Applying for a Spanish Visa in the United Kingdom - Spain VISA UK (2023)

Spain is considered one of the most attractive countries to visit in Europe. Every year, millions of holidaymakers from the UK head to Spain for its combination of unique culture, Mediterranean cuisine and beaches.

Who Needs a Visa to Travel to Spain From the UK?

Although UK citizens who hold either a full UK passport or a BOTC, BOC, BPP or BS passport can travel freely to Spain, UK residents of many specific nationalities are required to get a Spanish Schengen visa to travel to Spain.

In recent years, following visa liberalization policies for non-EU countries, the number of countries whose nationals require visas to travel to Europe has slightly decreased.

Here is the list of nationalities that are still required to get a Schengen Visa to visit Spain and other Schengen states.

Below you can find more information about the requirements and guidelines on applying for a visa to Spain from the UK.

Who Can Apply for a Spain Visa in the UK?

Citizens of these countries residing in the UK and planning to visit Spain are required to get a Spanish visa in order to be able to enter Spain. The main requirement is that you must have a UK residence permit valid for at least another three months beyond the date you plan to leave Spain / the Schengen Area.

Use theSpanish Schengen visa eligibility checkertool to find out if you qualify to apply for a Spanish visa from the UK.

If you have a 3-month UK visa, you can extend it for three more months in order to be eligible to apply for a Spanish Schengen visa from within the UK. You must apply for an extension before your visa expires and while you’re still in the UK. Find out moreon how to extend your UK visa.

You should apply for a visa at the Spanish Embassy/Consulate or Spanish visa application centre in the UK if:

• Spain is the only Schengen country you plan on visiting
• Spain is your main destination (the country you will be staying the longest in)
• Spain is the first Schengen country you are visiting (when spending an equal amount of days in Spain and another Schengen country)

If you plan on staying in Spain for more than 90 days, you must apply for a residency permit, not a Spain Schengen visa.

Please note that if you are not a resident in the United Kingdom, you should apply at the Spanish Embassy/Consulate or Spanish visa application centre in your home country.

What Documents Are Required When Applying for a Spanish Schengen Visa in the UK?

The following documents are required when applying to obtain aSpanish visa in the UK:

• A valid passport or Travel document. Please make sure that:
  • Your passport has been issued within the previous 10 years,
  • Your passport will be valid for at least three (3) months after the date you exit Spain.
  • Your passport has 2 full blank pages, one for the visa stamp and an additional spare page
• A valid UK residency permit or another form of Identity Card.
  • The UK residency permit must be endorsed in the actual passport (or on a new biometric ID card) and must be valid for a minimum of 30 days from the date of expiration of the visa.
  • Photocopy of both sides of the residence card.
  • Holders of a UK C-visit Visa are not eligible for a Schengen visa.
• Biometric fingerprint data and a digital photograph
  • Children under the age of 12 are exempted from the biometric fingerprint data requirement
  • Note: You cannot book an appointment if you have minor injuries on your fingers. You have to wait until the injuries have healed in order to book an appointment.
• One Spanish visa application form filled out completely and signed by the applicant (please read the explanations carefully).
• One passport format photo that has a light background, is brightly coloured and shows full face features. The photo must be less than three months old and be glued to the application form. Applications with stapled photographs will be rejected.
• Proof of travel arrangements:
  • Full Travel Itinerary
  • Printed tickets or email confirmation from the carrier company. Learn how to get a flight reservation for the visa.
  • If travelling by car:
    • Copy of your driver’s license
    • Car insurance
    • Car registration or car rental documentation
• Travel Insurance stating that you are covered in case of a medical emergency and repatriation all over the Schengen area and not just in Spain (minimum coverage of €30.000). UK residents can easily purchase travel insurance for Spain from Europ Assistance.
• Proof of accommodation in Spain. It can be one of the following:
  • Evidence of a hotel booking or rental agreement, stating the name of the applicant, or
  • An official invitation letter issued by the Police of Spain with a copy of your host’s passport
    • Only official invitation letters that are issued by the Police of Spain are accepted. Please, check the following link for more information on this procedure:
      https://www.policia.es/documentacion/no_comunitarios/car_requisitos.html
• Proof of financial subsistencefor the period of stay requested: £84 (€100) per day of stay and person, with a minimum of £760 (€900) per person regardless of the intended duration of the stay.
• Invitation Letter – A visa invitation letter is a letter written by the person/company you are going to visit in Spain.

The documents listed above are documents required in all cases, regardless of the purpose of your visit to Spain.

Depending on your UK employment status, here is a list of additional documents that are required for your Spanish visa application:

If travel is by private invitation, official invitation letter (original and photocopy).

