How to Apply for a Spain Visa From India

Indian passport holders need a visa to visit Spain. For holidays, family visits, business trips and short courses of up to 90 days, that means a Schengen short-stay visa issued by Spain, which also lets you travel to the other 28 Schengen countries. The Embassy of Spain in New Delhi and the Consulate General in Mumbai decide, while BLS International, the official partner of the Embassy of Spain in India, receives applications.

This guide is for applicants living in India whose main Schengen destination is Spain. It follows the Embassy's own checklist, which is stricter than the general EU rules in several places: a passport valid for 6 months after you leave, stamped bank statements, two years of income tax returns, a PAN card copy and proof that you live in the consular district. It also covers the €30,000 insurance rule, the police-issued invitation letter, fees, BLS appointments, biometrics, processing time and Spain's written appeal process.

Facts come from the Embassy of Spain in New Delhi's Schengen visa page on exteriores.gob.es, the European Commission's Schengen visa page and the BLS International Spain India site unless another source is named. Rules change, so confirm on those sites on the day you apply.

Which Spain Visa Do Indians Need?

The Embassy of Spain's Schengen visa page says the Schengen visa is issued to nationals of countries that need a visa under EU Regulation 2018/1806, which includes India. It allows a stay of up to 90 days in any 180-day period for:

• Tourism.
• Business.
• Visiting family.
• Medical treatment.
• Studies, training placements or volunteer activities lasting under 3 months.
• Other non-gainful activities, and transit through Schengen territory and airports.

The Embassy lists the 29 Schengen countries without border controls between them: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. The Embassy stresses that a Schengen visa lets you travel to any of them, but does not automatically entitle you to enter: border officers can still refuse entry if you cannot show the purpose and details of your trip. Stays longer than 90 days, such as degree study or work, need a Spanish national visa instead.

Understanding the 90/180-Day Rule and Visa Validity

The European Commission says a Schengen visa allows a short visit of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. It comes as a single-entry or multiple-entry visa, and there is a separate airport transit visa that only lets you pass through an airport's international transit area.

The visa sticker shows the first and last dates you can use it, the number of entries and the number of days you may stay. You must leave the Schengen area by the end date and must not exceed the days allowed. If you were in the Schengen area during the last 6 months, count those days before you choose your new travel dates, so the trip fits inside the 90/180 limit.

When Should You Apply to Spain and Not Another Schengen Country?

The Embassy says it accepts applications from people residing in its consular district who are travelling to Spain as their only or main destination. The European Commission's Schengen visa page sets out how to decide:

• If Spain is your only destination, apply to Spain.
• If you visit several Schengen countries, apply to the country where you will spend the longest time.
• If the stays are of equal length, apply to the country you will enter first.

A 10-night trip with 6 nights in Barcelona and Madrid and 4 in Lisbon belongs with Spain. A trip with 4 nights in Spain and 6 in Portugal belongs with Portugal. Your hotel reservations and itinerary must support the choice. For multi-country routes, our guide on whether a flight reservation is enough for a Schengen visa from India explains how to show entry and exit points.

How Much Does a Spain Visa Cost From India?

The European Commission sets the Schengen visa fee for every member state:

The Embassy's page links to a separate fee notice for the current rupee amounts. BLS adds its own service fee, and optional value-added services are extra. BLS says its staff must give a receipt for every service paid at the centre, and that you can write to its Mumbai or Delhi feedback address if you did not get one. The visa fee pays for processing, so it is not returned if the visa is refused.

What Documents Do You Need for a Spain Tourist Visa?

The Embassy warns that failure to strictly comply with its requirements will result in the automatic refusal of the visa. Its checklist for applicants in India is:

1. Application form: an official computerised form, completed in every section and signed in blue ink. A parent signs for a minor.
2. Photograph: recent, passport-size, colour, light background, facing forward, without dark or reflective glasses or anything covering the oval of the face.
3. Passport: valid for at least 6 months beyond your planned departure from Schengen, with at least 2 blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago are not accepted.
4. Passport copies: the biometric data pages, previous visas and migration stamps of your current and last passport.
5. Insurance: the front page of your travel medical insurance only, not the whole policy.
6. Visa fee payment.
7. Trip details: a cover letter on the purpose of the visit, round-trip flight bookings and hotel accommodation for the whole stay, or a police-issued invitation letter if staying with family or friends.
8. Funds: stamped and signed bank statements for the last 3 months, income tax returns for 2 years, salary slips for 3 months and a self-attested PAN card copy.
9. Proof of residence in the consular district, such as a utility bill no older than 6 months.

