Business Visa Spain

A Schengen Business Visa allows holders to travel and reside in Spain for up to 90 days for business purposes. This includes attending trade fairs, conferences, meetings, training and any unpaid activity. It is not a work authorisation visa and no paid activity should be done while in Spain on this visa.

The Business Visa is a short-term Schengen visa for Spain or any other Schengen country. Its purpose is to provide a short-stay visa distinct from a Tourist Visa to permit holders to attend a business event, inter-company training, audits, or similar. The visa is valid for 90 days within any 180-day period.

With this Business Visa, non-EU citizens and nationals from non-Schengen countries can remain in Spain for up to three months. There are three types of Business Visa, each aimed at a specific business activity: the Schengen Business Visa, the Self-employed Worker Permit, and the Entrepreneur Visa.

Page Contents

• Schengen Business Visas in Spain
• Eligibility Requirements for Spain Business Visa
• Types of Business Visas in Spain
• Application Process for Spain Business Visa
• Documentation Requirements for Spain Business Visa
• Spain Business Visa Application Fees
• Spain Business Visa Processing Time
• How Can Total Law Help
• Frequently Asked Questions

To be eligible for the Business Visa, applicants must meet certain requirements. These include:

• Holding a valid passport which has at least three months of validity beyond your planned departure date from Spain
• Proof of invitation to attend a business event, e.g. letter from the organiser of the event or your employer
• Evidence of sufficient financial means for your stay, e.g., bank statements. The minimum amount you should have available is €100 per day.
• Valid and sufficient medical insurance coverage
• Detailed itinerary of your intended activities while in Spain

Depending on which of the Spanish visas you are applying for, you may need to provide additional evidence supporting your application. As a self-employed worker, you must submit a business plan and an apostilled criminal record check certificate. For an Entrepreneur Visa, you must submit a business plan and prove that your business idea is truly innovative.

Citizens of EU member states, EFTA countries, and residents of any of the Schengen countries who hold a valid residence permit are not required to have a Business Visa for Spain.

The Schengen Business Visa is a type of short-stay visa similar to a Tourist Visa. It allows the holder to attend business events and participate in unpaid activities during their stay. This could be conducting an audit, engaging in professional training, or attending corporate events. The Short-Stay Business Visa does not allow for any income-generating activity. You can stay in Spain for 90 days or travel to other Schengen countries.

The Self-employed Worker Permit gives the holder the right to work and live in Spain for one year. The permit can be renewed for four years at the end of this period. It suits those wanting to work freelance or set up a business in Spain.

Someone with an innovative business idea can apply for the Entrepreneur Visa, which authorises them to live and work in Spain for up to three years when it can be renewed. The criteria for this visa are much stricter and requires a detailed business plan.

To apply for the Business Visa, you must follow the correct procedure and meet all necessary deadlines. The following guide will ensure you don’t miss any important steps.

• Establish where you need to apply for your Schengen Business Visa. Depending on your country of residence, this could be the Spanish consulate or embassy in your country, a visa application centre, or any other entity to which Spain has outsourced its visa processing, even if it is in another Schengen country.
• Check how soon you should apply. The earliest is about six months before your departure date, and the latest is two weeks before. The recommended time is at least three weeks in advance.
• Book a visa appointment.
• Complete, print and sign the Spain Business Visa application form. The information on the form must match that on your supporting documents.
• Gather all the required documents.
• Attend your visa interview. You will be asked questions about your reasons for wanting a Schengen Visa and you must submit all your supporting documents. Your biometric data will be taken at this appointment unless you have submitted this information to a Schengen consulate in the previous five years.
• Make the visa fee payment.

You must apply for your Business Visa in good time to avoid delays and attend your visa interview. For a successful Short Stay Business Visa application, ensure you have all the required paperwork, including any official translation of foreign documents and provide evidence of the business activity you will be engaging in.

Common mistakes people make on visa applications are incomplete or incorrect documentation, missing deadlines, overlooking visa requirements and applying for the wrong visa.

To avoid committing these errors, contact Total Law on +44 (0) 333 305 9375. Our immigration specialists will guide you through the Spanish immigration system, ensure your application and documentation are complete and answer any questions.

To apply for a Schengen Business Visa, you must provide the following documents to the Spanish authorities.

• Unexpired passport with three months validity beyond the date you are due to leave Spain. It should also have at least two blank pages.
• Two recent passport photos with white background
• Completed and signed visa application form
• Health insurance coverage up to €30,000
• Letter from employer or invitation from hosting company
• Evidence of accommodation for the duration of the stay
• Sufficient financial capacity for your entire stay
• Receipt from visa fee payment

Spain Business Visa requirements may vary according to the purpose of the visit or the circumstances of the applicant, so additional documents may be required. The digitisation of Schengen visas means that in future, documents will be uploaded directly when you apply for a Spain Schengen Business Visa. This update will apply to any visa in Spain or other Schengen countries.

The price of a Schengen Business Visa is €80 for an adult and €45 for a child between the ages of six and below 12 years. Children younger than six do not incur a visa fee.

Several categories of travellers are exempt from the fee for a Business Visa, including diplomatic passport holders travelling for official reasons, EU or EEA nationals’ family members, scientists and researchers travelling for professional purposes, and representatives of nonprofit organisations.

The typical processing time for a Schengen Business Visa application is two weeks. However, if the Spanish embassy in your consular district receives a large number of applications, this may extend the processing time of your application. If your situation is not straightforward, your application may take longer than normal. In these cases, you may have to wait up to a month to receive your visa for Spain.