Travel to Spain - Vital Information for Tourists

If you are planning a vacation to Spain, there are several steps you’ll need to take before your plane ever leaves the ground. From visas to vaccinations, this brief guide will help you get prepared efficiently.

Visa

Citizens of countries within the European Union will not need to have a visa to enter Spain, but you will need to have your national identification document. Resident of the United States and Canadians who are planning to stay in Spain on a tourist basis for less than three months will not need to get a visa before leaving. If you plan to stay longer than that, you will need to obtain a tourist, business or student visa, depending on your situation.

Passports

You will need a valid passport to travel. You can visit http://travel.state.gov/passport for an easy guide on how to obtain your passport. If you are in a hurry, there is an option to rush your passport, but it will cost extra. You will need to have two copies of a recent photograph, and basic identification documents to apply for a passport. Your local courthouse will typically have an area set aside for passport applications. If you are not sure where you should go to apply for your passport, the site mentioned above contains information on all valid passport application offices.

Health Insurance

Anytime you plan to travel overseas, you will need to make sure that you have a valid health insurance policy that will provide you with coverage while you are overseas. Traveling to a foreign country can be demanding enough, but if you are injured and without health insurance, the complications are numerous. If your current health insurance policy does not provide international coverage, it is a good idea to purchase a short-term global health insurance plan that will allow you to travel.

Vaccinations