What is a Schengen visa?

he Schengen visa is granted in the form of a sticker affixed on a passport, a travel document or another valid document which entitles the holder to cross the border. Possession of a Schengen visa does not confer automatic right of entry. Entry will only be granted if the other conditions laid down by the Schengen Convention are met, i.e. the justification of the purpose and the conditions of the trip and the possession of sufficient funds.

Short Stay Schengen Visa

The short-stay visa is the most common Schengen visa. It entitles travellers, subject to the visa requirement, to enter the territories of the 26 Schengen States to pay a continuous visit or several visits, the duration of which does not exceed three months (90 days) in any half-year from the date of first entry in the Schengen area. The short-stay visa is issued for one or several entries Its period of validity shall not exceed five years.

If you plan to go to Spain on a short stay visa for a period not to exceed 90 days and your country is not on the visa-free list, you need a Schengen travel visa (Visa C). This visa is not a work permit.

Please note that in order to apply for a travel visa at the Spain Consulate, your only destination or your main destination (longest duration of stay) must be Spain. In the absence of a main destination (e.g. same duration of stay in two or more countries) you can apply at any of these countries but it is recommended that you apply at the country of first entry because your passport will show the entry stamp of your first destination only Spain´s main language is Spanish, please note Consulate General of Spain will only accept documentation in that language so if you are asking for a visa to some of the represented countries, please be sure to submit all you documents in Spanish.

When to apply?

You can apply for a visa up to 3 months in advance of your intended date of travel to the Schengen Area. Applicants are strongly advised not to confirm their travel arrangements until they have received their visa.

Schengen Information

A Schengen visa has to be obtained from the Consulate of the country where the main purpose of travel lies. Therefore, please check your travel plans before making your application to the Consular Department of the Consulate of Spain in Ecuador. In case of travel to multiple Schengen countries, please make your application to the Consulate where you will be staying for the maximum number of days, or from the Point of First Entry into the Schengen Countries, if the duration of stay is the same in more than one Schengen Country.