Spain Visa from the USA

American nationals are not always required to obtain a visa before traveling to Spain, given that they intend to stay no more than 90 days in a 180-day period. You should be aware that these rules are set to change at the beginning of 2025, however, so depending on when you are planning to travel you will need to make sure that you are prepared.

Additionally, if you are a US resident but do not hold American nationality, you may still need to apply for a visa even now. Specific requirements depend on your background and circumstances for traveling.

If you plan to visit Spain for more than three months, you will usually need to apply for a specific long-stay visa. The only exception will be for individuals who are traveling from the US but hold nationality in another EU member country, Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein, or Switzerland.

Page Contents

• Do Americans Need a Visa for Spain?
• Spain Visa Requirements from the USA
• Spanish Visa Types for Travel from the USA
• Student Visa
• Work Visa
• Fixed-term Employment Visa
• Self Employment Visa
• Digital Nomad Visa
• Non-lucrative Residence Visa
• Family Reunion Visa
• Golden Visa
• Is there a Retirement Visa in Spain?
• Spain Visa Application Process
• Required Documents for Spain Visa
• Spain Visa Fees
• If You Are Staying for More than Six Months
• If Your Visa Was Rejected
• How Our Spain Visa Lawyers Can Help
• FAQ

If you are applying for a Spanish visa as a US citizen with a different nationality, or if you are applying as an American national once the visa rules have changed, you will need to show that you have circumstances that qualify you for one of the available visa pathways.

Specific requirements will vary, but you will usually need to show that your circumstances fall under one of the available visa options. This might be anything from work or education-related visits, to other more personal reasons.

You will also need to show that you are overall of good character and pose minimal risk to Spanish public interest. Past visa infractions or a criminal record may impact your eligibility. Additionally, you must have sufficient means to support yourself or show evidence of an employment opportunity that is eligible for a visa and offers adequate remuneration, or that someone is supporting you when in Spain.

The student visa is issued to students who wish to come to Spain for educational purposes for a period exceeding three months. This visa usually covers a variety of studies, training, and even unpaid internships. At times, it may also be granted to those coming to Spain as an Au Pair.

To qualify, you will need to show proof of enrollment in an accredited educational institution in Spain or evidence of your affiliation with another qualifying organization.

You will also need to show that you have sufficient funds to support yourself financially and that you are of good character, which means that you have no criminal record or otherwise pose a risk to the public interest of Spain.

Traveling to Spain for work reasons will mean that you should apply for a work visa. This visa enables you to seek work as a fixed-term employee. Alternatively, you may want to consider a self-employment visa.

To qualify for this visa, you will need to show evidence of a viable job offer from a Spanish company. It is important to consider that depending on your field of work, you will need to prove that you are not negatively affecting the national employment situation (La Situación Nacional De Empleo) meaning that you are not taking away employment from a local worker.

You will also need to show that your position offers adequate remuneration in line with Spanish employment law and that you are qualified to undertake the work you will be expected to do.

If you want to come to Spain to work for yourself, whether that means opening a business or taking on freelance opportunities, you will need to apply for a self employed visa instead.

To qualify, you will need to show that you have a viable plan for your work and the means to invest in your business and sustain yourself.

If you are planning to start a company, you will need to obtain a favorable report from the ENISA.

Instead of a self employment visa or traditional work visa, Spain also offers a permission for those who wish to live abroad while working remotely for an overseas employer. If this is your situation, you might qualify for a Digital Nomad visa.

To be accepted, you will need to show that you do indeed have serious employment with an employer who has been operating for at least one year. Alternatively, if you are working for more than one company, you will need to show that you had commercial relationships with at least one business that has been sustained for at least three months.

Whatever your job may be, you will also need to show that this can indeed be carried out remotely and that this can be a sustainable arrangement with which you will be able to support yourself.

The Non-lucrative residence permission is geared towards individuals who wish to reside in Spain without carrying out any work or otherwise paid services.

