How to get a visa to Spain

Spain is one of the most popular destinations among Russian tourists, but to enter this country you will need Schengen. The registration procedure consists of several stages, and the applicant must meet important requirements. We will tell you how to get a visa to Spain, and help you choose the shortest and easiest way to apply for entry documents.

Contents

1. Do I need a visa to Spain?
2. Types of visas
3. Required documents
4. How are the documents submitted?
5. Terms of registration
6. Visa for a child
7. Is it possible to apply for a visa on my own?
8. What could be the reasons for the refusal?

Do I need a visa to Spain?

Spain is considered a country that is friendly to tourists, and it is quite easy to apply for a visa to enter here. According to experts, at the moment the percentage of refusal to issue documents is minimal, the period for consideration of appeals rarely exceeds 45 days, and the requirements are easy to fulfill.

A visa must be issued even for a tourist trip, at the first application, an entry permit is given for 3 months. If you already had a Schengen visa obtained from another country, a Spanish visa can last from six months. Tourist visas are issued quickly, the package of required documents is minimal, so you can always go on a trip to Europe and start your trip in Spain. 

Spain is part of the Schengen area, so with a visa you can travel in transit in Europe and the countries that are part of the agreement. However, you will be able to enter Europe only through the country that issued you a visa.

Types of visas 

The first point of the instructions on how to get a visa in Spain is to choose the right type of document. This direction is popular not only among tourists, but also among other categories of people. Some foreigners open their own business in Spain, as there is a program for issuing a residence permit for investing in the economy. Many are attracted by the opportunity to study in the best universities in Europe, because Spanish universities are not in vain considered one of the most prestigious in the Old World. Depending on the purpose for which you are going here, the type of visa permit is selected:

• Type A. This is a transport visa, which is issued in the case when you only cross the border of the country for a transfer.
• Type B. A transit visa gives the right to stay in the country for five days - this option is ideal for those who travel around Europe by car.
• Type C. This is a tourist type visa, which gives the right to stay in the country for 3 months or 90 days. This type of visa is suitable not only for tourist purposes, but can be used in the case of a transit border crossing or for a single visit to friends. It is also issued for participants of sports events and scientific conferences, suitable for a short-term visit to the country for any reason.
• Type D. Obtaining a visa of this type is more difficult, since it is issued only at the embassy or consulate general. It will be needed by those who indicate more serious reasons for visiting the country. For example, to open a business or to study at a university, you need to issue this category of visa permit. If you plan to become a Spanish citizen in the future, you should also collect documents for this category.

Depending on what you are visiting Spain for, the type of visa is selected. The basic set of references for each option will be the same, but in some cases additional documentation will be required. For example, to apply for a category D visa for a long stay in the country, you need to provide the basis for such a status. In this capacity, an invitation from a higher education institution that has accreditation in Spain is suitable.  

Required documents 

The basic set consists of the following references:

• Questionnaire. You need to fill out the application form, the form can be downloaded from the website of the visa center. Completion is in English or Spanish. The application for a minor child is signed by one of the parents.
• Passport. Pay attention to the validity period – the passport must remain valid for at least three more months. A foreign country issued for more than 10 years is not accepted for consideration. By the way, it is better when there are several blank pages in the passport.
• Copies of visas and passports of other countries, if you have any.
• Copies of all pages of the national Russian passport.
• Financial guarantees. A prerequisite for how to get a visa to Spain is confirmation of financial solvency. In this capacity, a bank statement or a sponsorship letter will do. The minimum amount on the account is calculated depending on the number of family members and should be 90 euros for each.
• Photo size 3.5 by 4.5. In the photo, the face should occupy at least 80% of the image, you should not be wearing glasses or accessories. Defects in the photo are unacceptable. When applying for a visa for minor children, the photos must meet the same requirements.
• Reservation for a hotel room and plane tickets.
• Detailed itinerary.
• Medical insurance. The policy should apply to all Schengen countries and have a coverage of 30 thousand euros.

Sometimes additional certificates are required, so it is better to consult with a representative of the visa application center first.   

Economic guarantee

In the preparation of documents, some items should be studied with particular attention. So, confirmation of financial solvency is considered one of the most important points. The easiest way to provide a bank statement is not older than 1 month for the last 3 months. The amount on the account depends on how much time you are going to spend in Spain, and is calculated at the rate of 280 euros for each day of stay. If you have about 4 thousand euros on your account for each adult who travels with you, this will be enough. Otherwise, they may refuse. 

Instead of a bank statement, you can provide a sponsorship letter if the trip is not paid for by you personally. It is necessary to confirm the financial guarantees of the sponsor by providing an extract from the bank and supplementing it with a copy of the sponsor's passport. You may also need a certificate from the place of work indicating the position of the person who sponsors the trip.

Documents for different persons

If you need a visa as an employee, you need to provide a certificate of employment. Your position and salary, as well as seniority, should be indicated here. The certificate must be official and have the signature of the head, the seal of the organization and the registration number. An individual entrepreneur can provide a certificate of registration of an individual entrepreneur. It is better to attach the original and prepare a copy. 

Students applying for a visa to study in Spain must attach to the kit a certificate from the place of study. Please note that the availability of accreditation of the educational institution is of particular importance.

