If you have a visa-exempt passport (US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Japan…), today you can enter Spain visa-free with a valid passport, for up to 90 days. Once ETIAS starts, you'll need to apply before you travel (€20). Spain may ask you to show €122.10 per day, minimum €1,098.90. Visa-required nationalities (India, China, South Africa…) need a Schengen visa.
What you need for Spain, by passport
| Your passport | Today | Once ETIAS starts |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-exempt US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Japan… | No visa Valid passport + EES registration | ETIAS required Online application, €20 |
| Visa required India, China, South Africa, Turkey, the Philippines… | Schengen visa | Schengen visa ETIAS doesn't apply |
| EU, EEA or Switzerland | Nothing extra | Nothing extra |
Not sure which group you're in? Use the Do I need ETIAS? checker or see the official list of nationalities.
What border officers in Spain can ask for
Even without a visa, officers in Spain can check that you meet the Schengen entry conditions. Keep these handy, printed or on your phone:
- A valid passport. Valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave Europe and issued within the last 10 years.
- Purpose and accommodation. Hotel booking, invitation letter or the address where you'll stay, plus anything that backs up your trip (tourism, business, family).
- A return or onward ticket. Proof that you'll leave before your 90 days are up.
- Travel insurance. Not mandatory if you travel visa-free, but strongly recommended, and you may be asked about it.
- Enough money: 10% of the gross national minimum wage per day (€122.10) and at least 90% of it in total (€1,098.90), whatever the length of the stay. (reference amount set by the country, European Commission, 08/06/2026)
Where your border check happens when you travel to Spain
Main international airports in Spain: Madrid-Barajas (MAD), Barcelona-El Prat (BCN), Palma de Mallorca (PMI), Málaga (AGP).
If Spain is the first Schengen country on your trip, the passport check and EES registration happen at the airport where you land. If you connect through another Schengen hub (Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Helsinki…), the check happens there and your flight to Spain is treated as an internal Schengen flight.
Spain has an external Schengen land border with Andorra, Gibraltar (UK), Morocco (Ceuta and Melilla). Crossing there means a full passport check and EES registration, just like at an airport.
The EES at airports and borders in Spain
In Spain, the Entry/Exit System (EES) is used at every external border crossing point, from Madrid-Barajas (MAD) to seaports and land crossings. It started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully live since 10 April 2026. The first time you enter, officers take 4 fingerprints and a photo (no fingerprints for children under 12) and record the date; Spain no longer stamps passports. On later trips your data is only verified.
Spain in depth: islands, Ceuta, Melilla and Gibraltar
Spain is the Schengen country with the most unusual borders. The Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands are fully Schengen, so flying from Madrid to Tenerife or Mallorca needs no passport check. Ceuta and Melilla, the two Spanish cities in North Africa, are part of Schengen too, but they border Morocco: crossing there is an external border, and travellers flying or sailing from Ceuta or Melilla to mainland Spain can be asked for ID again.
Gibraltar is British and outside Schengen, so walking from La Línea into Gibraltar and back means passport control on both sides. Andorra, high in the Pyrenees, is not in Schengen either and has customs checks at the road border.
Spanish border police at Madrid-Barajas are known for asking visitors from Latin America for proof of accommodation, return ticket and funds. If you are staying with friends or family, your host can request an official carta de invitación at a National Police station before you travel.
Good to know about Spain
- Invitation letter (carta de invitación): if you stay with family or friends, your host can request one from the Spanish National Police to prove your accommodation.
- Canary and Balearic Islands are part of Schengen: same rules. Ceuta and Melilla have special border arrangements with Morocco.
- The funds amount is tied to Spain's minimum wage and can be updated yearly.
How long you can stay
You can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Days in Spain add up with days in every other Schengen country, so a week in Spain after a month elsewhere leaves you around 53 days. Check your balance with the 90/180 calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Do Americans need a visa for Spain?
No. US citizens can visit Spain visa-free for up to 90 days in 180. Once ETIAS starts, they'll need ETIAS. Guide for US citizens.
How much money do you need to enter Spain?
€122.10 per person per day, with a minimum of €1,098.90 regardless of length (amounts notified by Spain to the European Commission, 08/06/2026 table).
Do I need ETIAS for a layover in Madrid?
No, as long as you stay in the international transit area. If you go through passport control, yes.
Do UK citizens need ETIAS for Spain?
Not yet, because ETIAS has not started. Once it launches, British passport holders will need ETIAS to visit Spain, unless they are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement as residents of an EU country.
Keep reading
Sources
- European Commission: reference amounts (08/06/2026)
- European Commission: who should apply for ETIAS
- Spanish Ministry of the Interior
This guide is independent and for information only. Rules can change: before you travel, always double-check on the official ETIAS website and with the authorities of the country you're visiting.