A visa application for Spain depends mainly on the length and purpose of the stay. There are three types of visas: the short-stay visa, also known as the Schengen visa, the long-stay visa (or permanent visa) and the airport transit visa.
The Schengen visa is issued by Spanish consulates for a maximum duration of 90 days in any 180-day period. This means that the traveller may not stay more than 90 days in a 180-day period and may not carry out professional activity under any circumstances. The Schengen visa may be requested for short tourist stays, family visits, studies lasting less than three months or business purposes such as fairs and meetings.
For stays of more than 90 days, different types of long-stay visas are available depending on the purpose of travel. In addition to work and family reunification visas, there are visas for investors, digital nomads (remote workers), students and researchers. Each visa category is subject to specific conditions and requirements.
Finally, the airport transit visa is required for nationals of certain third countries who must make a stopover in a Spanish airport before continuing to a destination outside the Schengen area.
The application must be submitted between six months and 30 days before the planned travel date. A response to a tourist visa application can take up to two months. It is therefore strongly recommended to plan the application in advance.