The Embassy may ask for more documents or call you for an interview. Note the passport rule: Spain asks for 6 months of validity after departure, not the 3 months in the general EU rules.

Flight Bookings: What the Spanish Embassy Actually Says

Under "Details of the trip", the Embassy asks for round-trip flight bookings and adds: "It is advisable not to buy the air ticket until the visa has been granted." In other words, the consulate wants to see your planned entry and exit dates, not a paid fare.

• Show a round trip: India to Spain and back, or an open-jaw route that starts and ends in India.
• Make the dates match your hotel reservations, insurance and cover letter.
• Use the same name spelling as in your passport.
• Keep the reservation valid on your BLS appointment day.

Our post on whether you need a confirmed flight ticket for a Spain tourist visa covers this in more detail, and our guide to the difference between an itinerary, a booking and a reservation explains the terms. Some travellers search for a dummy ticket; what helps is a real, checkable reservation rather than an edited document.

Writing the Cover Letter for a Spain Visa

The Embassy lists a cover letter, an account of the purpose of the visit, as the first item under "Details of the trip". It is your chance to tie the whole file together in one page. A clear letter usually covers:

• Who you are: your name, passport number, job or business and city of residence in India.
• Why you are going: tourism, a family visit, a meeting or a course, and why Spain is the main destination.
• When and where: arrival and departure dates and the cities you will stay in, matching your reservations.
• Who pays: you or a named sponsor, and which statements show the funds.
• Why you will return: your job, business, studies, family or property in India.

Sign and date the letter. Keep it factual and consistent with every other document; an officer reading the file should find the same dates, names and amounts everywhere. Our guide on Schengen flight reservations from India shows how the itinerary and letter fit together.

Travel Insurance for a Spain Visa

The Embassy requires travel medical insurance that covers repatriation for medical reasons or death, and urgent healthcare and emergency hospital treatment, for the entire stay and throughout the Schengen area. Cover must be at least €30,000 or the equivalent in rupees.

• Submit only the front page of the policy, not the whole document.
• For a multiple-entry visa, the policy must cover the first planned entry, and you undertake to buy insurance for later trips.
• BLS says the insurance certificate is mandatory at the centre under EU Regulation 2019/1155.

You can buy insurance from any authorised insurer. BLS links to partner insurers as an optional service, but you are not required to use them.

How Much Money Do You Need to Show for Spain?

Spain's India checklist is specific about the form of the evidence:

• Original, stamped and signed bank statements of the applicant and any sponsor for the last 3 months.
• Income tax returns (ITR-V or Form 16) for the last two years, for the applicant and sponsor if applicable.
• Salary slips for the last three months, when available.
• A self-attested copy of your PAN card.
• If someone sponsors you, an original signed letter from the sponsor stating what they will pay and proof of your relationship.

The Embassy does not publish a fixed rupee amount on this page. Your balance and income should comfortably cover the trip in your itinerary, including hotels, travel inside Spain and the flight home. Explain any large recent deposits in your cover letter, and make sure salary credits on your statements match your slips and tax returns.

Staying With Family or Friends: the Police Invitation Letter

If you will stay with family or friends in Spain instead of a hotel, the Embassy asks for an invitation letter from the resident in Spain issued by the Spanish national police. Your host applies for it in Spain, so start early.

• The letter replaces hotel reservations for the nights you stay with your host.
• Your itinerary, insurance and flight bookings should show the same dates.
• If you stay part of the trip in hotels, add reservations for those nights.

A personal letter or an email from your host is not the same document. Ask your host to confirm the dates and your passport details before the police letter is issued.

Proof of Residence in the Consular District

Spain is one of the few Schengen countries whose India checklist asks for proof that you live in the consular district. The Embassy gives examples: recent utility bills, no older than 6 months, showing your full name and current address, or a copy of a lease or house deed. It says the list is not exhaustive.

