How to get a Schengen visa: the complete guide
06/05/2025 
Reading time: 4 min How to get a Schengen visa: a complete guide
A Schengen visa lets you travel across the 29 Schengen countries — including Spain — for up to 90 days within any 180. For most short trips it's a type C visa, and the process is predictable if your file is complete. This guide covers the visa types, how to apply, fees and timelines, and the concrete steps that cut your refusal risk.
- Short tripstype C, up to 90/180 daysTourism, business, visiting family.
- Consular fee€90 adult€45 for children 6–12; plus the visa-centre service fee.
- Processingup to 15 working daysUp to 30–45 in peak season; apply 6–8 weeks ahead.
- Insurancecover from €30,000For the whole trip.
- Multiple-entryeasier with a clean historyPrior visas used correctly improve your odds.
Types of Schengen visa
| Type | Purpose | Entries |
|---|---|---|
| Type C (short-stay) | Tourism, business, family visits | Single, double or multiple (MEV) |
| Type A (airport transit) | Changing planes in the international zone | As required |
| Type D (national, long-stay) | Study, work, residence — over 90 days | Issued by one country, leads to a permit |
Most travellers need the type C. A multiple-entry visa (MEV) lets you come and go throughout its validity — consulates grant longer MEVs more readily to applicants with a clean visa history. To apply for a type C to Spain, see the Schengen service; if you'll stay longer than 90 days, you need a type D and a residence permit.
How to apply
- Choose the visa type and the country of your main destination (or first entry).
- Book an appointment at the visa centre or consulate — no earlier than 6 months before the trip.
- Complete the application form accurately: dates, names and passport number must match your documents exactly.
- Gather the file: passport (valid ≥ 3 months after the trip, 2 blank pages), photos, insurance (≥ €30,000), accommodation booking, return tickets, bank statement and a work/study certificate.
- Submit in person and give biometrics (unless taken within the last ~5 years); pay the fee.
- Track the status and collect the passport, or use courier return.
Fees, timelines and tracking
The consular fee is €90 for adults (€45 for children 6–12), plus the visa-centre service fee. Processing is up to 15 working days by regulation, up to 30 in exceptional cases, and 30–45 in peak season in practice — so apply 6–8 weeks ahead. You can track the application on the visa-centre website with your reference number, and many centres send SMS or email updates.
How to cut your refusal risk
- Fill the form correctly — mismatched dates, misspelled names or a wrong passport number invalidate an application.
- Show consistent documents — tickets, booking and insurance must cover the same dates.
- Prove strong finances — a stable three-month balance beats a last-minute top-up.
- Prove ties home — job, family, property — so the consulate sees a reason to return.
- Keep insurance valid for the whole trip with the €30,000 minimum cover.
If you were already refused, see what to do if your visa is denied. And if you can't apply from your home country, the entry rules guide covers third-country routes.
Frequently asked questions
Official sources:
• Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 — EU Visa Code
• Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores — consular services
