Alles over visa

In 2018, 1.2 million tourists from Russia visited Spain. In addition, according to data for 2018, 77,379 immigrants from Russia live in Spain permanently. At the same time, both tourists and immigrants from Russia to Spain become more and more every year. In this article we will tell you what types of visas are required for single and regular visits to Spain, as well as for legal residence in the country.

Spain is part of the Schengen area, which currently consists of 26 states. Almost all of them, with the exception of Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, are EU members. If you have a standard tourist Schengen visa inside the Schengen zone, you can move around without restrictions.

Short Term Visas to Spain

The most common visa requested by travelers to Spain is a Schengen visa of category C. It gives the right to stay in the country for no more than 90 days in each half year. In addition to it, there are transit and long-term visas to Spain.

Schengen visas are single, double and multiple (multi-visa). The first two types are limited both by the number of permitted entries and by strict validity periods. The multivisa is valid from 1 year to 5 years and gives the right to an unlimited number of entries into the country that issued the visa, as well as free movement in the Schengen area. The length of stay is limited to 180 days per year. So, multivisa to Spain will allow you to stay in the country for no more than 90 days in each half year.

As a rule, you can get a Schengen visa for a year without any problems. Schengen is issued for 2 years or 5 years already on certain conditions: for example, if you often travel around the Schengen area and already have several annual visas. Also, a multi-visa to Spain for a period of 5 years is issued to owners of real estate in Spain upon providing an extract from the real estate cadastre. In addition to the homeowner himself, members of his family can apply for a multivisa: wives / husbands, children, parents and grandchildren.

Spain Visa Documents

To obtain a visa to Spain, you will need to provide the following documents:

• completed visa application form;
• international passport;
• a copy of a foreign passport (including the first page and all pages with visas);
• the original and copies of all previous passports;
• the original and a copy of the internal passport (all completed pages);
• 2 color photographs measuring 3.5 x 4.5 cm on a white background;
• medical insurance with a minimum amount of insurance coverage of 30 thousand euros;
• visa fee (prijs varieert)
• for minors – the original and a copy of the birth certificate

Depending on the purpose of the trip, you will also need to provide additional documents:

• a tourist trip: proof of residence (hotel or apartment reservation) and route confirmation (airline reservation), a document certifying solvency (certificate of employment, bank statement);
• business trip: a written request from the host (for example, from the company that organized the event);
• study: a written request from an educational institution;
• visiting relatives: an invitation from the host, confirmation of the legality of his residence in the country, confirmation of family ties and a certificate of income.

Long-Term Visas to Spain

For a long-term stay in Spain exceeding 90 days during one half-year, a type D visa is requested. As a rule, applying for a category D visa requires a residence permit. Upon obtaining a D visa, the applicant can apply for a Spanish resident card, which he can renew without leaving the country.

According to general rules, you can request permanent residence in Spain after 5 years of legal stay in the country. Thus, visa D is the first step to obtaining a permanent residence permit in Spain.

Residence permit categories in Spain depending on the purpose of the stay:

• Investor Visa or Golden Visa
• Residence permit with the right to work
• Study visa
• Residence permit without the right to work
• Residence permit for family restoration

A residence permit in Spain can be requested both with a right and without a right to work, for the purpose of studying in Spanish universities or for family reunion.