• Use a bill in your own name where possible; if the bill is in a parent's or spouse's name, add proof of relationship.
• Make sure the address matches the one on your application form and bank statements.
• If you moved recently, a registered rental agreement can help show your current address.

This document also tells the Embassy or the Mumbai Consulate General that your file belongs with them.

Business Trips, Conferences and Short Study

Business meetings

The Embassy asks for an original invitation letter from the Spain-based company, written in Spanish. It should state the purpose of the visit and the existing business relationship, and give your name, passport number and travel dates.

Conferences, trade fairs and sports events

Bring an original invitation from the organisers with your name and passport number, the event dates, who pays for travel and accommodation, and your role in the event. For corporate participation, add a cover letter from your company naming the employees travelling to Spain.

Studying up to 90 days

Bring an original or electronically certified letter from an officially recognised Spanish educational establishment with its contact details, the study programme and the course dates, a copy of that letter, and copies of your previous academic records.

Children and Minors Applying for a Spain Visa

The Embassy sets extra rules when the applicant is under 18 and applying alone, or with or without both parents or legal guardians:

• Both parents or legal guardians sign the application form.
• A notarised authorisation letter signed by both parents or guardians.
• Self-attested copies of both parents' or guardians' passports.

Applications for minors are submitted by their legal representatives. Children aged 6 to 12 pay €45, and children under 12 do not give fingerprints.

Documents by Applicant Type

Salaried employees

• Stamped bank statements for 3 months showing salary credits.
• Salary slips for 3 months and ITR or Form 16 for 2 years.
• A letter from your employer confirming your job and approved leave.

Self-employed and business owners

• Personal and business bank statements, stamped and signed.
• Income tax returns for 2 years.
• Business registration or GST documents showing the business is active in India.

Students, homemakers and retired applicants

• Students: a letter from the school or college and a sponsor's letter, statements and ITR if a parent pays.
• Homemakers: the spouse's sponsorship letter, statements, ITR and proof of relationship.
• Retired applicants: pension statements, bank statements and ITR.

Every applicant also needs proof of residence in the consular district and a self-attested PAN copy.

How to Apply for a Spain Visa From India Step by Step

1. Confirm that Spain is your only or main Schengen destination.
2. Check your passport: issued within 10 years, 2 blank pages and 6 months of validity after your planned departure.
3. Gather documents: cover letter, flight and hotel bookings or police invitation, insurance front page, stamped statements, ITR, salary slips, PAN copy and proof of residence.
4. Fill in the online application form; BLS says centres under the Embassy jurisdiction accept only online-filled forms.
5. Book an appointment only through the BLS International website.
6. Attend in person, submit your file, pay the fees and give biometrics.
7. Track your application on the BLS site and collect your passport when notified.

The Embassy says applications must be submitted in person, through any BLS centre with a prior appointment. BLS also offers an optional doorstep service if you cannot visit the centre.

Booking a BLS Appointment Safely

The BLS International Spain India site carries a strong anti-fraud notice:

• BLS staff never ask for cash or any other payment to get an appointment, speed up the process or influence the decision.
• Book appointments only through the BLS website; buying appointments from intermediaries is a fraudulent practice.
• Do not pay into personal bank accounts.
• Ask for a receipt for any optional service.
• Report requests for money to antifraud@blsinternational.com.

Before your appointment, check the BLS holiday list, because centres close on public holidays and local festivals. Carry your appointment letter, arrive on time, and keep all receipts until your passport is back. If an agent offers a guaranteed or faster appointment for a fee, treat it as a warning sign and book directly on the BLS website instead.

BLS also reminds applicants that the decision is made only by the Spanish authorities. The Embassy adds that you should follow the instructions of BLS for document preparation.

Embassy or Mumbai Jurisdiction: Why It Matters

Spain splits India between the Embassy in New Delhi and the Consulate General in Mumbai, and your residence decides which one handles your file. That is why the Embassy asks for proof of residence in the consular district, such as a recent utility bill, a lease or a house deed.

BLS notes two jurisdiction-specific rules. Centres under the Embassy jurisdiction accept only online-filled application forms. Centres under the Mumbai jurisdiction accept applications only when your travel date is more than 15 calendar days after the day you submit. Book your appointment early enough to meet both rules.

Spain Visa Centre, Embassy and Consulate Addresses in India

BLS International lists these Spain visa application centres in India on its official site (contact page). Applications are by appointment only:

Spain's diplomatic offices, as listed on the Embassy's website. The Embassy and Consulate do not take visa applications directly; submit through BLS:

Biometrics, Processing Time and Passport Return

The Embassy says your facial image and fingerprints are captured during the application. Children under 12, and applicants whose fingerprints were taken in the last 59 months, are exempt from fingerprinting. If old prints are of poor quality, you may be asked to come back.

The Embassy adds that applications from nationals of certain states need consultation with central authorities, which can lengthen the procedure. Do not pay for non-changeable travel until your passport is back with the visa.

After You Get the Visa

When your passport comes back, check the visa sticker before you buy travel:

• Your name and passport number are correct.
• The validity dates cover your trip, and the number of days allowed is enough.
• The number of entries matches your plan, especially if you will leave and re-enter the Schengen area.

Then buy your actual travel and keep your insurance, hotel or invitation letter and funds evidence with you. The Embassy reminds travellers that a visa does not automatically entitle them to enter: at the border you must still meet all entry requirements and may be asked about the purpose and details of your trip.

What If Your Spain Visa Is Refused?

The Embassy says refusals are always notified in writing with the grounds for the decision. You can ask for reconsideration by delivering an appeal letter in person at the Consular Section:

• Within one month of the date you were notified of the refusal.
• Written in Spanish, or in Spanish and English, and signed by the applicant (by parents or guardians for minors).
• Including a phone number and an email address.
• One letter per applicant, with the original and one photocopy.
• Delivered Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 13:00, except holidays, without an appointment. Email or postal appeals are not accepted.

The maximum processing period is one month, during which status queries are not answered, and the consular office emails you the result. You can also seek judicial review before the High Court of Justice of Madrid within 2 months of the refusal or of the decision on your reconsideration appeal.

What Are Common Mistakes in Spain Visa Applications From India?

• Passports with less than 6 months of validity after departure, or issued more than 10 years ago.
• Unstamped or unsigned bank statements.
• Missing the second year of income tax returns or the PAN copy.
• Submitting the full insurance policy instead of its front page, or cover under €30,000.
• A host's personal letter instead of the police-issued invitation letter.
• No proof of residence in the consular district.
• Handwritten forms at centres that accept only online-filled forms.
• Applying less than 15 days before travel, or within 15 days in the Mumbai jurisdiction.
• Paying agents for appointments.

Planning Checklist and Timeline

1. 8 to 12 weeks before travel: confirm Spain is your main destination and check your passport has 6 months of validity after your return.
2. 6 to 8 weeks before: collect stamped bank statements, ITRs, salary slips, PAN copy and a utility bill; ask your host to request a police invitation letter if needed.
3. Same weeks: draft your itinerary with matching round-trip flight and hotel reservations, and buy insurance of at least €30,000.
4. Fill in the online form and book a BLS appointment on its website.
5. Appointment: bring originals and copies, photos and fees, and give biometrics.
6. After about 15 days: collect your passport, check the visa dates and entries, then buy your travel.

What Do Real Spain Visa Applications From India Look Like?

Example 1: two friends from Delhi, 8 nights in Madrid and Barcelona

Aman, 27, and Ishaan, 28, apply separately with online forms, stamped statements, 2 years of ITR, PAN copies, insurance front pages showing €30,000 of cover, hotel reservations and a round-trip flight reservation. Each pays €90 plus the BLS fee.

Example 2: mother from Mumbai visiting her son in Valencia

Rekha, 60, stays three weeks with her son, who obtains a police invitation letter in Spain. She applies in the Mumbai jurisdiction more than 15 days before travel, with pension and bank statements and proof of her address.

Example 3: family from Hyderabad with a 10-year-old

Both parents pay €90 and their daughter pays €45; she does not give fingerprints. Both parents sign her form, and they add a notarised authorisation and copies of their passports.

Frequently Asked Questions

Friendly reminder: BookForVisa prepares flight and hotel reservations to support visa applications and onward-travel proof. Requirements vary by destination, consulate, visa category and applicant situation. A reservation supports your file; it is not a paid ticket for travel and does not guarantee visa approval or entry.