Spanish Immigration: What policy changes have occurred regarding Spanish visas, and which types should you be aware of when choosing a visa? We will provide a detailed explanation of four different types of Spanish visas.
1. Transit Visa: Those who have booked connecting flights and stay for no more than 48 hours are exempt from a transit visa.
Otherwise, a transit visa must be obtained, allowing a stay of 5 days. The visa is valid for 3 months.
2. Family Visit Visa: The Spanish government stipulates that only three categories of people are eligible to apply for a visit to Spain for more than 3 months:
Parents who have lost their ability to work, minor children, and spouses.
When Chinese citizens apply for an entry visa to visit relatives in Spain at the Embassy of Spain in China, they must provide a certificate of kinship (with a translation attached) authenticated by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the Embassy of Spain in China, as well as a photocopy of the relative's residence permit in Spain.
After receiving the application, the Embassy of Spain in China will forward it to the relevant domestic departments for approval. Once approved, an entry visa will be issued. The validity period of a Spanish entry visa is generally 3 months.
3. Official/Business Visa to Spain: To apply for a visa for official business in Spain, the following materials must be provided:
Name and passport number of the personnel traveling abroad.
Formal invitation letter (telex is invalid), name of the inviter, unit name, address, and telephone number.
For those staying in Spain for more than 3 months, fill out 3 visa application forms and submit 3 photos.
Business visas are issued within 5 working days from the date of submission.
For researchers holding official ordinary passports who are applying for a visa for a stay of more than 1 month, 2 copies of a certificate of no criminal record, 2 copies of academic credentials, and 1 copy each of the contract and health certificate must be provided.
4. Spanish Immigration Visa
For foreigners applying to immigrate to Spain, the law stipulates that immigration visas can be applied for in the following 4 situations:
Parents (including adoptive parents) of Spanish citizens abroad; children under 18 years old or adopted children of Spanish citizens abroad; siblings of Spanish citizens residing abroad who have no children to rely on; spouses of Spanish citizens. Foreign citizens who meet the above conditions may submit an application for immigration and settlement to the local immigration office through relatives residing in Spain.
To apply for an immigration visa, the applicant must personally go to the Embassy of Spain in China for an interview. When multiple people from one family apply for a visa at the same time, one person may be sent as a representative for the interview.
The following materials must be held during the interview:
The name and detailed address of the applicant's relative in Spain, the original residence permit or a copy certified and stamped by the relevant Spanish police station; 4 copies of the visa application form and 4 photos of the applicant; the original certificate of kinship issued by the notary office of the applicant's province, autonomous region, or municipality, and authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the Embassy of Spain in China.
The applicant's valid passport. After the embassy accepts the visa application, it will report it to the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and after approval, it will notify the applicant to go to the embassy to process the visa.