Arriving visa-free: your 90 days and what to plan next

Key rules

• 90/180 rule: Entry and exit days count as full days, and time in Spain on a residence permit or long-stay visa does not count.
• Passport: It must be under 10 years old, valid three months past your departure, with two blank pages.
• Overstay: Fines run from 501 to 10,000 euros, and expulsion can bring an entry ban of up to five years.
• Applying in Spain: As a rule you cannot switch to a residence permit from inside Spain on a short stay.

The short version

You can stay up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period, counting days in all Schengen countries together. Plan your next step before you arrive. Once you are in Spain on a short stay, most residence routes are closed to you.

How the 90 days are counted

For each day you are in the area, look back over the 180 days before it. Add up every day you spent in any Schengen country. If the total reaches 90, you must leave.

• Your entry day and your exit day both count as full days.
• Time in Spain on a long-stay visa or a residence permit does not count towards the limit.
• If you have used all your days, wait until enough days drop out of the window before you return.
• The EU has an official short-stay calculator online. Use it before you book trips.

Registration at the border

Spain uses the EU Entry/Exit System at airports, ports and other external borders. It replaces passport stamps. On your first visit, the system records your name, passport details, fingerprints and a photo, plus your entry and exit dates.

It does not register EU, EEA or Swiss citizens, or people with a long-stay visa or a residence permit. You can check your remaining days with the EU's web tool for the system. Border guards can also tell you if you ask.

ETIAS

ETIAS is an online travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers, such as UK, US, Canadian, Australian and Israeli passport holders. It is expected to start in the last quarter of 2026, with a grace period of at least six months. When it applies, it will cost 20 euros per application, with exemptions for under-18s and over-70s. It will last three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. Apply only on the official EU website, and check whether it applies yet before you travel.

Your passport

Your passport must have been issued within the last 10 years. It must be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area. It also needs at least two blank pages. Officers can refuse entry if it does not meet these rules.

What officers may ask for

Most visitors are not asked anything. Checks are selective, and they tend to focus on people with a doubtful profile, such as past overstays or no return ticket. Have these ready anyway:

• proof of why you are visiting and where you will stay;
• a return or onward ticket;
• proof of enough money for your stay and your return, set per person per day at 10% of the IPREM, Spain's yearly benchmark figure, which changes every year;
• health or travel insurance.

Ask the Interior Ministry for the current daily amount. The documents list and the checklist below give the detail.

If you overstay

Staying past your authorised time is a serious offence. The fine is generally from 501 to 10,000 euros. Instead of a fine, or in more serious cases, you can be expelled and banned from entering for up to five years. Police can also issue a return order.

The overstay is recorded in the entry system. It can lead to a Schengen entry ban and refusals of later visas. It can also damage future residence applications in Spain, especially after an expulsion order. Penalties are decided case by case.

Routes to stay longer

As a rule, you cannot apply for a residence permit from inside Spain while on a short stay. You apply for a visa from the Spanish consulate in the country where you live. The decision below compares your options.

Exceptions exist:

• The exceptional-circumstances routes, called arraigo (social, labour or family), usually need two to three years of residence in Spain. They were adjusted by a reform that took effect on 20 May 2025.
• Study, research, protection (asylum), humanitarian reasons, and family reunification with EU or Spanish citizens.
• Digital-nomad and highly qualified worker permits can be requested from inside Spain by people who are there legally.

Check which route fits you with the Extranjería office before your 90 days run out.

Choosing between options

What do you do as your 90 days run out?

• Leave and return later: Fits if you only want to visit again: leave before the limit and come back once enough days have dropped out of the 180-day window.

• Apply for a visa from your home country: Fits if you want to live in Spain: a person on a short stay generally cannot apply for residence from inside Spain and must apply at the consulate in their country of residence.

• Apply from inside Spain under an exceptional route: Fits if you qualify for arraigo (usually two to three years of residence), study, protection, humanitarian reasons or family reunification with an EU or Spanish citizen. Digital-nomad and highly qualified worker permits can also be requested from inside Spain by people legally there.

