This guide covers the UK visa from Spain in 2026: the ETA now required of Spanish citizens, current fees in euros, the travel requirements for entering the UK, and the visa routes for non-EU residents of Spain. Since Brexit, Spanish nationals are visa-free for short visits but need a €24 Electronic Travel Authorisation approved before boarding.
UK Visas from Spain
UK Visa from Spain 2026: Fees, ETA Requirements & How to Apply
Travelling to the UK from Spain: Entry Requirements
Spanish citizens do not need a visa for visits of up to six months, but they do need an ETA (€24, valid two years) obtained through the UK ETA App. Non-EU residents of Spain need a Standard Visitor visa (€164) instead. For work, study, or family stays, Spanish nationals apply for the relevant visa and give biometrics through the UK Immigration: ID Check App — no visa centre visit.
Spain and Britain share one of Europe's busiest travel corridors — around 18 million British visits to Spain a year, and the largest British expatriate community in the world, with over 400,000 UK nationals living along the Costa del Sol, Alicante, and beyond. Travel runs heavily in both directions. Since Brexit, though, travelling to the UK from Spain means facing the same ETA system as other visa-exempt nationals — and it must be approved before boarding, as it is checked at check-in.
- A valid passport: covering the duration of the stay.
- An approved ETA: €24, valid two years, via the UK ETA App.
- Evidence of return or onward travel.
- Accommodation details: a booking or a host's address.
- Enough funds: to support the visit without working.
- Genuine intention to leave within six months.
At the border, officers may ask about your plans, accommodation, and funds, though detailed questioning is rare for Spanish visitors. Keeping your booking and return ticket on your phone speeds things up. Travellers from elsewhere in the region face the same system, including those covered by our France ETA guidance.
Do Spanish Citizens Need a Visa for the UK?
It depends on your nationality, not your residence. Free movement between the EU and UK ended on 31 December 2020, so Spanish citizens are now visa-exempt nationals for short visits — they can visit without a visa but cannot work, study courses over six months, or access public funds. According to the official gov.uk ETA guidance, Spanish citizens have needed an ETA since 2 April 2025, with a 99.6% issue rate in the latest Home Office figures — approval is effectively automatic for eligible travellers.
The full rules, exemptions, and how the scheme works across nationalities are covered in our guide to the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme. The same ETA route applies to German citizens travelling to the UK.
UK Tourist Visa from Spain
“UK tourist visa from Spain” means different things by nationality. A Spanish passport holder visiting as a tourist only needs the €24 ETA — covering tourism, family visits, business meetings and negotiations (never paid work), short courses up to 30 days, private medical treatment, and transit. A non-EU national living in Spain must apply for a Standard Visitor visa, regardless of how long they have lived there.
For repeat trips, the long-term visitor visa allows unlimited entries over two, five, or ten years while still capping each stay at six months — it spreads the cost for frequent travellers.
UK Visa Fees from Spain 2026 (in Euros)
Home Office fees are set in pounds and shown in euros for applicants in Spain and the eurozone. The figures below are pulled from the official fee calculator, apply identically across euro-currency countries, and are non-refundable.
UK visitor and short-stay fees from Spain (2026)
| Visa Type | Fee (EUR) | Max Stay Per Visit |
|---|---|---|
| ETA (Spanish citizens) | €24 | 6 months |
| Standard Visitor (6 months) | €164 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (2 years) | €615 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (5 years) | €1,097 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (10 years) | €1,371 | 6 months |
| Marriage Visitor | €164 | 6 months |
| Direct Airside Transit (DATV) | €50 | Airside only |
| Visitor in Transit | €91 | 48 hours |
Source: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule, as displayed in euros; ETA per GOV.UK.
UK work, study and family visa fees from Spain (2026)
| Visa Category | Fee (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Student | €678 |
| Skilled Worker (up to 3 years) | €995 |
| Skilled Worker (over 3 years) | €1,966 |
| Health and Care Worker (up to 3 years) | €394 |
| Youth Mobility Scheme | €413 |
| Partner / Family visa | €2,508 |
| Adult Dependent Relative | €4,417 |
| Priority service | +€608 |
| Super Priority service | +€1,215 |
Source: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule, as displayed in euros.
The Immigration Health Surcharge
Any visa over six months also carries the Immigration Health Surcharge, charged in pounds at £1,035 a year — students and Youth Mobility participants pay £776. It is paid on top of the visa fee and is not converted to euros. Health and Care Worker visa holders are exempt.
UK Visa from Spain for Non-EU Residents
Spain hosts large Moroccan, Colombian, Venezuelan, and Filipino communities, many of whom travel to the UK. Unlike Spanish citizens, they must obtain a visa for any UK trip, whatever the purpose or length — the six-month Standard Visitor visa costs €164, applications go through the visa centre in Madrid, and processing takes about three weeks. A Spanish residence permit (tarjeta de residencia) does not grant visa-free UK access, but it strengthens the application by showing ties to Spain.
Spanish Residence Strengthens Your Application
Legal residence in Spain — especially permanent residence — helps a UK visitor application by showing strong ties and a clear reason to return. Include your residence permit, employment contract, and evidence of settled life such as property, bank accounts, or family in Spain alongside the standard documents in our UK visa supporting documents checklist.
If a relative is hosting you, our guide to the sponsor's invitation letter shows what to include. If a visit was refused before, our guides on why UK visas are refused and the odds of success when reapplying explain how to strengthen a fresh application.
