Spanish Visitor Visa

Tourism has encountered an enormous boost in Spain and the country had been able to improve its socio-economic situation due to its prosperous hospitality sphere. The national government, in order to guarantee the security of the foreign tourists and provide better law and order, enhanced a tangled way of getting visas for British residents. We are more than happy to share a detailed clear procedure on how to obtain a Spanish visa in 2022.

Let’s consider this:

Introduction

1. Top questions

1.1 What is a visa & who needs to get it?

1.2 What Visitor Visa is to enter Spain? 

1.3 How long is a Visitor Visa valid for?

1.4 When should I start applying to get a Visitor Visa?

1.5 How long does it take to get a Spanish Visitor Visa?

1.6 Where is the Visitor Visa processed?

1.7 How much does it cost to obtain a Spanish Visitor Visa?

1.8 How to pay?

2. Application process

2.1 Documents to apply for a Spanish Visitor Visa

2.2 Steps to apply for a Spanish Visitor Visa

3. Visitor Visa Extension

In overall 

The boom in the number of international travelers in Spain has led to numerous benefits in terms of local business & study generation. This is also linked to global funding and infrastructure improvement. In parallel, there is an issue about their influence on the local population in Spain. While questions have been raised on the detrimental effects alongside the increase in the Spanish travel industry, it is of high importance to say that, by enforcing strict law and order and implementing clear and transparent legislation, authorities may regulate most of these bad effects of trips to Spain. For this reason, certain visa requirements have brought innumerable perks to Spanish and especially the local citizens. On the other side, we are sure that the procedure of obtaining a visa to enter Spanish is not as complicated thing as it seems to be. Let’s start to answer as well as get the responses to some questions to find out the Spanish visa application process.

1. Top questions

1.1 What is a visa & who needs to get it?

According to Wikipedia definition, a visa is a permit given by Italy that allows someone to fly, stay in, or pass through the border of Spain. This document is stamped on one’s passport by a Visa Application Center. It goes without saying, there is the type of visit and the duration of staying in the country. In rare cases, people have to be interviewed at the Visa Application Center before they obtain a visa. Henceforth, it can be confidently conveyed that some categories of citizens who reside in the UK are offered visa-free conditions to see Spain.

British citizens are exempted from visas for short stay visits to the Schengen area (up to 90 days in any 180 days period) but will require a visa if staying more than 90 days in Spain. On the other side, if you do not hold a UK passport or a BOTC, BOC, BPP, or BS passport meaning that you are a UK resident there is a need to get a Spanish Schengen visa to visit Spain.

Please, take a look at the tables to check out whether your nationality requires you to apply for a Spanish visa or not.

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With the primary condition such as a UK residence permit valid for at least another three more months beyond the date you plan to leave Spain / the Schengen Area comes a plethora of benefits like you can live in Spain for less than 90 days but if your idea is about staying in Spain for more than 90 days, then there is a need to apply for a residency permit, not a Spanish Schengen visa.

If you have a 3 month UK visa, you can extend it for three more months 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.

1.2 What Visitor Visa is to enter Spain? 

This is issued to guests of Spanish nationals (family members, friends, or relatives) who reside within the territory of Spain.

1.3 How long is a Visitor Visa valid for?

An important point that you need to keep in your mind is that you can get a Spanish Visiting Relatives visa with a maximum validity of 90 days per 6 months.

1.4 When should I start applying to get a Visitor Visa?

It is highly recommended to apply for a Spanish Visitor Visa at least 20 calendar days prior to the planned trip.

1.5 How long does it take to get a Spanish Visitor Visa?

You will be replied to by the Visa Application Center from one to four weeks from the day you submit your application.

Normally proceeding time takes up to two months if there is something unusual in a certain situation.

1.6 Where is the Visitor Visa processed?

IF YOU VISIT ONLY SPAIN THEN you need to submit your application at the Spanish Visa Center IN THE UK.

IF YOU VISIT MORE COUNTRIES THAN SPAIN THEN you need to submit your application at the Visa Center IN THE COUNTRY:

– you will be spending more days;

– you will come in first since you plan to spend an equal amount of days in each.

Address:

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

Contact details:

Phone: +442031291651
Email: info.lhr@blshelpline.com

However, to meet the skyrocketing demand for Spanish Visas, the Spanish Embassy outsourced its Visa Application Processing to the Spanish Visa Centers in London. To be added, a Visa Application Centre is a special third-party service provider authorized to accept visa applications on behalf of a country. It should transmit the information on the applicant and their application to the responsible body for visa processing which is the embassy or consulate of the applicant’s destination country. Our company is ready to help you with filling and sending the necessary documents to the Visa Application Center. Thus, at present, our company corrects and sends the documents to get Spanish Visas through BLS International Visa Application Center.

1.7 How much does it cost to obtain a Spanish Visitor Visa?

The cost for processing a visa is totally different for some categories of UK residents:

– 73 UK pounds is the actual visa processing fee for adults;

– 36,5 UK pounds is the actual visa processing fee for the 6-12 years old kids.

There is no fee to be paid for the next categories of UK residents:

– the kids younger than 6 years of age;

– a family member of an EU/EEA national.

1.8 How to pay?

You have the option of paying the visa fees by cash or Credit/ Debit card when applying at the Visa Application Centre. Checks are not accepted.

2. Application process

2.1 Documents to apply for a Spanish Visitor Visa

When applying for a Spanish Visitor Visa, you must provide the next documents:

FIRST DOCUMENT – VISA APPLICATION FORM 

You need to fill in your Short-stay Visa Application Form legibly, and correctly, sign it, and be aware that addresses in Spain must specify the number, street name, city, and postal code.

