Spanish Embassies in the world

The network of Spanish Embassies around the world is extremely wide. Spain has more than 150 Embassies, Consulates and permanent representations abroad. There are also High Commissions with limited powers.

No matter where you live or where you are, you can find an Embassy or a Consulate of Spain almost everywhere.

Their primary mission is to shape and carry out Spanish relations with the local country. Additionally, they provide consular services to Spanish citizens and visa services to citizens of other countries who wish to visit or who qualify to immigrate to Spain. Finally, they promote trade and investment between the two countries in order to enhance their commercial relationship.

Please, make sure that you carry on all the legal procedures and paperwork to apply for a visa from a Spanish Embassy or Consulate. Do so well in advance before your departure. You cannot request it in Spain!

Consular services

The most important service the Spanish Embassies and Consulates offer to foreigners are those related to Visa and the procedures you need to go through if you would like to travel to Spain. Before continuing reading, check whether you need a Visa or not.

These are the different types of Visa that you can apply to:

• Short Stay Visa (also known as Uniform Schengen Visa)
• Long Term Visa
• Student Visa
• Residence Visa of different types
• Non lucrative Visa
• Residency Visa for scientific, academic or religious reasons

The Spanish Embassies and Consulates manage the citizenship procedures. There are different cases in which the Spanish nationality may be acquired. If you believe you are eligible, please contact them.

They also offer legalization services. A legalization is an administrative act whereby a foreign public document is validated, by verifying the authenticity of the signature on the document, and the capacity in which the signatory of the document has acted.

Unless there is a legal instrument providing exemption from that obligation, all foreign public documents must be legalized in order to be valid in Spain. This is particularly important if you are applying for a Student Visa.

Practical information

As a rule of thumb, always contact the Spanish Embassy or Consulate in your home country to ask for information on all visa matters. The officials can inform you on all the procedures on obtaining a valid visa for Spain, and on all the specific types of visa for Spain.

Some services are by appointment only. Visa applications is one of them, so call them before showing up and ask how to get an appointment

To apply for a visa you must appear in person. Email, regular mail or fax applications will not be accepted.

Applications for visas will be accepted on a first come first serve basis. Therefore, the sooner you start the procedure, the sooner you will get your visa.

Make sure to keep a copy of all the documents you submit with your application, apart from the one the officials usually request. If a document gets lost, you can always submit it again immediately.

List of Spanish Embassies and Consulates

Embassy and Consulate hours can vary. Always contact the Embassy before a visit. The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores) provides an updated list that you should check at any time.

United Kingdom

United States

Canada

Germany

Australia

Ireland