World travel guide Spain: RED TAPE AND VISAS

.	Spain
.	When To Go
.	Red Tape And Visas
.	Health
.	Costs, Money And Banks
.	Getting Around
.	Communications: Post, Phones, Internet And Media
.	Eating And Drinking
.	Gay And Lesbian Travellers
.	Spanish Time
.	Best Of
.	Bullfights
.	Books
.	Fiestas
.	Explore Spain

SPAIN - RED TAPE AND VISAS

Spain view all cities

Top Destinations

.	Barcelona
.	Madrid
.	Playa de Las Americas and Los Cristianos
.	Puerto de la Cruz

.	San Sebastian
.	Santa Cruz
.	Sevilla

Citizens of most EU countries (and of Norway and Iceland) need only a valid national identity card to enter Spain for up to six months. Since Britain has no identity card system, however, British citizens have to take a passport. US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand citizens do not need a visa for stays of up to ninety days, but this must be for tourism purposes only and not for work or study. Visa requirements do change and it is always advisable to check the current situation before leaving home.

To stay longer, EU nationals (and citizens of Norway and Iceland) can apply for a permiso de residencia (EU residence permit) once in Spain. A temporary residency permit is valid for up to a year, and you'll need an extension after that (valid for up to five years). Applications need to be made at the Oficina de Extranjeros in the main cities or at the police station nearest to where you'll be taking up residency. You'll either need to produce proof that you have sufficient funds (officially around ?30 a day) to be able to support yourself without working - easiest done by keeping bank exchange forms every time you change money - or you'll need to have a contract of employment ( contrato de trabajo ) or become self-employed (for example as a teacher), which involves registering at the tax office.

US citizens can apply for one ninety-day extension, showing proof of funds, but this must be done from outside Spain. Other nationalities will need to get a special visa from a Spanish consulate before departure.

Spanish embassies and consulates

Australia, 15 Arkana St, Yarralumla, ACT 2600 tel 02/6273 3555; 24th Floor, St Martin's Tower, 31 Market St, Sydney, NSW 2000 tel 02/9261 2433, consulspain@smartchat.net.au ; 4th Floor, 540 Elizabeth St, Melbourne, VIC 3000 tel 03/9347 1966, conspainmelb@primus.com.au .

Britain, 20 Draycott Place, London SW3 2RZ tel 020/7589 8989; Suite 1a, Brook House, 70 Spring Gardens, Manchester M2 2BQ tel 0161/236 1213; 63 North Castle St, Edinburgh EH2 3LJ tel 0131/220 1843.

Canada, 350 Sparks St #802, Ottawa, Ontario K1R 7S8 tel 613/237-2193, www.docuweb.ca/SpainInCanada ; 1 Westmount Sq #1456, Ave Wood, Montréal, Quebec H3Z 2P9 tel 514/935-5235, www.total.net/~consular ; 1200 Bay St #400, Toronto, Ontario M5P 2A5 tel 416/967-4949.

Ireland, 17a Merlyn Park, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 tel 01/269 1640.

New Zealand, contact the consulate in Sydney.

USA, 2375 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC 20037 tel 202/452-0100, www.spainemb.org/ingles/indexing.htm ; 150 E 58th St, New York, NY 10155 tel 212/355-4090, www.spainconsul-ny.org ; 545 Boylston St #803, Boston, MA 02116 tel 617/536-2506, www.spainconsul-ny.org/boston.html ; 180 N Michigan Ave #1500, Chicago, IL 60601 tel 312/782-4588, cgspain.chicago@mail.mae.es ; 1800 Bering Drive #660, Houston, TX 77057 tel 713/783-6200, spainconsulatehoust@prodigy.net ; 5055 Wilshire Blvd #960, Los Angeles, CA 90036 tel 323/938-0158, consplax@mail.mae.esplax@mail.mae.es ; 2655 Le Jeune Rd #203, Coral Gables, Miami, FL 33134 tel 305/446-5511, cgspain.miami@mail.mae.es ; 2102 World Trade Center, 2 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130 tel 504/525-4951, conspneworleans@mail.mae.es ; 1405 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94109 tel 415/922-2995, conspsfo@mail.mae.es .