• Stay on without permission: Not a safe option: it is an irregular stay that can bring a fine or expulsion with an entry ban, and it harms later residence applications.

If you want to live in Spain beyond your visa-free stay, apply for the right visa or permit instead of overstaying. If you do not qualify, leave before the 90 days end.

Timeline and deadlines

• Check your passport was issued within the last 10 years and has at least two blank pages: before you book

• Make sure your passport is valid for at least three months after your planned departure from the Schengen area: before you travel

• Count back 180 days from each day of your stay, adding days in all Schengen countries together: before you arrive and during your stay

• Leave Spain before you use up your 90 days, counting entry and exit days as full days: by the 90th day in any rolling 180-day period

• If you have used all 90 days, wait until enough days drop out of the 180-day window before returning: after you leave

Documents you need

• Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid for at least three months after you plan to leave the Schengen area, with at least two blank pages. A passport that does not meet this can be refused at the border.

• Proof of the purpose and conditions of your stay, such as a hotel booking, an invitation letter or an address in Spain. Border police may ask for it.

• A return or onward ticket. Border police may ask for it, and travellers without one are more likely to be checked.

• Proof of sufficient funds for your stay and the return: a daily amount per person of 10% of the IPREM (Spain's yearly public reference income figure), about 70 euros a day in 2025, with a minimum of about 630 euros per person.

• Health or travel insurance, which border police may also request.

Papers to have in your hand at passport control

• Keep your passport in your hand, valid for your whole stay and in good condition.

• Print or save offline a ticket or booking showing your onward or return trip out of Spain.

• Bring proof of funds for your stay, such as a recent bank statement or a card with a clear balance, and check the amount expected with the Spanish consulate.

• Carry proof of where you will sleep, such as a hotel booking or a rental contract for your first nights.

• If you stay with a host, ask them for their address and phone number, and have them ready to show.

• If you travel for work, study or a visit, bring the letter or invitation that explains the purpose of your trip.

• If you travel with children, bring their passports and proof of your relationship, plus a signed permission letter if only one parent travels.

• If you carry cash at or above the customs limit, fill in the cash declaration before you leave the airport, and ask customs for the current limit.

• Keep copies of all these papers on your phone, in case your bag is delayed.

Check the current funds amount and cash declaration limit with the Spanish consulate or customs before you travel.

What to watch out for

• Passport refused at the border: You can be refused entry if your passport is more than 10 years old, expires less than three months after you plan to leave, or has fewer than two blank pages. Check the issue date, expiry date and blank pages before you book, and renew the passport first if it falls short.

• Overstaying your 90 days: Staying past your authorised time is a serious offence. It can bring a fine, generally from 501 to 10,000 euros, or expulsion with an entry ban of up to five years, more commonly in aggravated cases. The overstay is recorded in the EES and can lead to a Schengen entry ban, refused visas and trouble with future residence applications. Count your days carefully and leave before the limit. If you have already overstayed, get advice from a lawyer or the Extranjería office before you do anything else.

Frequently asked questions

Does the EES register me if I hold a long-stay visa?

No, the EES does not register holders of long-stay national visas (type D), residence permits or residence cards for family members. It registers non-EU short-stay visitors, whether visa-exempt or on a short-stay visa. It records your fingerprints, a facial image and your entry and exit dates.

How can I check how many days I have left in Schengen?

You can check your remaining authorised days with the EU's official web tool for the EES, and border guards can tell you on request.

Do I need ETIAS to enter Spain now?

No, ETIAS is not required yet; it is expected to start in the last quarter of 2026 with a grace period of at least six months. Once it applies, visa-exempt visitors will need an online authorisation costing 20 euros, valid for three years or until the passport expires. Under-18s and over-70s are exempt from the fee.

Can I apply for a residence permit without leaving Spain after arriving visa-free?

Generally no, because you must apply for a visa at the consulate in your country of residence. The exceptions are the arraigo routes, which usually need two to three years of residence in Spain, plus study, protection and family reunification with EU or Spanish citizens.