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.
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.
Category A |
A category visa is required only for citizens of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iran, Iraq, Liberia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Eritrea and Ethiopia. This is a transit visa, which gives the right only to stay in the international zone of the airport. Its validity is limited to 48 hours. |
Category B |
A transit visa, designed for 1-2 entry into the Schengen zone when traveling to a third state. Validity – 5 days. |
Category B |
Standard tourist visa for one or several visits to Schengen countries. Validity – 90 days in each half year (180 days). |
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.
To obtain a visa to Spain, you will need to provide the following documents:
Depending on the purpose of the trip, you will also need to provide additional documents:
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:
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.