Schengen visa, applied for from the UK

Spain visa from the UK for non-UK passport holders

If you live in the UK on a non-UK passport, you apply for a Spain Schengen visa through BLS International in London, Manchester or Edinburgh, depending on your county. The visa fee is €90, plus a £14.85 BLS service charge. Decisions take 15 calendar days in principle, but up to 4 weeks in peak season.

Checked against official sourcesLast reviewed 9 October 2026 · sources at the foot of the page

A tower of the Plaza de España in Seville reflected in its canal under a pink sunset sky

Consulate fee, adult. €45 for ages 6 to 11, free under 6.: €90
BLS International service charge, paid at the centre.: £14.85
Standard processing after the appointment.: 15 days
The earliest you can apply before you travel.: 6 months

Who can apply from the UK

You can apply in the UK if you live here. BLS asks for printed proof of your immigration status and a share code from the Home Office's View and prove service.

Spain must be where you spend the longest. If your stays are equal, Spain must be your first point of entry into the Schengen area.

You must use the BLS centre for your county. Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North East, including Cumbria, Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear, go to Edinburgh. Wales, the Midlands, the North West, Yorkshire and the Isle of Man go to Manchester. London and the South go to London.

BLS will not accept an application from someone who lives outside the centre's area. The EU's common list for UK applicants also asks for UK residence valid at least one month after you leave the Schengen area.

Spain visa for Pakistani passport holders in the UK
Spain visa for Bangladeshi passport holders in the UK
Spain visa for Nigerian passport holders in the UK
Spain visa for Sri Lankan passport holders in the UK
Spain visa for Ghanaian passport holders in the UK
Spain visa for Turkish passport holders in the UK
Spain visa for Gambian passport holders in the UK
Spain visa for Somali passport holders in the UK
Spain visa for Guinean passport holders in the UK

Documents for a Spain visit visa

You provide

Passport A valid ordinary passport, issued in the last 10 years and valid 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, plus one copy of the photo page.
UK immigration status Printed proof of your status and a share code from the Home Office's View and prove service, plus a photocopy.
Photo One recent colour photo on a white background, between 26 × 32 mm and 35 × 45 mm. BLS asks for a photo no more than 1 month old.
No-objection letter Dated and signed by your employer, school or university.
Proof of funds £107 per person for each day of your stay, with a minimum of £960 per person, shown on an updated three-month bank statement or a notarised sponsorship letter.
Invitation (if staying with friends or family) A carta de invitación issued by the Spanish police, or a private invitation statement signed at the Spanish Consulate.
Children's documents Birth certificate and parents' passports. If a child travels without both parents, a notarised authorisation from the parent who is not travelling, or proof of sole custody.
Copies of everything A photocopy of every original, including your UK status and previous Schengen visas. Do not staple anything.

We provide

Application form The Schengen form with every section completed and signed.
Cover letter Sets out your dates, plans, who pays and your ties to the UK.
Return flight reservation A round-trip booking by air, train, bus or cruise.
Hotel booking Proof of accommodation for your stay, such as a hotel booking.
Travel medical insurance Valid across the Schengen area with at least €30,000 of cover, including repatriation.
BLS appointment We book your appointment at the BLS centre that covers your county.

Where and when to apply

Spain takes UK short-stay applications through BLS International in London, Manchester or Edinburgh. Apply no earlier than 6 months and no later than 15 days before you travel.

BLS International runs the Spain Visa Application Centres for Spain's consulates in the UK. You must use the centre that covers the county where you live.

Appointments in London →Appointments in Manchester →Appointments in Edinburgh →

Worth knowing about this consulate

Spain sets a clear money test: £107 per person per day, with a minimum of £960 per person whatever the length of your stay.
BLS charges a £14.85 service fee per application, including VAT. Optional extras include next-day passport return (£29.99) and SMS and email updates (£1.95). Fees are paid in cash or by card and are not refundable.
BLS sends files to the consulate the next working day. The legal decision period is 15 calendar days, extendable to 45. BLS warns that peak season currently takes up to 4 weeks.
Everyone attends in person, including children under 12. You cannot apply by post.
Documents must be in English or Spanish. Certificates issued outside the UK and EU, such as a child's birth certificate from Pakistan or India, must be legalised or apostilled, and translated into Spanish by a sworn translator if they are not in English or Spanish.
If you are refused, BLS's FAQ says you can appeal within one month of being notified, either to the consulate's visa department in London or to the Superior Court of Justice in Madrid.

