Entry bans to Spain and Schengen: length and how to check

Key rules

• Ban length: After expulsion a ban generally cannot exceed 5 years, or 10 years for a serious threat to public order.
• Devolución ban: A ban after a devolución can reach 3 years.
• Schengen effect: A ban registered in the SIS makes other Schengen countries refuse you entry or a visa.
• Checking: You can ask Spain's Interior Ministry in writing whether you have an alert, and it usually answers within one month.

How long can an entry ban last?

An entry ban after expulsion generally cannot exceed 5 years, or 10 years for a serious threat to public order. A devolución ban can reach 3 years.

The length is set in proportion to your case. The authorities look at:

• how serious the infraction was
• the reason for the expulsion
• any criminal record
• your family ties and roots in Spain
• your conduct

A longer ban is not automatic. It has to fit your circumstances.

Does the ban cover all of Schengen?

Yes, in most cases. Spain can register a ban in the Schengen Information System (SIS) as an alert to refuse entry and stay. Once it is there, other Schengen countries must refuse you entry or a visa.

A ban held only in Spanish records would not bind other countries. Return decisions with entry bans are now meant to be entered in SIS, so assume yours is.

Another country may still grant you a residence permit or visa under its own rules. It will first consult Spain, so expect questions.

How do you check whether you are banned?

You may be banned without knowing it, so check before you plan travel or apply for a visa.

1. Read any visa refusal letter. A consulate's letter may say that an alert exists.
2. Make a written request. Ask whether you have an entry alert in the SIS. Sign it and attach a copy of your ID or passport.
3. Send it to Spain's Interior Ministry. It is responsible for the data. Confirm the current office and address before you send.
4. Wait for the reply. It usually comes within one month.
5. If access is denied, Spain's data protection agency (the AEPD) can help, free of charge.

You can also ask a lawyer, the Policía Nacional, or the Delegación or Subdelegación del Gobierno for a copy of your expulsion file. It shows what was decided against you.

The checklist, warnings and questions below cover the details.

Checklist

• Look at any visa refusal letter from a consulate, as it may say that an alert exists.

• Copy your ID or passport to attach to your request.

• Sign a written request asking whether you have an entry alert in the Schengen Information System.

• Send the request to Spain's Interior Ministry, the authority responsible for the data.

• Expect an answer within one month, usually.

What to watch out for

• A Spanish ban closes the whole Schengen area: A Spanish ban is entered in the Schengen Information System, so other Schengen countries must refuse you entry or a visa. Travelling to another Schengen country will not get around it. Check whether you are banned before you book travel or apply for a visa anywhere in Schengen.

• You may be banned without knowing it: An alert can exist without you being told, and you may only find out when you are refused at a border or in a visa decision. Send a signed access request with your ID or passport copy to Spain's Interior Ministry, and ask the data protection agency (the AEPD) for help if it is refused.

Frequently asked questions

Can another Schengen country still give me a visa if I have a Spanish ban?

Yes, another Schengen country can still grant a visa or residence permit, but only after it consults Spain. Each country applies its own rules, so the result is not automatic either way.

How long does it take to get an answer about my entry alert?

You should usually get an answer within one month of your request. If nothing arrives, contact the data protection agency (the AEPD).