Since 10 April 2026 all non-EU travelers pass biometric EES checks at the Schengen border, with ETIAS pre-authorization (EUR 20) approved but not yet launched. Border officers may demand proof of funds - 122.10 € per person per day, minimum 1,098.90 € - proved with cash, traveller's cheques, or a card backed by a bank statement, and carried on paper rather than on a phone.
- EU, EEA and Swiss citizens enter on a national ID card or passport, outside both EES and the future ETIAS.
- Visa-exempt third-country nationals get 90 days in any 180-day period; the stay normally cannot be extended.
- EES biometric registration has been mandatory since 10 April 2026: four fingerprints and a facial image at the border.
- Everyone else applies in advance for a Schengen type visa at a Spanish mission or a BLS International centre.
- No health arrival form applies - the old SpTH system is permanently switched off.
- Proof of funds is checked at random and the bar is high: since 1 January 2026 it is EUR 122.10 per person per day, with an absolute minimum of EUR 1,098.90 even for a one-day visit.
- The rules accept cash, certified or traveller's cheques, or a card with a bank statement or passbook. Bring it printed and stamped for the past 3 months rather than as a screen on your phone.
- Declare cash of EUR 10,000 or more in writing. Meat and dairy from outside the EU are prohibited.
- ETIAS costs EUR 20 and is valid 3 years, but as of August 2026 no launch date has been announced; when it starts, approval usually takes minutes but can take up to 96 hours.
Decision flow
Your regime follows from nationality and trip parameters.
- EU/EEA/Swiss citizens - not subject to visa requirements, EES registration or the future ETIAS system. A valid national ID card or passport is all you need to enter and stay.
- Visa-exempt third-country nationals - the Annex II list: the USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan and others. Visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, with three conditions attached.
- EES registration, active since 10 April 2026 - biometric capture is mandatory at border control.
- ETIAS, not yet launched - an approved electronic authorization before departure, EUR 20 and valid 3 years or until the passport expires. As of August 2026 no launch date has been announced.
- Extensions are normally impossible, but Australia, the USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea and Malaysia hold historic bilateral visa-waiver agreements with Spain allowing, under specific conditions, a further 90 days beyond the EU limit.
- Visa-required third-country nationals - China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia and others must apply in advance for a short-stay Schengen visa (Type ) at a Spanish diplomatic mission or through the contracted BLS International centres.
Entry formalities common to everyone
No health forms - the former SpTH system is permanently deactivated. Third-country travelers still face four requirements.
- EES biometric registration - arriving from a non-EU state means biometric processing at the border: four fingerprints and a digital facial image.
- ETIAS authorization, once it launches - visa-free third-country travelers pre-register on the travel-europe.europa.eu/etias portal for EUR 20. As of August 2026 no launch date has been announced and applications are not open. When it does start, approval usually takes minutes but can take up to 96 hours in complex cases, so apply several days ahead.
- Customs - cash, cheques or other means of payment totalling 10,000 € or more must be declared in writing on arrival. Meat, milk and products containing them from non-EU states are prohibited on phytosanitary grounds, under threat of confiscation and a fine.
- Proof of funds - border authorities run random solvency checks. Since 1 January 2026 the minimum is 122.10 € per person per day, with an absolute minimum of 1,098.90 € for the whole stay, even a one-day visit.
What matters in practice
- What counts as proof is set out in the rules. The Interior Ministry accepts the money in cash, or certified or traveller's cheques, or letters of payment, or a credit card accompanied by a bank statement or an up-to-date passbook - not the card on its own.
- Carry it on paper. Travellers report officers declining to accept a balance shown in a banking app, and there is no way to argue the point at the desk. A printed, stamped statement covering the past three months removes the question, costs nothing, and is what the rule describes anyway.
- Insist on a manual check if your case is unusual. Automatic e-gates at Madrid and Barcelona airports produce errors in the electronic EES records. Resident-status travelers (TIE card holders) and anyone relying on a specific bilateral agreement should use a staffed booth, or risk being wrongly flagged as an overstayer in the Schengen register.
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