Pensioners need to make a copy of the pension certificate and prepare a copy of this document. Everything must be printed, you can submit certificates in Russian language without translation. For inquiries of a special type (sponsorship letter or consent to data processing), there is an established form that can be downloaded from the consulate's website.

How are the documents submitted?

Submission is carried out in several stages and begins with an appointment at the consulate. This can be done by phone or on the website. You can choose the date and time when it is more convenient to contact the center and an appointment will be required for each family member to whom a visa is issued. After the appointment, you should receive a confirmation letter and start preparing for the submission of documents only after a response from the visa center.

As soon as the type of visa is selected, and you have already familiarized yourself with the list of documents, start collecting the necessary certificates. With a full set of papers, you have to go to the visa center at the appointed time and pay the state fee. At the same stage, biometric data will be submitted - this stage is also considered mandatory.

The state fee for issuing a Schengen visa is paid in cash in rubles and is calculated depending on the established exchange rate. By the way, even in case of refusal, the duty fee is not refundable. The amount of the state duty depends on the category of the applicant: persons over 12 years old - 80 euros, for children from 6 to 11 years old 40 euros are paid. Minors under the age of 5 are exempt from paying fees.

When receiving documents, the center's specialists issue a receipt on which your name and reference number are indicated. This information will help you track the status of your case on the site. Also, you will have the opportunity to find out about the readiness by phone, the SMS-informing service is connected when submitting an application. As soon as you see on the website that the visa is ready, or have received an SMS with such information, you can go to the visa center. Here you need to present the receipt that you were given at the reception, and take your passport. 

Terms of registration

The average visa processing time is about 45 days, but each application is considered individually, so the duration of registration can be much longer. It should be borne in mind that the application must be submitted at least 15 days before the trip, but not earlier than 6 months. 

When calculating the date for submitting your application, it is important to consider which visa application centre you should contact. On the territory of Russia there are several centers that issue a permit to enter Spain, and depending on the place of residence of the applicant, the appeal is considered in different cities. The center in St. Petersburg serves citizens of the following regions: Leningrad, Pskov, Novgorod, Kaliningrad, Murmansk. Residents of the Republic of Karelia also apply to the same center. Residents of other regions can apply to the Moscow Consulate or Visa Center in Moscow.  

Visa for a child

A permit for a minor is issued on general grounds. First of all, it is estimated with whom the child travels. If both parents go with him, nothing will be required, in other situations a notarized consent is issued.

If the child leaves with one parent, a notarized consent is provided on behalf of the second. In a situation where both parents are absent, consent is made on behalf of both. If there are accompanying persons, the name of the person who is responsible for the child while in another country must be displayed in the notarial consent. The notarized consent is issued six months before the expected date of departure and must remain valid by weight for the duration of his stay in Spain. Children under 12 years of age do not undergo biometric procedures.

Is it possible to apply for a visa on my own?

In the market of visa services, there are various intermediary firms that undertake the preparation of documents and tracking the status of the application. However, since 2021, a rule for submitting biometric data has been introduced, so even when contacting an intermediary, you will have to visit the visa center or consulate yourself.

With self-registration, you need to carefully study the requirements of the consulate to applicants. The questionnaire can be filled out in English, so at least one foreign language you should know at a fairly good level. The list of documents is easy to find out on the website of the consulate, there is also information on the amount of the state fee and other important notes that you will need when applying. On the network it is easy to find many articles on the topic of how Russians can get a visa to Spain and how to properly prepare everything.   

The biggest difficulty is filling out the questionnaire. Incorrect data or marks can be a reason for refusing to issue a visa, so it should be filled in strictly in accordance with the rules. At this stage, we recommend that you contact specialists or carefully study the sample for filling.

What could be the reasons for the refusal?

There are several reasons why you may be denied a visa:

• incorrect filling of the questionnaire;
• violation of the visa regime in other Schengen countries;
• age (there is an opinion that it is better to apply for a visa after 30 years, if you are not going to study in Spain);
• lack of visas to other countries;
• Incorrect contact details
• reporting false information;
• lack of required documents;
• non-compliance of the type of visa with the purpose of the visit;
• suspicion of the intentions of a citizen to remain in the territory of the country in an illegal status.

Each appeal is considered individually, so the reasons for refusal may be different. The most common reason for refusal is suspicion of migration activities, when the applicant applies for a tourist visa, but is going to stay in the country illegally. To avoid refusal for such a reason, we advise you to add to the set of documents papers on the presence of property in Russia. This will confirm the fact that you are not going to stay in Europe and plan to return. According to the law, consular officers may not inform applicants about the reason for refusing to issue visas.

After receiving a refusal, you can file an appeal. This is allowed to be done after receiving an official refusal within one month at the consulate. If you are not satisfied with the answer, you can apply to the Supreme Court of Madrid within two months after receiving a response from the consulate. The terms of consideration of the appeal at the consulate are 45 days, but when applying to the Supreme Court, you will have to wait much longer.   

You can easily find out how to get a visa to Spain now, and prepare everything yourself. Specialists of visa centers can answer all questions so that you do not make mistakes during the collection of certificates and filling out the questionnaire.

Coronavirus restrictions are now completely lifted, so you can safely go on a trip to new countries. However, the modern world is built on strict rules, so before contacting the visa center, it is important to study all the requirements and collect a complete set of documents.