Spain is a member-country of the Schengen Agreement.  As such, visitors from a member-country are also given special privileges regarding their entry into Spain.

Spain Visas for Europeans (Member Countries of the Schengen Agreement)

A visa is not needed if you, the tourist, is a resident or citizen of a country which is a member of the Schengen agreement.  These countries are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.  All you need to carry is a national ID card.

Meanwhile, for European countries that do not form part of the Schengen agreement, citizens must carry a valid passport.  The countries included in this arrangement are the UK, Ireland and countries who were integrated in 2004 – Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Thus, Europeans may visit Spain without having need of a visa.  A resident card, however, is required for stays that last more than 3 months.

Spain Visas for Non-Europeans

The following countries are not required to present a visa to visit Spain: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong and Macao (China), Hungary, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela.  For citizens of these countries, only a passport is needed to enter Spain.  However, the stay must not be more than 90 days (3 months).  Please also take note that the arrangements may vary per country, so it is recommended that you consult the Spanish consulate.

For those whose country is not included in the list, you will need the following:

• Official invitation letter from the school (if you are planning to study in Spain)
• Certificate of good health
• Clean police record
• Proof of funds to pay for private insurance during your stay in Spain

For help on visa issues while you are in San Sebastian, here is a list of consulates in the city: