You don't need a visa.
British citizens get 90 days visa-free entry to Spain. Show your passport on arrival.
Schengen EES (Entry/Exit System) is now operational
All non-EU travellers entering the Schengen area now have biometrics (fingerprints + facial photo) registered at the border on first entry. Adds 5–15 minutes to your border crossing on first arrival; subsequent crossings within 3 years use the stored data.
1 additional warning is folded into the result card below.
The story of United Kingdom → Spain
British citizens travel visa-free to Spain under Schengen 90/180 (ETIAS from late 2026, EES biometric tracking from late 2025). Long-stay routes: Non-Lucrative Visa (UK pensioner-favourite, €2,400+/month proven passive income, no work), Digital Nomad Visa (€2,762/month proven income from UK remote employer — 2023 launch), Highly Qualified Worker (€40,000+ salary). Spain's post-Brexit handling of British residents was generous — those resident on 31 December 2020 retained rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. ~300,000 British citizens live in Spain (Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Mallorca, Madrid).
Diplomatic visa.
Diplomatic visa applications go through the issuing country's ministry of foreign affairs. The mission/embassy in Spain coordinates accreditation. Standard tourist visa rules do not apply.
Your visa options
13 routes availableUnique visa pathways
For United Kingdom applicants specifically
Your documentation process at a glance.
What the generic requirements above actually mean for you in United Kingdom — the exact agency, fee, and processing time for each.
Police / background check
ACRO Police Certificate
ACRO Criminal Records Office
Fee: £59 (Standard, 10-day)
Processing: 10 working days standard; 2 working days premium (£99)
Covers Police National Computer + force records. Required for most Schengen long-stay, Australian PR, Canadian Express Entry, NZ residence, US adjustment of status.
Official site →Apostille / legalisation
Hague Apostille (single-step)
FCDO Legalisation Office (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
Fee: £45 (Standard, 2-day) / £75 (Premium same-day)
Processing: 2 working days standard; same-day premium at Milton Keynes office
UK joined Hague Apostille 1965. Documents must be notarised by a UK solicitor / notary public FIRST, then sent to FCDO. Online tracking + courier return available.
Official site →Tax records / income proof
SA302 Tax Calculation + Tax Year Overview
HMRC
SA302s download free from HMRC online portal. Most consulates accept the SA302 + Tax Year Overview pair as proof of self-employment income for the last 3 years.
Official site →Certified translation
ITI / CIOL Member or sworn translator for the destination's legal system
Sworn / certified translator
For Spanish NLV, Italian Elective, Portuguese D7, French long-stay: use a translator on the destination consulate's approved list (consulado.uk / it.esteri.it / lisbon.gov.uk). For US: ATA-certified translator OR certified statement of accuracy.
Standard civil documents you'll often need: Full UK passport (not provisional) — issued within 10 years for Schengen entry; UK driving licence or BRP (Biometric Residence Permit) for non-UK-born residents; Council tax bill / utility bill in your name (address proof, within 3 months); Bank statements (UK high-street bank, certified copy if asked); Original birth certificate (long-form, with parents' details — for citizenship-by-descent applications); …
Fees on the destination's visa page are typically quoted in the destination currency. Your preferred currency for budgeting: GBP. Where to apply: Most embassies in London (Belgravia / Mayfair). Spanish + Italian + Portuguese have additional consulates in Edinburgh + Manchester. Australian + NZ + Canadian use VFS Global / TLScontact centres.
Post-Brexit British applicants are 'third-country nationals' for EU long-stay routes — no preferential treatment vs Americans, Australians etc. Some EU member states still offer streamlined processing for British applicants (Spain, Portugal, France in particular).
Documents on this route
No visa or forms needed for British citizens.
British citizens can enter Spain without a pre-arranged visa. The destination authority will stamp your passport on arrival — no forms to download in advance.
Alternative routes
If this visa doesn't work for you — adjacent passports, related destinations, second-best routes.
▾
Alternative routes
If this visa doesn't work for you — adjacent passports, related destinations, second-best routes.
Other visa types for this route
We also have data on these visa categories between GB and ES.
Tourism
2/10Schengen short-stay (Annex II — visa-exempt)
2 options · See details
Business
7/10Schengen Type C Business Visa — Spain
1 option · See details
Work
8/10Spain Digital Nomad visa (Ley 28/2022)
6 options · See details
Study
10/10Long-Stay Student Visa (Visado de Estudios) — Spain
2 options · See details
Family
10/10Visado de Reagrupación Familiar (Family Reunification) — Spain
2 options · See details
More for British travellers
Other places to go and other reasons to go to Spain.
Sources & verification
Every claim above traced to an official government source.
▾
Sources & verification
Every claim above traced to an official government source.
Sources & references
Every link below is a primary government source. We aggregate; the source is the authority. If anything on this page disagrees with a link below, the link wins.
Where this page's data came from
- Schengen short-stay (Annex II — visa-exempt)eur-lex.europa.eu
- Visa-free (90 days)exteriores.gob.es
- Schengen Type C Business Visa — Spainexteriores.gob.es
- Spain Digital Nomad visa (Ley 28/2022)exteriores.gob.es
- Non-Lucrative Visa (Visado de Residencia No Lucrativa) — Spainexteriores.gob.es
- Spain Golden Visa — REAL ESTATE ROUTE CLOSED 2025extranjeros.inclusion.gob.es
- Startup Law Entrepreneur Visa — Spainempresas.sepe.es
- Visado de Trabajo por Cuenta Ajena (Salaried Worker) — Spainextranjeros.inclusion.gob.es
- Long-Stay Student Visa (Visado de Estudios) — Spainexteriores.gob.es
- Visado de Estudios (Student) — Spainuniversidades.gob.es
Your country's foreign-affairs ministry
Independent travel advisories
While you're here
Practical next steps
Useful links for travel to Spain
Official government and authority links only. Commercial provider slots (travel insurance, international health insurance, passport photos, registered immigration advisers) are coming soon — we're shortlisting the first cohort. Get featured here →
Required vaccinations & shots
All providers →Up-to-date guidance from the CDC, NHS Fit for Travel, and other national health bodies on required and recommended vaccinations for your destination. Yellow Fever certificates are mandatory for entry from some routes.
NHS Fit for Travel (UK)
OfficialUK National Travel Health Network's country-by-country vaccination + malaria advice. Authoritative for UK residents; covers routine, recommended, and certificate-mandatory shots.
Australian Smartraveller
OfficialDFAT travel health guidance for Australians, with country pages covering required and recommended vaccinations plus health-system risk levels.
CDC Yellow Book (US)
OfficialAuthoritative US CDC guidance: required + recommended vaccinations and prophylaxis by destination, plus advisories on outbreaks, food/water safety, and traveller's diarrhoea.
Informational only. A valid visa permits entry subject to officer discretion at the border. Always verify with the destination's embassy or official source before travel, employment, or relocation.