Embassy
Embassy of the United States, Madrid
Madrid
Spain visa requirements for American citizens
American citizens do not need a visa for Spain. Show your passport at the border and stay up to 90 days.
Passport
USA
United States
Going to
ESP
Spain
No visa needed
People from eligible countries can visit without a visa.
- Visa
- Not required
- Max stay
- 90 days (3 months)
- Fee
- Free
- Last updated
- 11 November 2026
What to do
Check your passport is valid for the whole stay, ideally six months beyond it.
Carry proof of onward travel and of funds; border officers can ask for both.
Note the maximum stay and count your days in Spain.
Ways into Spain
Your passport and travel plans decide whether you need a visa.
Visa not required For your passportVisa-free short visitPeople from eligible countries can visit without a visa.
- Stay
- 90 days
- Fee
- Free
How to apply
- Check the rules for your nationality and passport.
- Pack your passport and proof of your visit.
- Show your papers at border control.
Documents required
- Passport valid 90 days after departure
- Passport issued within 10 years
- Proof of accommodation
- Proof of enough money
- Proof of trip purpose
- Return or onward travel, if requested
- Hotel booking
- The 90-day limit covers all Schengen countries together, within any 180 days.
- Check passport rules and current exceptions; this route does not give permission to work.
Visa not requiredSchengen permit visitVisit with a valid Schengen residence permit or long-stay visa and your passport.
- Stay
- 90 days
- Fee
- Free
How to apply
- Check your permit or long-stay visa is valid.
- Carry it with your passport.
- Pack proof of your visit.
Documents required
- Passport
- Valid Schengen permit or long-stay visa
- Proof of visit
- Proof of enough money
- The 90-day limit covers all Schengen countries together, within any 180 days.
- A permit from outside Schengen does not automatically let you use this route.
Visa on arrivalEmergency border visaA rare border visa for urgent, unexpected reasons when applying beforehand was impossible.
- Stay
- 15 days
How to apply
- Explain your case at an approved border crossing.
- Show your passport and proof of urgent need.
- Show proof you will leave or travel onward.
- Wait for the border staff's decision.
Documents required
- Passport or travel document
- Proof advance application was impossible
- Proof of urgent, unexpected reasons
- Proof of return or onward travel
- Approval is not guaranteed; most visitors who need visas must apply before travel.
- Stays are normally up to 15 days; transit allows only the time needed.
Sources (35)Last updated 11 November 2026
- Ministry of the Interior: entry requirements and conditions
- Foreign Ministry: Spanish Consulate in London visa directory
- Spanish Consulate in London: Schengen visas
- Spanish Consular Section in Washington: Schengen visas
- Spanish Embassy in New Delhi: Schengen visas
- Spanish Consular Section in Washington: entry conditions
- Official European Travel Information and Authorisation System website
- Consolidated Regulation (EU) 2018/1806: visa-required and visa-exempt nationalities
- European Commission: applying for a Schengen visa
- Your Europe: travel documents for European Union nationals
- Aena: documents for foreign travellers entering Spain
- Spanish Embassy in New Delhi: airport transit visas
- Spanish Consulate in Cape Town: airport-transit nationality lists
- Spanish Embassy in New Delhi: Indian airport-transit exemption from 4 March 2026
- Visa Code: airport-transit exemptions and exceptional border visas
- Spanish Consular Section in Washington: study visa
- Spanish Consulate in London: study visa
- Spanish Consular Section in Washington: internship visa
- Spanish Consulate in London: internship checklist
- Spanish Consular Section in Washington: employee visa
- Spanish Consulate in London: self-employed work visa
- Spanish Consulate in London: digital nomad visa
- Spanish government ONE platform: digital nomad visa
- Spanish Embassy in New Delhi: highly qualified workers and company transfers
- Spanish Consular Section in Washington: researcher visa
- Spanish Consulate in London: general family reunification
- Migration Ministry: temporary residence through family reunification
- Spanish Consulate in Houston: European citizen family visas
- Spanish Consulate in Toronto: Spanish-family residence authorisation and visa
- Spanish Consulate in Houston: Spanish-family residence visa
- Spanish Consular Section in Washington: Spanish-family residence visa
- Official Spanish immigration regulation: Royal Decree 1155/2024
- Migration Ministry: initial non-working residence
- Spanish Consulate in London: non-working residence visa
- Spanish Consulate in London: entrepreneur visa checklist
Embassies for this trip
For lost passports and emergencies.
Consulate general
Consulate General of the United States in Barcelona
Barcelona
Trips to Spain
Day-by-day itineraries by snuck, shaped around you.
Coming from United States
- Plugs C FAdapter needed
- MoneyEUR €
- Time+12h
- DrivingOn the rightSame as home
- LanguageSpanish
- Emergency112 police
Planning your Spain trip
Best time to go: Summer is the busiest season. Winter can mean fewer crowds at major sights, but central and northern Spain can be cold. Winter and spring bring greener scenery in southern and central Spain, while the north gets rain throughout the year.
- Alhambra Palace, GranadaA major historic attraction that is less crowded in winter.
- La Gran Mezquita, CordobaA major cultural sight that is less crowded in winter.
- Mediterranean coast and island beachesThe Mediterranean coast, Balearic Islands and Canary Islands have Spain's most popular beaches.
- Spain's national parksThey offer places to explore the country's varied natural scenery.
Scams to watch for in Spain
- Pickpocketing and team distractionsThieves take wallets, phones or passports from pockets and bags. Some work in teams. One person distracts you while another steals. Barcelona has a particular warning about passport theft.
- Theft from rental vehiclesThieves steal luggage and valuables left in rental vehicles. Theft from these vehicles is reported as high.
- Fake police and staged directions requestsThieves pose as police and ask to see your passport, ID or wallet. They steal when you reveal your belongings. In one version, an accomplice first asks for directions, then fake police arrive to demand identification. This also occurs elsewhere in Spain.
About Spain
Spain is a parliamentary monarchy covering most of the Iberian Peninsula in southwest Europe.
- Capital
- Madrid
- Money
- Euro (€)
- Languages
- Spanish, Catalan, Basque
- Time zone
- 2 time zones
- Cars drive on the
- right side
- Calling code
- +34
Other Americas passports
Going to Spain
Easier trips nearby
Places close to Spain with simpler entry for you.
Questions
Do american citizens need a visa for Spain?
American citizens do not need a visa for Spain. Show your passport at the border and stay up to 90 days.
How long can american citizens stay in Spain?
Up to 90 days each visit with the no visa needed rule. Staying longer can mean a fine or a ban from coming back.
Do spanish citizens need a visa for the United States?
Spanish citizens need an eTA, a short online form, before flying to the United States.
Do other Americas passports get easier entry to Spain?
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados Brazil, and 5 more can enter without applying before they travel.
Which countries near Spain are easier for american citizens?
Andorra, Cyprus, Greece, Italy Malta, and 3 more let american citizens in without applying before travel.
What should I carry to Spain?
Check your passport is valid for the whole stay, ideally six months beyond it. Carry proof of onward travel and of funds; border officers can ask for both.
What money is used in Spain?
Euro (€). Carry some cash for arrival, especially if a visa fee is paid at the border.
What language do people speak in Spain?
Spanish, Catalan, Basque Galician, and 1 more.
How strong is the United States passport?
It ranks #12 and reaches 150 destinations without applying ahead.
Reviewed by @snuck