If employed:

• A hand-signed employment letter
• Current bank statement of the latest 6 months
• Leave permission from the employer
• Income Tax Return (ITR) form or Certificate of Income Tax deducted at the source of salary

If self-employed:

• A copy of your business license
• Company bank statement of the latest 6 months
• Income Tax Return (ITR)

If a dependant:

• For the applicant’s benefactor:
  • A bank account statement that proves the financial sufficiency
  • Payslips for three months
  • Passport copy
  • Employment letter
• For the applicant:
  • Proof of sponsorship
  • Birth certificate or marriage certificate
  • Proof of relationship with the sponsor

For foreign students in the UK:

• Proof of enrollment at UK education institution,
• No-objection certificate from school or university in the UK

If retired:

• Pension statement of the latest 6 months

If unemployed and married to an EU citizen:

• A recent (less than 3 months old) Confirmation of Employment letter from their spouse’s employer stating the position held within the company as well as the starting date,
• Spouse’s valid passport.
• An officially translated marriage certificate. The translation must be in English or Spanish and must be certified as a true copy by the country’s Embassy where the marriage took place or by the Legalization Bureau of the Foreign Office in the UK.
• If you are a family member of a Spanish national, you are required to have “Libro de Familia” (Family Book) – a document issued by the Spanish Ministry of Justice.

Spanish visa requirements for children under the age of 18

Underage children must be accompanied by parents or an adult guardian at the application centre at the Spain Consulate General. Also, minors who are granted a Spain visa are not allowed to travel to Spain by themselves. They should be accompanied by an adult during their stay in Spain.

Required documents for Spanish visa application for underage children

• Birth certificate
• Travel consent signed by both parents or an adult guardian
• Copies of parents’ passports (or adult guardian’s passports)
• Both parents’ signature on the application form

Note: All documents must be either in Spanish or English or officially translated by a certified translator.

How to Apply for a Spain Visa From the UK?

The application procedure for a Spanish visa in the UK is pretty similar to that in every other country in the world.

To apply for a Spanish visa in the UK, you must follow these steps:

1. Figure out which Spanish short-stay visa type you need. There aredifferent Spanish Schengen visa types depending on your purpose of travelling from the UK to Spain.
2. Find out where you need to apply for a Spanish visa in the UK.
3. Decide when to apply for a Spanish visa in the UK. The earliest time you can lodge your Spanish visa application in the UK is six months before your planned trip, while the latest time is at least 15 working days before you intend to travel from the UK to Spain.
4. Collect the mandatory Spanish visa documents for UK Residents.
5. Appoint an interview at a Spanish visa application centre in the UK. You may make a Spanish visa appointment online, by phone, or in person. Below in this article, you can find more information on how to make a Spanish visa appointment.
6. Attend the interview on the day of your appointment. Show up on time and try not to be nervous. Remember that the interview is a crucial part of your visa application.
7. Pay the Spanish visa fee.
8. Wait for the processing of your Spanish visa.

Booking a Spanish visa appointment in London

To apply for a visa to Spain in the UK, you must book an appointment with the Spanish Consulate in London or Edinburgh based on your county of residence.

This can be done in these ways:

• By booking a visa appointment directly with the at the Spanish Consulate. All applicants who want to apply directly should write a letter, which can be delivered in person or by post, to the Spanish Consulate. An appointment will usually be given within 2 weeks after you apply if there are appointment slots available.
  • The Consulate works Monday to Friday from 09:15 AM to 2:30 PM except on holidays.
• Through the Spain Visa Application Centre in London operated by BLS International.

Schengen Visa Types for Short-Term Visits in Spain

You need to apply for a Spanish Schengen visa if you intend to travel from the UK to Spain for the following reasons:

• business purposes.
• visiting friends and family.
• tourism and holidays.
• cultural and sports events.
• airport transit and transit for seafarers.
• official visit.
• medical reasons.
• short-term study purposes.

Depending on your reasons for visiting Spain and the frequency of your visits, the Spanish consulate in London can issue you asingle-entry visa,double-entry visa, or multiple-entry visa.

Spanish Visa Processing Time in the UK

You can only apply for a Spain visa within six months before your planned trip. The processing time of your application may take from one to four weeks from the day you submit your application; therefore, you are advised to apply earlier.

For your convenience, you are advised to apply for a Spanish visa at least 20 working days in advance.

Visas are not issued on the same day except in cases of an extreme medical emergency. You will be required to bring a document of proof for your medical emergency.

Spain Visa Fees for UK Residents

Since 1 January 2017, the Spain Consulate in the UK has introduced their revised visa fees:

Keep in mind that these fees may change depending on currency fluctuations and can only be paid in UK Pounds, and payment must be made in cash. Also, the visa application fee is not refundable and doesn’t guarantee that you will be granted a visa to Spain.

Spanish visa fee exemptions

Besides children younger than 6 years of age, the spouse of an EEA/EU national is exempted from a visa application fee.

FAQ about Traveling from the UK to Spain and Obtaining a Spanish Visa in the UK

Can an Indian passport holder apply for a Spanish visa from the UK?

IndiancitizensandIndian passport holdersthat have been legally residing inthe United Kingdomfor more than three months can apply for aSpanish visain theUK.

Non-residents such as Indian travellers and Indian tourists who plan on staying in the UK for three months or less should be discouraged from applying for a Spanish visa from the UK. Instead, they should apply for a Spanish visa in India.

