Do you need a visa for Spain 2023?

Spain is a party to the Schengen Agreement. This means that U.S. citizens may enter Spain for up to 90 days for tourism or business without a visa. Your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay.



For travel that occurred in 2023, the rules for most Western travelers (such as citizens of the USA, Canada, and the UK) remained unchanged: no traditional visa was required for short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period for tourism or business. This is because Spain is part of the Schengen Area. However, if you are asking from the perspective of 2026, there is a new requirement. While a "visa" is still not required for these nationalities, travelers must now obtain an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) authorization before flying. The ETIAS is a digital entry requirement, similar to the US ESTA, which was fully implemented by early 2026 after several delays. It costs approximately €7 and is valid for three years. If you were a citizen of a country not on the visa-exempt list (such as India or China) in 2023, you did require a standard Schengen Visa, a rule that remains strictly in place in 2026.

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Yes, British citizens will need an ETIAS to visit Spain starting from 2023, when it becomes mandatory. The ETIAS will allow UK citizens multiple short trips of up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes, in periods of three years.

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There will also be multiple traveller data-points that will be shared between the Schengen zone which it is hoped will improve the future security of the bloc. ETIAS will be required for eligible travellers entering Spain starting in early 2025.

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ETIAS will cost 7 euros (about $8 or 6 British pounds) for a three-year permit that allows third-country nationals to enter the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

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ETIAS is a travel authorization waiver for visa-free visitors, visitors who include U.S. citizens. In fact, it will be mandatory for all countries currently in the Schengen Zone, or who currently have visa-free access to the Zone, which includes over 60 countries.

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The Spain European travel information and authorization system (ETIAS) is an electronic travel authorization which will allow visa waiver citizens to travel to all of the 26 Schengen Area member countries for short stays. It is expected to be implemented in 2025.

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It is expected that the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will be operational from mid-2025.

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Decisions on whether the ETIAS will be granted are made on a case-by-case basis. As ETIAS is in place to prevent terrorism and serious crime in Europe, only those individuals deemed a threat will go on to have their request denied. Travelers with minor convictions should not be deterred from applying for ETIAS.

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Your ETIAS travel authorisation is valid for three years or until the travel document you used in your application expires - whichever comes first. It is for short-term stays: a valid ETIAS travel authorisation entitles you to stay in the European countries requiring ETIAS for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.

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Spain currently does not have any plans of changing the 90-day rule. Technically, this rule is not under Spanish jurisdiction, as it is a rule that applies to the whole Schengen Area. So even if Spain wanted to change this rule, the change can only be initiated by authorities of the European Union.

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