Schengen Visa-Free Short Stay
Ninety days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, for around 60 visa-exempt nationalities.
Schengen Visa-Free Short Stay
Spain applies the common Schengen short-stay rules. Visa-exempt nationals, including citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and most of Latin America, can stay up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period, and every day spent anywhere in the Schengen area counts towards the same allowance. Entries and exits are recorded biometrically by the Entry/Exit System, fully operational since 10 April 2026, which replaced passport stamps. It covers tourism and short business visits; it does not authorise local employment, and longer stays need a national long-stay visa. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens use free movement instead.
At a glance
Initial stay
90 days
Default; varies by passport
Entries
Multiple
Application fee
Free
Apply
No application
Who can apply
63 nationalities are on the eligible list. Anyone not listed applies through a different route.
Eligible passports (63)
Stay length by passport
Most passports get 90 days. 0 nationalities get a different allowance — check yours before booking.
Requirements
- Passport exempt from Schengen visasRequiredAround 60 nationalities listed in Annex II of the EU visa regulation can visit without a visa. Other nationalities need a Schengen short-stay visa.
- Within 90 days in any 180RequiredLook back 180 days from each day of your stay: no more than 90 of them may be spent in the Schengen area. Days in every Schengen country count together.
- Passport valid three months beyond departureRequiredYour passport must be valid for at least three months after the date you plan to leave the Schengen area and have been issued within the last ten years.
- ETIAS not yet requiredInfoThe ETIAS travel authorisation, which will cost EUR 20, has not launched yet and no start date is confirmed. Check before booking trips from late 2026 onwards.
- Not a work authorisationInfoVisa-free stays cover tourism, visits and short business meetings. Local employment needs a work permit, and longer remote-work stays need a national digital nomad visa.
Documents to prepare
- Passport valid three months beyond departure
- Return or onward ticket
- Proof of accommodation
- Proof of sufficient funds if asked
How to apply
Last verified 2026-10-12
Count your Schengen days
Add up the days spent in any Schengen country in the 180 days before each planned day of your stay.
Register at the border
On your first entry since the Entry/Exit System launched, your face and fingerprints are recorded at the border.
Extending the stay
Extendable
No
Schengen visa-free stays are not normally extendable. Extensions are granted only for force majeure or serious personal reasons.
Tax and health
Tax
Short visits rarely create tax residency, but more than 183 days in a year generally does, regardless of the entry route.
Insurance
Not required. Not required for visa-exempt travellers, but travel medical insurance is strongly recommended.
Healthcare
No mandatory cover for visa-exempt travellers.
Immigration and tax rules change without notice and depend on your nationality and circumstances. Confirm with the official source below or a qualified adviser before acting on anything here.
Good to know
- Days in every Schengen country share the same 90-day allowance
- Non-Schengen neighbours such as the UK, Ireland, Albania and Cyprus can be used to reset the clock
- Overstaying, even by a day, is now recorded automatically by the Entry/Exit System
Official source
high confidenceOther ways into Spain