Location: Spain, Europe

Capital: Madrid

Population: 40.5m

Area: 195,349 sq miles

Language: Spanish (Castilian), Catalan, Galician, Basque

Dialling Code: 34

Electricity: 220v AC 50Hz

Emergeny: 112

Driving: Driving is on the right. EU Driving Licences are accepted, if not an International Driving Licence is required.

Money: Euro (1 Euro = 100 cents)

Notes: EUR: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500

Coins: EUR: 1, 2.
Cents: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50

Credit Cards/Travellers Cheques: Widely accepted

Opening Hours:

Bank: 0900-1400 Mon-Fri, 0900-1300 Sat (except during the summer)

Shops: 0900-1300 & 1630-1930 Mon-Sat (1000-2000 department stores)

Office: Times vary considerably

Reciprocal Health: Participant of the European Health Insurance Card - EHIC scheme  (formerly known as the E111) which allows visitors on short-term stays to other member countries to use the public health care sector for free or reduced-cost medical treatment with emergency care.

Click here for more info on how to apply for your EHIC card

Please note: The EHIC is NOT an alternative to travel insurance. It will not cover any private medical healthcare or the cost of things such as mountain rescue in ski resorts, repatriation to the UK or lost or stolen property etc.

Compulsory vaccinations: None

Recommended immunisations: None however long-term visitors should consider Hepatitis A immunisation.

Risks: Rabies not normally present on the Spanish mainland except in Spanish territory in North Africa (Cueta & Melilla)

The following details relate to holders of adult normal passports (requirements for children may be different), if any other type of passport or travel document is held, entry requirements should be checked with the relevant embassy or consulate.

Passports

Required, but NOT by the following:

1) For visits by holders of National Identity Cards issued to nationals of Austria, Belgium,
Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland & United Kingdom

a) Holders of Hong Kong Document of Identity

Passport Validity: Passports must be valid for the period of intended stay.

Visas

The following DO NOT require a visa:

1) Nationals of Spain

2) For an unrestricted length of stay by:

a) Holders of passports issued by Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland Rep, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Rep, Slovenia, Sweden & Switzerland

b) Holders of British passports endorsed British Citizen

3) For stays up to 3 months in 6 month period by:

a) Holders of passports issued by Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (S.A.R. passport holders only), Israel, Japan, Korea (South), Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, St. Kitts-Nevis, Uruguay, United States, Vatican City & Venezuela

b) Holders of British passports endorsed British National (Overseas), British Overseas Territories Citizen (provided endorsed British Subject or British National for Community Purposes)

c) Holders of British passports with the names of the following territories appearing on the front cover: Anguilla, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Turks & Caicos Islands, St Helena and the Virgin Islands

Air Transit

Required by all except those as noted above and:

1) Persons continuing their journey to a third country without leaving the airport transit area & arriving & departing from/to a non-Schengen country, provided holding confirmed tickets & documentation

a) Required by nationals of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Congo, Congo Dem Rep, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia & Sri Lanka, unless residing in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland Rep, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain & Sweden or holding residence permits issued by Andorra, Canada, Japan, Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland or United States guaranteeing an unqualified right of return

Notes: Transit without a visa is not available if any of the subsequent destinations or transit locations are a Schengen country requiring a visa. Therefore, as the passenger is entering the Schengen territory, which is a borderless territory, those nationals of countries requiring a visa for any Schengen state, which they are entering, require a visa at all times

Special Notes:

All EU citizens planning to reside in Spain for over three months are required to register in person at the Foreigner's Office (Oficina de Extranjeros) in their province of residence or at designated Police stations