Notes by passport

Pakistani passport holders

Pakistan is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
Only changing planes at a Spanish airport on the way somewhere else? As a Pakistani national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Spain confirms otherwise.

Bangladeshi passport holders

Bangladesh is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
Only changing planes at a Spanish airport on the way somewhere else? As a Bangladeshi national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Spain confirms otherwise.

Nigerian passport holders

Nigeria is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
Only changing planes at a Spanish airport on the way somewhere else? As a Nigerian national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Spain confirms otherwise.

Sri Lankan passport holders

Sri Lanka is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
Only changing planes at a Spanish airport on the way somewhere else? As a Sri Lankan national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Spain confirms otherwise.

Ghanaian passport holders

Only changing planes at a Spanish airport on the way somewhere else? As a Ghanaian national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Spain confirms otherwise.

Turkish passport holders

Spain requires Turkish nationals to hold an airport transit visa when changing planes at its airports. Holders of service or special passports are exempt. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Spain confirms otherwise.

Gambian passport holders

EU restrictions on The Gambia (Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1781) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

Somali passport holders

EU restrictions on Somalia (a Council decision of 25 June 2026) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

Guinean passport holders

EU restrictions on Guinea (a Council decision of 10 July 2026) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

How a Spain application runs, day by day

Day 0Eligibility and checklistA yes, a no or a “not yet, because”.
Days 1–5File builtYou send documents on WhatsApp; we do the rest.
VariesAppointment waitWe watch releases daily and book the first that fits.
15 daysConsulate decisionFingerprints at BLS International, then we track the file.
DonePassport backThen we confirm your real flights and hotel.

What it costs, and who you pay

Separate payments to separate people. Only ours is set by us, quoted in writing before you commit.

Consulate visa feePaid to the consulate. €45 for children aged 6 to 11. Not refundable if refused.: €90
BLS International service chargePaid at the centre. Extras are optional.: £14.85
Fast Travellers, file and appointmentEverything from eligibility to decision, quoted in writing before you commit.
Fast Travellers, urgent or after a refusalAdds a daily slot search and a refusal review, quoted in writing before you commit.

Spain visa questions from UK residents

Can I apply for a Spain visa on a BRP?

BRPs have been replaced by eVisas. BLS asks for printed proof of your immigration status and a share code from the Home Office's View and prove service.

Which BLS centre do I use for a Spain visa?

The one that covers your county. Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North East use Edinburgh. Wales, the Midlands, the North West and Yorkshire use Manchester. London and the South use London.

How much money do I need for a Spain visa from the UK?

BLS's checklist asks for £107 per person per day, with a minimum of £960 per person, shown on an updated three-month bank statement or a notarised sponsorship letter.

How long does a Spain visa take from the UK?

The legal period is 15 calendar days after you apply, extendable to 45 if more checks are needed. BLS warns that peak season currently takes up to 4 weeks.

How much is a Spain Schengen visa from the UK?

The visa fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 11, paid in pounds. Children under 6 pay nothing. BLS adds a £14.85 service charge.

Do I need an invitation letter to stay with family in Spain?

Yes. Your host can get a carta de invitación from the Spanish police, or you can provide a private invitation statement signed at the Spanish Consulate.

Will my passport be stamped when I enter Spain?

No. Since 10 April 2026 the EU's Entry/Exit System records your entries and exits digitally instead of stamping your passport. As a visa holder, the system stores a photo of your face taken at the border; your fingerprints are already on file from your visa application.

Can I visit other Schengen countries on a Spanish visa?

Yes. A Schengen visa covers all 29 Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180. BLS only accepts your application if Spain is where you stay longest, or your first entry if your stays are equal.

Where these facts come from

Fees and rules are checked against official and visa-centre pages. Last reviewed 9 October 2026. Rules change: we confirm everything again before you pay.