Visa requirements for Spanish passport-holders per country
Discover which countries require a visa for Spanish travellers. 👇
Travelling from Spain: What you need to know about visas
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Visa information for Spanish passport holders
This page features visa information for people with a Spanish passport, not for people travelling to Spain.
You'll find a table with the visa requirements of each country as well as information on what these requirements actually mean.
This page was last updated September 2025.
The different travel requirements
Visa-free
Not all countries require you to obtain a visa or any other travel document as long as you're staying for a short period of time (a holiday).
If you plan on staying abroad for an extended period, you'll most likely need a visa. Different countries will have different rules on how long you can stay visa-free.
Visa
While there aren't that many, there are still some countries that require Spanish passport-holders to obtain a physical visa.
Depending on the country, you can either apply online or visit the embassy of the intended country of travel, most of which are located in Madrid.
When you apply, you'll have to give details on your passport, reason for travel, proof of financial stability and more. You'll also have to pay a fee. The process of getting a visa can take a few months, so apply well in advance.
E-visa
In some countries, you'll have to apply for an electronic visa rather than a physical one. Nowadays, most countries requiring a visa in advance will ask for an e-visa.
Depending on the country, there may be different requirements for your e-visa, including varied costs, wait times and needed documents. Ensure you apply for an e-visa in good time, as the process can be lengthy (weeks or even months).
eTA
eTA stands for an Electronic Travel Authorisation, and it's easier and quicker to get than a visa. It's a digital travel document that Spanish passport holders will need to obtain when travelling to certain countries.
It involves a quick online application, with the eTA often being granted just hours/ days after completing the form. You'll have to pay a fee for an eTA, but this tends to be a lot less than the cost of a visa.
Visa-upon-arrival
Some countries will provide Spanish travellers with a visa upon arrival. Once you get to the border control of your destination, you'll have to fill out some paperwork and give any required documents. You may also have to pay a fee.
After this, you'll receive your visa with information on how long you can stay in the country. This is naturally a much faster process than obtaining a visa in advance, but it's only available in certain countries.
Do I need a visa for the Schengen Area?
No, Spanish residents do not need to obtain a visa if they're travelling within the Schengen Area. This is because Spain is a Schengen country and is therefore a part of the Schengen Agreement.
This agreement states that countries in the Schengen Area have no internal borders, allowing residents to travel visa-free for a select amount of time.
You can stay in a Schengen country for 90 days without a visa (this doesn't include when you're back in Spain), and this maximum can span over 180 days. If you wish to stay in a Schengen country for longer than this, then you'll have to apply for a long-stay visa.
Countries in the Schengen Area
- Austria
- Belgium, Bulgaria
- Croatia, Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland, France
- Germany, Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland, Italy
- Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg
- Malta
- The Netherlands, Norway
- Poland, Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
| Continent | Type | Countries |
|---|---|---|
| Europe excluding the Schengen Area | Visa-free | Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ireland, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, San Marino, Serbia, Ukraine, Vatican City |
| eTA | United Kingdom | |
| E-visa | Azerbaijan, Russia | |
| North America | Visa-free | Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago |
| Visa required | Cuba | |
| eTA | Canada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, United States of America | |
| South America | Visa-free | Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela |
| All countries in South America are visa-free for short stays if you have a Spanish passport. | ||
| Africa | Visa-free | Angola, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Eswatini, Gambia, Lesotho, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia, Zambia |
| Visa required | Algeria, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Somalia, Sudan | |
| E-visa | Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Congo (DRC), Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Liberia, Libya, Mauritania, Nigeria, South Sudan, Togo, Uganda | |
| eTA | Kenya | |
| Visa-on-arrival | Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zimbabwe | |
| Asia | Visa-free | Armenia, Brunei, China, Cyprus, Georgia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Palestine, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkey, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Uzbekistan, Vietnam |
| Visa required | Afghanistan, North Korea, Turkmenistan, Yemen | |
| E-visa | Azerbaijan, Bhutan, India, Iran, Iraq, Myanmar, Pakistan, Syria | |
| eTA | Israel | |
| Visa-on-arrival | Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Maldives, Nepal, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka | |
| Oceania | Visa-free | Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu |
| E-visa | Papua New Guinea | |
| eTA | Australia, New Zealand | |
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Visas for Spanish passport-holders FAQs
Do I need a visa to travel to the US from Spain?
You won't need a visa when travelling to the US as a Spanish passport holder, but you will need other documentation. You'll be required to get an eTA, which stands for Electronic Travel Authorisation.
An eTA allows you to travel to the USA visa-free. It's cheaper than a visa, and the application process is much quicker. You'll apply online and be approved within the next few hours/days.
Do I need a visa to travel to the UK from Spain?
You won't need a visa when travelling to the UK as a Spanish passport holder, but you will need other documentation. You'll be required to get an eTA, which stands for Electronic Travel Authorisation.
An eTA allows you to travel to the UK visa-free. It's cheaper than a visa, and the application process is much quicker. You'll apply online and be approved within the next few hours/days.
Which countries do I need a visa for?
The only countries where you'll need to obtain a physical visa before travel are:
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Central African Republic
- Congo
- Cuba
- Eritrea
- Ghana
- Mali
- Niger
- North Korea
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Turkmenistan
- Yemen
For all other countries, you either won't need a visa or will have to obtain authorisation through a different way, such as an e-visa needing to be purchased online or a visa being handed to you upon arrival at your destination.
What happens if I don't obtain a visa?
If you don't have the required documentation, you will be denied entry. This can happen at your departure airport, when boarding the flight or at the border control of your arrival airport.
If you stay longer than your visa permits or fail to get a visa after your visa-free period runs out, you will be deported from the country you're visiting. This can negatively impact your ability to obtain visas in the future, so it's best to stay on top of dates.
How much is a visa?
This depends on where you're travelling to and the type of visa you need.
A travel visa, for example, will be considerably cheaper than a long-term visa. Expect to pay at least € 40 for a short-term trip.
Do I need a visa for travel to Europe?
You won't need a visa with a Spanish passport if you're travelling within the Schengen Area. However, you will need an E-visa for Azerbaijan and Russia.
Other countries may require a different form of authorisation, like an eTA.
Do I need a visa for travel to North America?
You will need to obtain a physical visa when travelling to Cuba.
Other countries may require a different form of authorisation, like an eTA.
Do I need a visa for travel to South America?
No. Currently, there are no countries in South America that require Spanish passport holders to obtain a visa before entry.
Do I need a visa for travel to Africa?
You will need a physical visa when travelling to Algeria, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Somalia and Sudan.
You will need an E-visa when travelling to Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Congo (DRC), Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Liberia, Libya, Mauritania, Nigeria, South Sudan, Togo and Uganda.
Other countries may require a different form of authorisation, like an eTA. Or they may give you a visa upon arrival.
Do I need a visa for travel to Asia?
You will need a physical visa when travelling to Afghanistan, North Korea, Turkmenistan and Yemen.
You will need an E-visa when travelling to Azerbaijan, Bhutan, India, Iran, Iraq, Myanmar, Pakistan and Syria.
Other countries may require a different form of authorisation, like an eTA. Or they may give you a visa upon arrival.
Do I need a visa for travel to Oceania?
You will need an E-visa when travelling to Papua New Guinea.
Other countries may require a different form of authorisation, like an eTA.