It may be suitable if you are simply wishing to live somewhere based on savings, or also applies to dependent children, parents, or grandparents of someone who is already legally residing in Spain and who will be able to support them. Sometimes, this is also offered to spouses or unmarried partners of a Spanish individual, but you will need to prove the relationship and that there is good reason to file for this type of permission.

When applying, you will need to show that you will be able to support yourself or be supported while in Spain without needing to work. In case of a dependent status, you will need to show that the person who will be supporting you has the means to do so. As with other visas, you will also need to show evidence of an adequate health insurance policy that will cover you fully.

The family reunion visa will allow you to join family members who are already living in Spain. It is specifically designed for those wishing to reunite and may be offered to children, spouses, or parents of someone who is legally residing in Spain.

When applying, you will need to show proof of your current and ongoing relationship with the individual you wish to unite with.

Children must be under the age of 18 or must have a disability that qualifies them as dependent on the parent they are applying to join. They will also need to be legally represented when applying. This may be a parent or otherwise authorized individual.

Parents wishing to join a Spanish individual must be over 65 years old and have significant reasons to relocate to Spain (such as needing to receive support or care from the Spanish individual, which they cannot access elsewhere). In some cases, the age requirement may be dismissed for humanitarian reasons.

The Golden Visa is also referred to as Spain’s Investor Visa. It offers residence to individuals who have made a significant investment in the Spanish economy.

A significant investment may be:

• A purchase of unencumbered real estate for at least €500,000
• An investment of at least 1 million euros into stocks or shares of Spanish companies, investment or venture capital funds in Spain, or as bank deposits to Spanish financial institutions
• An investment of at least 2 million euros in Spanish public debt securities
• A business project in Spain that aligns with general interest by creating jobs and driving a positive socio-economic impact on the area

Should you be accepted for this visa, you will receive an approval letter via mail and be considered a legal resident from the moment of receipt onwards, usually lasting one year. There is an exception for Golden visas issued for real estate investments which will be valid for 6 months instead.

If you want to retire in Spain you may have the option to do so even though there is no official retirement visa that is offered. Instead, the most common choice is the aforementioned Non-lucrative Residence category. Alternatively, you may also consider the Golden visa, provided that you have the means to qualify.

While the exact documents for your visa may depend on the specific permission you are applying for and your individual circumstances, the overall goal is to confirm your personal details and eligibility. At a glance, required documents include but are not limited to:

• A valid passport (it must be valid for at least another 6 months at the date you plan to travel)
• A recent passport-sized photo (this must be no older than 6 months and conform to general visa entry requirements)
• Your visa application form
• Evidence of your travel itinerary (such as details of your flights)
• Evidence of your accommodation arrangements
• Evidence of all relevant insurances (such as travel insurance and health insurance)
• Evidence of financial status (showing that you can support yourself and your business, where applicable)
• A criminal record check certificate
• A medical certificate showing that you have no serious conditions that may impact the Spanish healthcare system
• The details of any person who might be supporting you, if applicable
• Details of your relationship with the person you are planning to reunite with, if applicable
• Any additional evidence that is relevant to your circumstances and the visa category you are applying to (such as proof of employment or enrollment).

Depending on your visa and circumstances you may have to pay a different fee but if you are applying for a Schengen visa, you should usually expect to pay €90 if you are over the age of 12 or €45 for applicants between 6 and 11 years of age.

If you are planning to stay in Spain for more than 6 months, for example on a student or work visa, you will need to apply for a Foreigner Identity Card within the first month of entry into the country. You may do so at the police station of your province or at the Foreign Nationals’ Office.

Visa applications are subject to case-by-case evaluation and there is no way to guarantee a positive outcome beyond giving it the best chance by filing a strong application.

If you have been denied a visa, you may be able to submit an appeal request within 1 month of the decision date. Should you require judicial review, this may be applied for within 2 months of the rejection or of a dismissal of an appeal.