VISA APPLICATION
DO I NEED A VISA?
Spain is a member of the Schengen Area. Participants attending this conference may require a visa to enter Spain, depending on their nationality. For short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period, Spain issues a Schengen short-stay visa (Type C) for purposes including conferences, business meetings, and academic events. This visa does not permit paid employment in Spain.
On the list below, you can see the visa-exempt countries per Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 published by the European Union. This regulation lists which country nationals must have a visa and which are exempt from the visa requirement when entering any Schengen country, including Spain. You can review the full current list on the official EU legal database here.
VISA REQUIREMENTS
For official Spanish visa guidance and requirements, please consult the Schengen visas page of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Applicants must usually submit a completed and signed Schengen visa application form together with a valid passport, recent passport photographs, and an official conference invitation or confirmation letter. They must also provide proof of accommodation in Spain, a round-trip flight reservation or travel itinerary, evidence of sufficient financial means, travel medical insurance for the entire Schengen Area, and payment of the visa application fee.
A visa exemption does not eliminate the need to meet standard entry conditions, such as possessing a valid travel document, proof of sufficient means, and not exceeding the 90-day limit. It also does not remove the requirement that many travelers from visa-exempt countries will, from 2026, need to obtain an ETIAS travel authorization before travel.
CONFERENCE INVITATION LETTER
If you require an official invitation letter to support your visa application, you must first register for the conference. After completing your registration, you may request an invitation letter from the conference organisers. Requests will be processed by the organisers within five working days.
Please contact us at julia.gawlicka@aci-europe.org to request the invitation letter.
Please note that the invitation letter is provided to confirm participation in the conference and does not guarantee visa approval, as visa decisions are made solely by the Spanish consular authorities.
