Spain: Schengen visa C for tourism and studies up to 90 days

Tourism, language courses, summer schools, intensive programmes and internships — for adult and minor applicants. Here is who needs a Schengen visa, who can travel visa-free, and how to prepare a strong application for Spain.

1. What is a visa C

The short-stay Schengen visa (type C) allows you to stay in Spain and the other Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. It covers tourism, private and business trips without employment, medical treatment, short courses, intensive programmes, summer schools, unpaid internships and volunteering programmes of up to 90 days.

If your programme lasts no more than 90 days, you do not need a national student visa (type D): you apply for a Schengen visa C with the purpose “studies / estudios” — or, if your nationality is visa-exempt, you simply travel without a visa. If your studies last more than 90 days, you need a national student visa D or, in some cases, a student stay authorisation (estancia por estudios) applied for from Spain.

• Tourism / private trip — Schengen visa C: itinerary, accommodation, funds, travel insurance, ties to your country of residence.
• Studies up to 90 days — Schengen visa C with the purpose “studies”: letter from the school, programme, proof of course payment, accommodation, funds.
• Studies over 90 days — national student visa D: a separate procedure with a broader set of documents.

2. Who needs a visa and where to apply

Visa required. Nationals of the countries on the EU list of visa-required countries (Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806). In Latin America and the Caribbean this includes, among others, Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Belize, Guyana and Suriname. The list also includes Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Uzbekistan and most other CIS countries, as well as India, China, Morocco and many others.

Visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180. Nationals of the countries on Annex II, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia and most of Latin America — Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela, among others. For tourism or a course of up to 90 days they do not need a visa, but they must still meet the entry conditions: a valid passport, a clear purpose, accommodation, sufficient funds and a return or onward ticket. Border officers may ask for these documents. The EU can suspend a visa exemption under its suspension mechanism, so check the current status for your nationality before you travel.

UK citizens after Brexit. British citizens are visa-exempt for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area — days in Spain count together with days in other Schengen countries. Your passport must have been issued within the last 10 years and be valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave the Schengen area. Since 12 October 2025 the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) registers non-EU travellers’ entries and exits with biometrics instead of passport stamps; it has been fully operational at all border crossings since April 2026. The ETIAS travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers (UK, US, visa-free Latin American nationals and others) has been announced by the EU for the last quarter of 2026, with a transition period — check the official EU travel website for the confirmed start date before your trip. ETIAS is not a visa: it does not allow you to study for more than 90 days or to work.

Where to apply (if you need a visa). You can apply in your country of residence or citizenship, or in a third country where you hold a residence permit. If you do not live in your country of citizenship, you must prove legal status in the country where you apply: a residence permit, temporary residence card, work permit or long-stay visa. Some consulates also require a minimum period of residence in their consular district — check the rules of the specific consulate.

You apply at the consulate (or visa application centre) of the Schengen country that is the main destination of your trip. If you spend most of your days in Spain, you apply for a Spanish visa. If the number of days is the same in several countries, the country of first entry applies.

Visa fee. The standard Schengen visa fee is €90 for applicants aged 12 and over, €45 for children aged 6 to 11, and free for children under 6 (some categories are exempt or pay a reduced fee). Visa application centres charge their own service fee on top.

3. Tourist visa C: documents

The consulate assesses your whole profile: purpose of the trip, itinerary, finances, employment, family, property, travel history and legal status in the country where you apply.

• Passport — at least two blank pages, issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area.
• Schengen visa application form, signed by the applicant; for a minor, by a parent or legal guardian.
• Photo — colour, white background, 3.5×4.5 cm, taken within the last 6 months, full face, head about 3 cm from crown to chin.
• Travel medical insurance for the whole stay, valid in all Schengen countries, with coverage of at least €30,000 (repatriation, emergency care, hospitalisation). If you are also going to Andorra, the policy must cover it as well.
• Tickets or a return transport booking, plus your internal itinerary if you visit several cities.
• Accommodation — hotel booking, rental agreement or an invitation from your host.
• Funds — bank statement, proof of income, business documents; if someone else is paying for the trip, a sponsorship letter and the sponsor’s documents. Some consulates also ask for an official record of your employment history from your country of residence.
• Employment and ties to your country of residence — letter from your employer, self-employment documents, studies, property, family, residence permit.
• Proof of legal status in the country where you apply — if you are not applying in your country of citizenship.
• Copies of previous visas and passports — if they show a good travel history.

