China → Spain
Short tourist/business visits follow Schengen short-stay rules: up to 90 days in any 180-day period; admission is still decided at the border.
Ordinary mainland Chinese passport holders need a Schengen visa before short travel to Spain. The passport normally must be valid at least 3 months after intended departure from the Schengen area, issued within the previous 10 years, and the traveller must be able to justify purpose, accommodation/funds and return/onward travel; a US visa, US green card, UK visa, Japan visa or APEC Business Travel Card alone does not waive Spain's Schengen visa requirement.
Based on passport-specific data. · as of 2026-06-18
Official source ↗Documents that change the outcome
- Visa-free· schengen_visa · 90 days
A valid Schengen short-stay visa may be used to enter Spain according to the visa sticker's validity, entries and duration of stay; a Schengen visa is generally valid for all Schengen countries unless it is territorially limited. Stay must not exceed the visa allowance and generally not more than 90 days in any 180-day period; border-entry conditions still apply.
source ↗
Documents & how to apply
- Visa application form — Completed in English or Spanish in capital letters or typewritten and signed; minors must be signed by legal guardian.
- Employment/status and income proof · optional — Employees provide sealed business licence copy and employer letter; retirees provide pension or regular income proof; unemployed adults provide spouse/other regular income proof as listed.
- Business or short professional training invitation letter · optional — For business/professional training only: original organizer invitation stating company details, signatory, purpose/duration, detailed program, cost bearer, and return guarantee if any.
- Proof of solvency — Bank statements from the last 3 to 6 months; checklist states no deposits/deposit certificates.
- Travel programme — Documents clearly showing the travel programme, such as transport bookings and itinerary.
- Flight reservation — For multiple-entry applications, reservation for first visit; checklist advises buying ticket only after visa issuance.
- Proof of accommodation — Must cover the whole intended stay.
- Individual travel medical insurance — Covers urgent medical care, emergency hospital treatment, and repatriation for medical reasons or death during Schengen stay; minimum coverage EUR 30,000 or RMB equivalent.
- Passport and photocopies — Signed passport valid at least 3 months after intended exit from Schengen area, with at least 2 blank pages; photocopy all pages and provide two photocopies of biodata page.
- Hukou household register — Chinese nationals submit original Hukou and photocopies of all pages; no translation required.
- Two recent photos — Recent colour photos, white background, 26-35 mm wide and 32-45 mm high.
- Minor travelling alone or with one parent documents · optional — Submit notarized travel permission legalized by MFA, plus notarized family relation or guardianship proof.
- Minor student card and school letter · optional — Applicants under 18 provide student card and original school letter with school address/phone, permission for absence, approving person's name/function, and photocopy.
⏱ In most cases, applicants are informed within 15 working days; it can take up to 45 days if a more detailed examination is needed. 💳 715 CNY (government fee) 📍 Apply through the Spain Visa Application Centre in China (BLS, outsourced partner of the Embassy/Consulates of Spain) for the relevant jurisdiction, usually by booking on the BLS website and submitting in person; the Spanish consular authorities decide the application.
Spain should be the main destination, country tied to the main purpose, country of longest stay, or first entry if no main destination can be determined; applications can usually be lodged up to 180 days before travel and should be submitted at least 15 days before departure.
Requirements vary by consulate — verify with the official source. official ↗
Regional stay rules
Short stays are generally limited to up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across the Schengen Area as a shared area.
Common questions
No. Mainland Chinese passports are in the visa-required category for Schengen short visits; EU sources point to Annex II for visa-free countries, and China is not in that visa-free list. A US visa is not a substitute entry authorisation for Spain/the Schengen area.
No sourced official rule was found making those documents a substitute for a Spanish Schengen visa; under EU Schengen visa rules, a mainland Chinese passport still needs a visa for short visits. APEC's official ABTC description covers business travel among APEC economies, and Spain is not an APEC economy.
Yes, if the visa is still valid, has sufficient entries and remaining duration of stay, and is not territorially limited to exclude Spain. EU sources state that a Schengen visa is generally valid for all Schengen countries.
Yes, with the sourced condition that the passport contains an identity card number. Taiwan passport holders meeting that condition may make short tourist/business visits visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Verify with official sources
Visa policy changes without notice and this page is reference information that may contain errors. Before travel, verify via the official sources below or contact the destination country's embassy / consulate / immigration authority directly; final admission is at the destination government's discretion.