Visa Requirements for Spanish Citizens
Visa requirements for Spanish citizens are the determined by the country of visit rules and regulations applicable upon arrival. Visa requirements may differ from country to country, which can cause confusion for travelers.
However, there are some ground rules that make things easier when trying to figure out what visas foreign countries require from Spanish citizens.
The first thing that should be determined is whether or not travelers need any type of visa or not when visiting the selected destination. The next step will be determining if one can get their visa on arrival at the airport or whether you can get an eVisa before the travel even begins.
Luckily for Spanish citizens, a Spanish passport gives its holders significant international travel liberty. Over 150 countries welcome Spanish citizens without any type of visa. Moreover, around 30 of the visa-free countries have a Freedom of Movement agreement with Spain allowing Spanish citizens to travel with only their valid ID on hand.
Over 40 destinations provide an eVisa option available for Spanish citizens. This allows them to get a visa prior to the trip and skip long lines at the airport, avoiding unnecessary inconvenience.
Although getting an Embassy visa is never a pleasant thing because of the time it takes to get one, there are around 30 countries that do not allow citizens of Spain entry without one. This is why it's always important to check which countries require that before traveling abroad.
Further information on visa requirements for Spanish citizens is available below.
Electronic visa
An eVisa is a visa that Spanish citizens can apply for before the start of their trip. This allows them to avoid long lines at the airport and complete the visa application process in an effortless way online.
List of countries offering eVisas for Spanish passport holders
- American Samoa
- Angola
- The Ascension Island
- Australia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Benin
- Cambodia
- Canada
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Guam
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- India
- Iran
- Ivory Coast
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Myanmar
- New Zealand
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname
- Tanzania
- Uganda
- USA
- Vietnam
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
More than 40 countries currently offer an eVisa option for Spanish citizens. This greatly facilitates international travel since the whole visa handling process can be completed online following three simple steps.
eVisas serve perfectly for short-term trips relating to leisure, business, or transit. Spanish citizens holding eVisas can go on vacation, visit their friends and family abroad, go on a business trip, or take a layover in a foreign country.
Electronic visas for Spanish citizens are usually issued for 30 or 90 days, depending on the selected country. However, some destinations offer a different length of the permitted stay.
eVisas can be easily obtained online upon completing a quick and intuitive application process. Any working device with an internet connection works perfectly fine to apply for an eVisa from home.
All Spanish citizens must do is choose their preferred destination, check if they meet the minimum requirements, prepare the necessary documents (usually just a valid passport) and start filling the application form. Applying online takes just a few minutes and most eVisas get approved within a maximum of 72 hours.
Visa on Arrival
Another visa option for Spanish citizens is getting one at the airport upon arrival. This method greatly depends on the selected destination because not all countries have a Visa on Arrival system in place.
List of countries that offer a Visa on Arrival option for Spanish citizens
- Angola
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Cambodia
- Comoros
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Guinea-Bissau
- Iran
- Iraq
- Iraqi Kurdistan
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Hainan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- The Maldives
- Mauritania
- Mongolia
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- Somaliland
- Sri Lanka
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Over 40 destinations have a Visa on Arrival system currently in place available for Spanish passport holders to use. Visiting any of the above-listed countries does not require Spanish citizens to handle a visa prior to the planned trip.
It's worth noting that many of the VoA countries have an additional eVisa option for Spanish citizens to use. It's best to apply for an electronic visa whenever possible to travel prepared and be able to avoid the long waiting lines at the airport.
If there's no eVisa option available, one must apply for a Visa on Arrival at the nearest border control checkpoint. Travelers should ask for a VoA application form and carefully fill it out, avoiding making any mistakes in the provided data.
Next, if necessary, Spanish citizens should cover VoA issuing fees, provide any additional supporting documents, and wait for approval.
VoAs, just like eVisas, serve for short-term (usually 15, 30, or 90-day) trips that relate to tourism, professional, or transit reasons. Thus, it's possible to travel abroad for vacation, family and friends visits, business trips, or transit with Visas on Arrival obtainable at the selected airport.
Embassy visa
An Embassy visa is a visa issued by an Embassy or Consulate of a foreign country. Embassy visas serve for both short and long-term trips depending on the selected type. However, it's crucial to note that traditional visas are more difficult to obtain and can process for even a few weeks.
List of countries that require Spanish citizens to have an Embassy visa upon arrival
- Abkhazia
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Bhutan
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- The Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- The Republic of the Congo
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Crimea
- Cuba
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Liberia
- Libya
- Mali
- The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- Sudan
- Syria
- Turkmenistan
- Tokelau
- The United States Minor Outlying Islands
- Yemen
Spanish citizens must apply for an Embassy visa, regardless of the purpose of their trip, upon visiting 30 countries. The only way to get a visa to visit these countries is through the Embassy or Consulate of the country in question. As many applications are processed manually with several proofs and documents required upon request, this can take quite a while (up to several weeks).
Spanish citizens applying for an Embassy visa are required to visit the local Consulate office or Embassy to submit their application in person. Sometimes, travelers need to go through a visa interview as well.
The main difference between Embassy visas and Visas on Arrival, eVisas, or visa-free travel, is the fact that traditional visas can be used for long-term trips as well. Even those relating to working, studying, and even living abroad. However, as was already mentioned, the application process is much more difficult.
Visa-free countries
A visa-free system is in place between Spain and many countries. It's worth noting that this doesn't necessarily mean that all travelers can visit any of these countries freely without restrictions or additional documents. In most cases, the visa-free status only covers tourist trips related to tourism, family visits, and transit purposes.
Check the list of Visa-free countries for Spanish citizens.
As many as 120 countries allow Spanish citizens to visit their territory visa-free. It's crucial to remember that visa-free travel includes all short-term visits relating to leisure, business, or transit, such as:
- going on vacation
- exploring foreign countries
- trying the available tourist attractions
- handling any business affairs abroad
- taking part in a conference/seminar
- transiting to reach another final destination
So, what does traveling visa-free actually look like? Spanish citizens that wish to take on international travels without a visa should prepare their valid passports. Moreover, the traveler's passport cannot expire throughout the whole duration of the planned trip.
Please note! Countries that have a Freedom of Movement agreement with Spain make it possible for citizens of Spain to visit based on their valid ID only.