What can I do if my visa gets denied?

If your Spanish visa in the UK gets denied, you can appeal against the decision within a month from the date of the refusal. To apply, these are the documents that you need to provide:

• A copy of the refusal letter.
• A cover letter to support your grounds of appeal
• A copy of your passport
• UK residence permit
• Current address and telephone number
• A stamped addressed envelope (SAE)

Who can be accompanied inside the Spanish visa application centre?

Children under the age of 18 and applicants in need of assistance due to disabilities or health problems can be accompanied inside the Spanish visa application centre.

Can I book one appointment for all my family members?

For each member of your family, including children, you must book an individual appointment.

Do I need a passport if I am travelling from the UK to Spain?

• As an EU citizen:You will not need a passport to travel from the UK to Spain. Instead, you must hold a valid EU national ID card to confirm your identity and nationality when entering Spain.
• As a British citizen: You must have a passport, and it should not be older than ten years. In addition, your passport should be valid for at least three months after the date you exit the Schengen Area.
• As a non-EU citizen: You must have a passport, and you might also need a Spanish visa to travel to Spain from the UK. Passport must not be older than ten years. In addition, they must hold a validity period of at least three months from the day you will be leaving Spain.

Do British Citizens Need Travel Insurance for Spain?

Travel insurance for Spain is an essential part of your trip, but it is not required by law. In other words, even though you are highly encouragedtoget a travel insurance plan whenever travelling from the UK to Spain and Europe, you will be allowed to visit Europe even without it – at your own risk.

At which Spanish Consulate General should I apply?

Spain is represented in the UK through two Consulate Generals: London and Edinburgh and three honorary vice consulates: Birmingham, Cayman Islands and Bermuda. However, for visa applications, the whole UK territory falls under the jurisdiction of two Consulate Generals.

To choose where to apply for a Spanish visa in the UK, you should consider the country you are resident in.

Applying for a Spanish visa at the General Consulate of Spain in London

You can apply for a Spanish visa at the General Consulate of Spain in London if you are a UK resident living in any of the countries or overseas territories falling under the consular jurisdiction of the Spanish Consulate in London.

The Consulate General in London has jurisdiction in these countries inside the UK: Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Caerphilly, Carmarthenshire, Cambridgeshire, Cardiff, Ceredigion, Conwy, Cornwall, Denbighshire, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, East Sussex, East Riding of Yorkshire, Essex, Flintshire, Gloucestershire, Greater London, Gwynedd, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Isle of Anglesey, Isle of Wight, Isles of Scilly, Kent, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Rutland, Shropshire, Somerset, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Swansea, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan, Warwickshire, West Midlands, West Sussex, Wiltshire, Worcestershire, Wrexham ;

And in the following British overseas territories:

• Bermuda
• Cayman Islands
• Falkland Islands
• Gibraltar
• Guernsey
• Jersey
• Isle of Man

Applying for a Spanish visa at the General Consulate of Spain in Edinburgh

You can apply for a Spanish visa directly at the General Consulate of Spain in Edinburgh if you are a UK resident living in any of the countries falling under the consular jurisdiction of the Spanish Consulate in Edinburgh and:

• If you are applying for a Spanish long-stay visa (more than 90 days) or
• If you hold a diplomatic, service or official passport.

Spanish Consulate in Edinburgh covers these countries:

• Scotland and Scottish Islands
• Northern Ireland
• The following English counties: Cleveland, Cumbria, Durham, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, North Yorkshire, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, West Yorkshire.

(Source: http://www.exteriores.gob.es)

Note: Honorary vice consulates in Bermuda, Birmingham and Cayman Islands do not handle visa applications.

Spain Visa Application Centers in the UK

Spanish Visa Application Center in London

Address
Lower Ground Floor, Cromwell House,
14 Fulwood Place, London, WC1V 6HZ

Timings
Passport Collection Time: 9:00 to 10:00 hrs (Monday to Friday) and16:00 to 17:00 hrs (Monday to Friday)
Submission Time: 08:30 to 15:30 hrs (Monday to Friday)
Phone: +442031291651
Email: [emailprotected]

Spanish Visa Application Center in Edinburgh

Address
6 Dock Place, Suite 1A, First Floor Office,
Edinburgh, EH6 6LU

Timings
Submission Time: 08:30 to 12:30 hrs (Monday to Friday)
Phone: +442031291651
Email: [emailprotected]

Spanish Visa Application Center in Manchester

Address
Suite 2- 8th Floor, St James’s House
Pendleton Way
Salford M6 5FW, Manchester

Timings
Submission Time: 08:30 to 13:00 hrs (Monday to Friday)
Phone: +442031291651
Email: [emailprotected]

Related visa information for the UK Residents:

• Schengen visa UK
• France visa UK
• Germany visa UK
• Italy visa UK
• Netherlands visa UK
• Portugal visa UK

Embassy & Consulates of Spain inthe United Kingdom

• Consulate of Spain in Edinburgh, United Kingdom
• Consulate of Spain in London, United Kingdom
• Embassy of Spain in London, United Kingdom