Spain business visa
Madrid boardrooms, the trade fairs of Barcelona and Valencia, a contract to sign or a sporting fixture to attend — for Indian travellers it all runs on one document: the Schengen short-stay visa (Type C, the uniform visa) used across the Schengen area. It covers meetings, negotiations, signing contracts, conferences, business fairs, exhibitions and sports events, a stay of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and free movement throughout the Schengen area. What it does not cover is paid or gainful activity in Spain. Apply through Spain's mission when Spain is your sole or main destination; where there is no single main destination, you apply through your first point of entry into the Schengen area.
One detail catches first-time applicants out: Spain does not use VFS Global in India. Its Schengen visas go through BLS International. You lodge the file in person, by prior appointment, at a BLS Spain visa application centre in your consular jurisdiction — split between the Embassy of Spain in New Delhi and the Consulate General of Spain in Mumbai according to your state of residence. The consulate, not BLS, takes the decision. Under the Visa Code the legal period is around 15 calendar days from the day after you submit, extendable to 45 calendar days if an interview or extra documents are requested. And a Spain-specific catch worth knowing up front: the business invitation letter must be written in Spanish.
Who this visa is for
- ✓Indian passport holders travelling to Spain for business meetings, negotiations, contract signing, conferences, business fairs, exhibitions or sports events for up to 90 days in any 180-day period
- ✓Applicants for whom Spain is the sole or main destination of the trip; where there is no main destination, Spain must be the first Schengen country of entry
- ✓Applicants residing within the consular jurisdiction they apply in — Embassy of Spain, New Delhi or Consulate General of Spain, Mumbai, depending on the state
- ✓Applicants with an original invitation from a Spain-based company (business meetings) or from the event organisers (fairs, conferences, sports events)
- ✓Applicants who can show sufficient funds, travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000 valid across the Schengen area, and ties that show intent to leave before the visa expires
- ✓Non-Indian nationals resident in India must show a valid Indian residence permit; the visa does not allow paid employment in Spain
Visa options for Spain
Business meetings visa (Type C)
For meetings, negotiations and signing contracts with a Spain-based company. Requires an original invitation letter written in Spanish stating the purpose of the visit, the existing commercial relationship, and the applicant's name, passport number and travel dates.
Conference / fair / sports-event visa (Type C)
For attending or taking part in conferences, business fairs, exhibitions or sporting events. Requires an original invitation from the organisers naming the applicant and passport number, the event's duration, who bears travel and accommodation costs, and the applicant's involvement; corporate participation also needs a cover letter from the applicant's company.
Multiple-entry Schengen visa (MEV)
For frequent business travellers. Under the Visa Code cascade, applicants with a sound visa history may be granted a visa valid 1, 2 or up to 5 years, allowing several trips while each stay stays within 90 days in any 180-day period. The number of entries and validity are set by the consulate.
Documents typically required
- ✓Schengen visa application form, fully completed and dated, signed in blue ink, with one recent photograph (35–45 mm, white background, not older than 6 months)
- ✓Passport with at least two blank pages, valid for at least three months beyond the intended departure from the Schengen area and issued within the last 10 years, plus a copy of the biographic pages (the first and last pages for Indian passports); old passports should be included
- ✓For business meetings: original invitation letter from the Spain-based company, written in Spanish, stating the purpose of the visit, the existing commercial relationship and the applicant's name, passport number and travel dates
- ✓For conferences, fairs or sports events: original invitation from the organisers with the applicant's name and passport number, the event duration, who pays travel and accommodation, and the applicant's involvement; plus the applicant's company cover letter for corporate participation
- ✓Cover letter setting out the purpose of the visit
- ✓Flight tickets (it is advisable not to buy the ticket until the visa is granted) and hotel accommodation for the whole stay
- ✓Travel medical insurance with minimum EUR 30,000 cover for repatriation, urgent medical care and emergency hospital treatment, valid throughout the Schengen area for the entire stay, from an approved Indian insurer
- ✓Original, stamped and signed bank statements of the applicant (and sponsor, if any) for the last six months; a signed sponsor letter and proof of the relationship, if relevant
- ✓Income tax returns (ITR-V or Form 16) for the last two years and a PAN card copy of the applicant (and sponsor, if applicable); salary slips for the last three months where available
- ✓Proof of residence within the consular jurisdiction; for non-Indian nationals, a valid Indian residence permit
Your exact checklist depends on your profile — we confirm it during your case analysis. Every visa decision rests with the embassy or consulate.
In India, Spain's Schengen visas are lodged only at a BLS International (BLS Spain) visa application centre, by prior appointment, in the consular district where you live — the Embassy of Spain in New Delhi or the Consulate General of Spain in Mumbai. BLS runs application centres in several Indian cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. Apply between 6 months and 15 days before you travel; first-time applicants give biometrics — fingerprints and a photo. The business invitation letter must be in Spanish. Apply to Spain only when it is your sole or main destination, or your first point of entry into the Schengen area.
Frequently asked questions
Do you guarantee the visa?
No one honestly can — the decision rests entirely with the Spanish consulate. What we do is assess your case frankly and build the most complete, strongest application possible. Over the last two to three years, our applications have carried a 97% success rate.
Do I apply to Spain or to another Schengen country?
Spain's mission is the right one when Spain is your only or main destination. If no single country dominates the trip, you apply to whichever Schengen country you enter first. Going to the wrong consulate is a common cause of refusal, so your itinerary has to back up Spain as the correct choice.
Is it VFS Global or BLS for a Spain visa in India?
BLS International — not VFS Global. You lodge the application in person, by prior appointment, at a BLS Spain visa application centre in your consular jurisdiction: the Embassy of Spain in New Delhi or the Consulate General of Spain in Mumbai, depending on your state of residence.
Can I work in Spain on this visa?
No. This visa is strictly for short business visits — meetings, negotiations, contract signing, conferences, fairs and exhibitions. Paid or gainful activity in Spain is not permitted on a Schengen short-stay visa; that needs a separate long-stay national authorisation, which this visa does not cover.