After investing the time to plan your trip to Spain, the last thing you want to happen is your trip being derailed because you don't have a valid passport or picture ID. If you are not a citizen of Spain, you must obtain these items in order to gain entry to the country and spend time there.
If you are a citizen of the European Union (EU), Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you are required to bring a valid passport or picture ID. If the traveler is under the age of 16, he can be included on their guardian's passport. Travelers under the age of 18 should have a picture ID and some form of parental authorization. If you are a citizen of any of the following countries, you are required to bring a valid passport: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, the USA, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Republic of Korea, San Marino, the Vatican, Singapore, Uruguay or Venezuela. You are not required to have a visa in order to travel to Spain if you are staying for 90 days or less. If you plan to stay beyond 90 days, you must arrange to secure a visa.
You should plan to obtain the passport or picture ID at least two to three weeks before travel. Once you obtain your passport of ID, you will be allowed to remain in Spain for a maximum of 90 days.
It is a good idea to be sure that the information on your picture ID and passport is up to date. The address on your picture ID should match the one listed on your passport.
If you currently don't have a passport, you should plan in advance to obtain one. Don't wait until the last minute as it can take up to 90 days for it to be processed. You can get information on what is required to obtain a passport from the U.S. Department of State (see Resources).
Outside of fulfilling document requirements, there is additional information regarding entry/exit requirements, safety and security, crimes against tourists, travel information, travel insurance, medical insurance and health considerations you should consider before traveling to Spain or any other foreign country (see References). There are no required vaccinations you should receive before traveling to Spain, other than routine vaccinations that you normally receive in the U.S. There is additional recommendations based on your activities in Spain (see References).
