Spain that fulfil Spanish visa & entry requirements can be purchased online from AXA Assistance or Europ Assistance. Both companies are accepted by Spanish authorities.

Round-trip Flight Itinerary. A document that shows you have a booked flight, to enter and leave Spain. This document should specify flight numbers, dates, and your details.
Proof of accommodation. I.e. a hotel reservation. (Check Booking.com or HotelsCombined to find cheap hotels in Spain!)
Proof of sufficient financial means. A foreigner who seeks to enter the territory of Spain needs to attest owning at least 100€/day, with a minimum of €900 per person regardless of the intended duration of the stay.
A cover letter. A personal letter in which you explain why you are applying to visit Spain, how long you plan to stay, when will you leave and other details. (Click to find cover letter samples for Spanish visa applications)
Proof of civil status. This could be a marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, death certificate of spouse, etc.