Working and Studying in the UK
Free movement ended on 31 December 2020, so Spanish nationals now need permission to work or study long-term. The upside is convenience: as an EU national, you verify your identity through the UK Immigration: ID Check App rather than attending a visa centre, and UK visa grant rates for Spanish applicants are high across all routes.
Skilled Worker Visa
The Skilled Worker route is the main path for Spanish nationals taking UK employment. You need a job offer from a licensed sponsor and a salary meeting the general threshold of £41,700, with lower thresholds for some roles. The fee is €995 for up to three years or €1,966 beyond that, plus the health surcharge, and it leads to settlement after five years.
Youth Mobility, Student and Family Routes
Spanish citizens aged 18 to 35 can apply under the Youth Mobility Scheme to live and work in the UK for two years; the fee is €413. For courses over six months, the Student visa costs €678 and allows part-time work; after a degree the Graduate route gives two years' post-study work. Spaniards joining a British or settled partner can apply for a partner visa (€2,508), with a minimum income requirement of £29,000. Those settled before Brexit may hold status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
How to Apply for a UK Visa from Spain
Spanish citizens have an advantage: as EU nationals they can use the ID Check App to apply without visiting a visa centre. Non-EU residents of Spain use the Madrid centre for biometrics. For an ETA there is no form beyond the app itself — download it, scan your passport, take a photo, and pay.
- Complete the online application and pay the fee in euros at gov.uk.
- Spanish citizens: give biometrics via the UK Immigration: ID Check App from home.
- Non-EU residents: book biometrics at the Madrid visa centre.
- Upload your supporting documents.
- Wait for the decision — about 3 weeks standard, 5 days on priority.
- Receive your eVisa or a vignette in your passport.
Processing Times and Delays
Standard processing is about three weeks for non-settlement visas and up to twelve weeks for settlement routes; ETAs are usually decided within minutes. If a decision runs late, our guide on UK visa delays explains how to chase it, priority and super-priority services can speed things up where available, and you can track timelines with our guide to processing after biometrics.
For official confirmation, use the gov.uk visa checker and the Standard Visitor visa guidance. Neighbouring guides cover Italian citizens, Portuguese citizens and the UK, the UK visa from Greece, travellers from Malta, and the Cyprus ETA guide. Sources: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule; GOV.UK ETA guidance. Figures verified August 2026 against the 8 April 2026 fee schedule.
Frequently Asked
Questions about UK Visas from Spain
No visa is needed for visits up to six months, but Spanish citizens must hold an ETA before travelling. It costs €24, lasts two years, and is obtained through the UK ETA App. The requirement has applied since 2 April 2025 and is enforced at boarding — without an approved ETA, carriers will not let Spanish travellers board transport to the UK. For work or study, the appropriate visa is required.
Spanish citizens need a valid passport and an approved ETA (€24) before boarding, plus evidence of return travel, accommodation, and funds. The ETA is checked at check-in, so apply via the UK ETA App before leaving Spain. Non-EU residents of Spain need a Standard Visitor visa (€164) instead, regardless of their Spanish residence status.
A Spanish citizen with an ETA can stay up to six months per visit for tourism, family, or business. There is no annual cap on visits, but frequent or very long stays may prompt questions about whether you are a genuine visitor. Non-EU residents of Spain on a Standard Visitor visa face the same six-month cap. Working, studying long-term, or settling all require the relevant visa.
Spanish citizens pay €24 for an ETA, not a visa. Non-EU residents pay €164 for a six-month Standard Visitor visa. Work visas range from €394 (Health and Care) to €1,966 (Skilled Worker over three years), the Student visa is €678, and a partner visa €2,508. Fees are charged in pounds and shown in euros on the calculator, and are non-refundable.
Not without a work visa. The main route is the Skilled Worker visa (€995–€1,966), needing sponsorship from a licensed UK employer and a salary at or above the £41,700 general threshold. Spanish nationals aged 18–35 may also use the Youth Mobility Scheme (€413). Business meetings are allowed on an ETA, but paid work is not.
Yes. Spanish and other EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals applying for UK work, study, or family visas can verify their identity through the ID Check App from home, so no visa centre visit is needed. You scan your passport chip with your phone's NFC reader and take a photo to complete identity checks.
Standard processing is about three weeks for visitor and other non-settlement visas, and up to twelve weeks for settlement visas such as partner routes. Priority service (€608) targets five working days for visitor visas, and super priority (€1,215) aims for the next working day where available. ETAs are usually decided within minutes, up to three working days.
The UK ETA App is for applying for an Electronic Travel Authorisation, which Spanish citizens use for short visits up to six months. The UK Immigration: ID Check App is for giving biometrics when applying for an actual visa — work, study, or family. In short, the ETA app is for visiting and the ID Check app is for longer stays that need a visa.
No — para visitas de hasta seis meses basta la ETA, que cuesta €24 (£20), vale dos años y se obtiene con la app UK ETA. El requisito rige desde el 2 de abril de 2025 y se comprueba al embarcar. Para trabajar, estudiar más de seis meses o establecerse se necesita el visado correspondiente; quienes tienen estatus del EU Settlement Scheme no necesitan ni ETA ni visado.
Sí. La tarjeta de residencia española no da acceso al Reino Unido sin visado: los ciudadanos colombianos, venezolanos, marroquíes, filipinos y de otras nacionalidades que requieren visado deben solicitar el Standard Visitor visa (€164, seis meses), con biometría en el centro de visados de Madrid. El trámite tarda unas tres semanas.