4. Study trips of up to 90 days

For a course, intensive programme, summer school, language programme, internship or volunteering of up to 90 days, visa-required nationals apply for a visa C. In addition to the general entry conditions, you need to prove the study purpose:

• an invitation, letter of admission or registration confirmation from the school in Spain;
• details of the school: name, address, contacts, programme dates, number of hours, format and cost;
• proof of course payment or of a reserved place;
• a travel plan: your entry and exit dates match the study period;
• accommodation for the whole stay: school residence, host family, hotel, rental or invitation;
• funds to cover studies, accommodation, transport, insurance and personal expenses;
• for school and university students — a certificate from your current school or university and permission to be absent if the trip falls during term time;
• for employees — a letter from your employer and confirmation of leave.

If you are visa-exempt (for example, a UK, Mexican, Argentine or Colombian citizen), you do not need a visa for a course of up to 90 days, but it is wise to carry the same documents — school letter, proof of payment, accommodation and funds — in case the border officer asks about the purpose of your trip.

Requirements for the admission document. The school must be officially accredited, and the training must not be paid as employment. The document should state the school’s code in the national register (if applicable), the student’s name, the course title and length, the number of hours per week, the programme content, and any scholarship or grant. For clinical or medical placements, additional confirmation from the Spanish health authorities may be required.

5. Step-by-step guide

1. Check whether your nationality needs a Schengen visa or is visa-exempt.
2. Define the purpose: tourism or studies of up to 90 days. For studies, get a letter from the school or programme organiser.
3. Make sure Spain is the main destination of your trip.
4. Choose the country and city where you will apply: your country of residence or citizenship, or a third country where you hold a residence permit — according to the consular district rules.
5. Gather the documents: passport, application form, photo, insurance, itinerary, accommodation, funds, proof of employment or studies.
6. For a study trip, add the school documents, proof of course payment and an explanation of the purpose.
7. For a minor — birth certificate, parental consent, documents of the accompanying adult or the person responsible in Spain.
8. Book an appointment at the visa application centre or consulate, pay the fees and give your biometrics.
9. Wait for the decision. Do not buy non-refundable tickets until you have your passport back with the visa.

6. Minors

A child’s application is checked especially carefully if the child is travelling without parents, with one parent, with a coach or teacher, or to a school or camp. You need to show who authorised the trip and who is responsible for the child on the way and in Spain.

• With both parents: birth certificate, parents’ documents, proof of a shared itinerary and accommodation, copies of the parents’ visas if they already have them.
• With one parent: birth certificate, notarised consent from the other parent (if required in the country of application), a copy of their passport.
• Alone or with a third person: notarised consent from both parents stating the dates, country, purpose, and the accompanying adult or person responsible in Spain, plus copies of the parents’ passports.
• Studies of up to 90 days without parents: additionally, a letter from the school or camp, the accommodation address, details of the responsible adult or organisation, proof of payment and contacts.
• One parent is absent: documents proving sole parental responsibility — a court decision, death certificate, etc.

Is guardianship needed for studies of up to 90 days? Usually a full Spanish guardianship is not arranged. But the application must show a clear chain of responsibility: notarised parental consent, details of the responsible person or organisation in Spain, the accommodation address and the host’s contacts. If the child is staying with a private individual, the application should be stronger: the host’s documents, their right to use the accommodation, and their relationship to the child. Special school programmes for foreign minors may require a report from the Delegación del Gobierno and a check by the consulate.

Visa-exempt minors do not need a visa, but many countries — including several in Latin America — have their own rules on minors leaving the country (for example, a notarised travel permit from the parents). Check the rules of your country of departure and carry the parental consent anyway.

Key points for children under 18

• the original and a copy of the birth certificate — without the original the application is not accepted;
• for children under guardianship — consent from the guardianship authority, regardless of who the child travels with;
• consent to travel is also needed if the parents live in Spain, if the child and the accompanying adult return on different dates or on different flights, or if the accompanying adult plans to leave Spain temporarily;
• the notarised consent must be no older than 6 months on the date of application and cover the full travel dates.

7. Common mistakes

• tourism is stated as the purpose, but course documents are attached — the purpose must be consistent;
• the programme is close to 90 days, and the tickets and accommodation go beyond the permitted period;
• no proof of course payment, or the school letter is too general and has no dates;
• a minor has no notarised consent, or the consent does not name the responsible person;
• funds are shown by a sponsor, but there is no sponsorship letter or proof of the relationship;
• no evidence of ties to your home country: studies, work, residence permit, family, property;
• legal status in the country of application is not proven when you apply outside your country of citizenship;
• the application is submitted to the wrong Schengen country;
• visa-exempt travellers lose track of the 90/180 rule — days in all Schengen countries count together, and EES now records them automatically.

How Via Globally can help

We will help you determine whether you need a visa and which type, prepare the application form, itinerary, document checklist, sponsorship and cover letters, and put together a separate set of documents for a minor. We check weak points in advance: funds, purpose of the trip, parents’ documents, the responsible person in Spain and whether the itinerary matches the purpose. The final decision is always made by the consulate.

Free consultation: WhatsApp +34 691 527 216 · viaglobally.com