Please make use of the following table to fill in the form correctly:

SECOND DOCUMENT – TWO RECENT PHOTOS

It is recommended to follow all the following Spanish Visa Photo Requirements:

– Two identical photos. Not older than six months;

– Photo size: 35x45mm (width*height);

– In color. No black and white;

– Head should take 70-80% of the photo;

– Brightly colored background. Light grey is suggested;

– The applicant should be looking straight at the camera;

– Neutral face expression. No smile and mouth closed;

– Avoid uniforms or colors matching the background.

THIRD DOCUMENT – VALID PASSPORT

Your passport’s maximum validity period: 10 years.

Your passport minimum validity period: 3 months after your trip to Spain. Your passport should have at least two blank pages in order to be able to affix the visa sticker.

FOURTH DOCUMENT – TRAVEL HEALTH INSURANCE

You need to be aware of some travel insurance requirements, such as the following:

– A minimum coverage of at least 30,000 EUR;

– It should cover all member states of the Schengen Area;

Regarding this, it is highly recommended to contact one of the companies like AXA or Europ Assistance.

FIFTH DOCUMENT – LETTER OF INVITATION

Provide a consulate with a copy of your relative or friend’s Spanish passport. If they do not have that one please use the copy of the residency permit.

SIXTH DOCUMENT – TRAVEL ITINERARY

Actually, this document means a full description of your trip, a goal of your trip, the duration of your living in Spain, and your contact data.

SEVENTH DOCUMENT – A FLIGHT ITINERARY (RESERVATION)

Sometimes you can hear other names of this document like Booked Flight Itinerary, Flight Itinerary for Visa Application, Flight Reservation, Air Ticket Booking, Dummy Air Ticket for Visa, Dummy Ticket, Flight Confirmation, and Return Ticket.

A Flight Itinerary for Visa Application is not an actual air ticket that you spend money for without ensuring that your Spanish Visa will not be declined. Flight reservation means a document of a detailed plan of your flight or travel journey to Spain. So, it is only a flight timetable on the chosen flight airline including a flight name, your name, a valid flight reservation number or booking ID, arrival and departure date and airport IATA codes, and the price of a real Flight Ticket.

Getting a Flight Reservation for your visa application is not a price-free matter. It is real to get charged with a small amount of money to be confirmed about your flight. There are not so many air companies to do this for free by not charging you anything until you buy the actual Flight Ticket. But, in the long run, you can try to find some air companies that offer a charge-free Flight Reservation.

EIGHTH DOCUMENT – PROOF OF SUBSISTENT FINANCIAL MEANS

This is a supporting document that demonstrates you have enough money to support yourself when your stay in Spain. Proof of subsistent financial means maybe one of these docs:

– bank account statement;

– sponsorship letter from another person who can financially support your trip to Spain;

– a combination of both.

In other words, there are some recognized docs to use as proof of subsistent financial means:

– a personal bank statement with your financial affairs for at least 3 last months;

– credit card;

– cash;

– cheques;

– payslips;

– proof of employment;

– document from your sponsor during your stay;

– proof of prepaid accommodation;

– a document about your private accommodation;

– proof of prepaid transport;

– other docs.

Any applicant when applying for Spain Visa should attest to the Spain Visa Application Center possessing this:

at least 100€/day, with a minimum of €900per person regardless of the intended duration of the stay.

NINTH DOCUMENT – PROOF OF FAMILY CONNECTION

If you have relatives in Spain then you need to attach proof of family relationship with them.

TENTH DOCUMENT – PROOF OF EMPLOYMENT STATUS

In case of your employment:

– employment contract;

– leave permission from the employer;

– Income Tax Return.

In case of your self-employment:

– a copy of your business license;

– company’s bank statement of the latest 6 months;

– Income Tax Return (ITR).

In case of your studies:

– proof of enrollment;

– No Objection Letter from University.

ELEVENTH DOCUMENT – DOCUMENTS FOR THE MINORS

There are some docs that you should present for the minors:

– birth certificate;

– minor accompanied by one parent should provide an original notarized NOC by the other parent, plus copies of parent’s passports or ID

– copies of both parent’s passports or ID;

– an original notary-recognized NOC by both parents or legal guardians if you are going to travel alone.

TWELFTH DOCUMENT – PROOF OF ACCOMMODATION

You are able to select one of the next options to live in Spain while you are visiting your friends or relatives:

– hotel booking;

– house/ flat of your family member, relative, or your friend at whose house you want to stay;

– rent contract.

2.2 Steps to apply for a Spanish Visitor Visa

Irrespective of your visa type, your movements after collecting all the corresponding docs to getting a Spanish visa are the same:

FIRST STEP – find out the option of applying – through the Visa Application Center on your own or contact us to help you with filling out the documents.

SECOND STEP – figure out the appropriate time to go in person to apply for the Spanish Visa.

THIRD STEP – make an appointment at the Spanish Visa Application Center

There are two options to make an appointment:

– online;

– in person.

FOURTH STEP – attend the interview with the collected documents.

FIFTH STEP – pay the visa fee.

SIXTH STEP – wait for a reply from the application center on your visa application.

Take note that the visa application form must clearly contain the dates of your visit and which cities you will be staying in. For this reason, it is better to collect your documents and fill in your visa application form once you have all of the information you need for the visa application.

3. Visitor Visa Extension

You will not be able to extend your Spanish Visa for Visiting Family, Friends, or Relatives for all the reasons. But some of the important reasons to extend your Spanish Visitor Visa are the next:

– humanitarian reasons;

– force majeure;

– vital personal reasons;

– late entry into Italy.

In overall,

We do really hope this article has helped you apply for a Spanish visa from the United Kingdom.

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