In Spain, the Schengen Agreement is in force, and all issues of issuing visas are resolved according to Schengen standards. For almost every request, you can get a visa for a period of 180 days with the right to be present in the Schengen countries for up to 90 days. But there are cases where a national Spanish visa is required, allowing for a longer stay.
Types of visas to Spain:
- visa C is issued mainly for short-term and tourist trips;
- transit visas A and B for transfers in transit zones or for staying up to 5 days in the country;
- national visa D for presence in Spain for more than 3 months;
- study (student) visa for study, internship and research work;
- resident visa, giving the right to indefinite residence.
Depending on the objectives of the trip, you can apply for a guest visa, business visa, tourist visa, etc. Visas can also be single or multiple entry. By applying to the Spanish Immigration Service for a short-term single-entry visa, already at the first application, you can easily get a six-month or one-year multivisa.
Visas are rarely denied. Since 2011, there has been a provision that a refusal to issue a visa document must be accompanied by an explanatory letter stating the reason for the refusal. Most often these are incorrectly collected and executed documents for a visa .
Spain Work or Employment Visa
The Spanish work visa is very popular among those who are looking for a good income opportunity. The level of salaries in the country is one of the highest in the European Union. However, the unemployment rate is also considered to be the highest. Getting a work visa is not easy. It is necessary that there are no applicants for the vacancy both from Spain itself and from the EU countries.
Before applying for a visa , you will need to independently find an employer who will have to obtain permission from the authorities to attract a foreign employee. The contract concluded with him will be the basis for issuing a work visa. Applying for a visa under an employment contract requires obtaining a residence permit and a work permit in advance. When these documents are ready, it is necessary to obtain a work visa within 30 days.
Such a visa can be granted without concluding a contract to those who plan to open their own company in Spain. Another category of visas allows you to get permission to leave Spain. Such visas are usually obtained by artists, athletes, artists and high-ranking officials.
Student visa to Spain
If the learning process takes less than 7 months, then a short-term Schengen visa is issued. But most often you need to get a category D visa for a longer period. A student visa allows you to:
- be trained in one of the programs;
- conduct research or educational activities;
- practice in specialized public and private institutions.
Initially , a visa is issued in the student’s country of residence. To receive it, you need to confirm enrollment in the training program, payment for the course, availability of housing, funds for living, purchase a medical insurance policy with a maximum coverage of 30 thousand euros.
After obtaining a visa, you need to apply for a student residence permit within a month after arriving in the country. The maximum term of the primary student residence permit is one year. In the two months remaining before the end of the term, it will be necessary to issue an extension of this status. Be sure to provide a certificate of completion of the previous course, which is issued only upon successful passing of exams.
To legalize the status, you will need to submit an application to the Bureau for Foreigners and receive a foreign student card. A student visa does not provide employment rights. If such a need arises, you will need to obtain a separate work permit.
Business visa to Spain
To visit Spain in order to participate in conferences, meetings and other business events, as well as to resolve business organization issues, a business visa is required . Usually a Schengen visa is issued with a period of 90 days of stay not only in Spain, but also in other countries that have signed the agreement.
In practice, in order to obtain a visa with a stay of more than 30 days, a long-term visa is immediately issued:
- with the right to work;
- without a work permit;
- for the purpose of vocational training or internship.
Documents for a visa of this kind are, first of all, an invitation from a Spanish business partner or organization. It is desirable to provide it to the visa authorities in the original, but in some cases you can show a copy of the document from the Internet.
The invitation letter must include the following information:
- the name of the host company and its contacts;
- information about the invited person;
- indication of the time and purpose of the trip;
- single or multiple entry visa;
- guarantees assumed by the inviter.
Even if the Spanish company assumes all the upcoming expenses in full, you will need to show in the financial statements that the visa applicant has enough money for the entire trip (about 70 euros per day).
If you need to apply for a visa valid for more than one year, you will need to confirm the duration of contacts with the inviting party: contracts, correspondence, payment documents. In order to put a multiple Schengen visa in your passport, you need to have 2-3 previous visas in it.
Tourist visa to Spain
A tourist visa is the easiest type of visa to apply for and requires a minimum amount of time and paperwork. Getting a tourist visa often allows you to solve other issues besides sightseeing. Such a visa is requested for viewing Spanish real estate, short-term business trips, transactions and business trips. The easiest way to get a tourist visa is to buy a tour from an operator. The company involved in such trips will collect all the necessary documents, book a hotel and air tickets, and take care of insurance.
A regular tourist visa to Spain is a six-month multiple-entry visa with an allowed period of up to 3 months in six months. You can apply for a visa , in principle, for any period. But the diplomatic institution of Spain has the right to shorten it at its discretion.
You need to apply for a tourist visa only at the visa center, because The consulate gave them all powers. The processing time is usually no more than seven days, but you should not put everything off until the last moment. It is better to apply for a visa 15-20 days before the trip. To submit documents, a personal presence is required, but you can issue a notarized power of attorney to one of your relatives in a direct line: husband / wife, brother / sister, children.
Spain visa documents
It is possible to apply for a visa to Spain 3 months before the trip. But keep in mind that all certificates that will need to be provided have an expiration date limited to one month. Applicants for a long-term visa must apply to the Consulate of Spain, and documents for a tourist visa must be submitted only to the visa centers.
The list of documents includes:
- Visa application (written in English or Spanish).
- 4 photos 3 x 4 cm (tourist visa will require 2 photos).
- Foreign passport, valid and canceled, and copies of all completed pages.
- Copies of completed pages of the internal civil passport.
- Insurance policy for all types of medical care, valid in Spain and the Schengen countries with a maximum coverage (not less than 30 thousand euros).
- Documents confirming the guarantee of accommodation (place to stay): hotel reservation, rental agreement, confirmation of the Spanish inviting.
- Certificate from the place of study / work with a guarantee of maintaining the place for the entire period of absence.
- Financial documents confirming the availability of funds (not less than 562 euros for the duration of the visit to Spain).
Entrepreneurs will need to present a copy of registration documents and income declaration.
The visa authorities may request any additional references to verify the accuracy of the information.
