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How do you apply for a visa for Spain if you live in the United Arab Emirates?

You apply through BLS International (Spain Visa Application Centre) in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The government fee is EUR 90. Official processing time: 15 calendar days from the day after the application is submitted; may be extended to 45 calendar days if an interview or additional documents are requested.

Key facts

FactWhat it is
Government feeEUR 90Checked 14 November 2026 against European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs
Where you applyBLS International (Spain Visa Application Centre): Abu Dhabi, DubaiChecked 14 November 2026 against BLS International, Spain visa application centres in the UAE (contracted operator)
Official processing time15 calendar days from the day after the application is submitted; may be extended to 45 calendar days if an interview or additional documents are requested.Checked 14 November 2026 against Embassy of Spain in the United Arab Emirates
Refusal rate14.1% (2025)Checked 14 November 2026 against European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs
Recent rule changeThe Entry/Exit System (EES) is fully operational: it registers non-EU short-stay travellers, including fingerprints and facial images, at the external borders of 29 European countries and replaces passport stamping. (from 10 April 2026)Checked 14 November 2026 against European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs
How to book an appointmentBook the appointment yourself on the BLS International website; appointments made through intermediaries are not accepted at the centre. Rescheduling is not available: cancel and book again. BLS fees paid online when booking are non-refundable. EEA and EU spouses must also book an appointment.Checked 14 November 2026 against BLS International, Spain visa application centres in the UAE (contracted operator)
Visa centre service chargeAED 73: BLS International service charge at the Spain visa application centre, VAT inclusive.Checked 14 November 2026 against BLS International, Spain visa application centres in the UAE (contracted operator)

Documents for this route

The official checklist, in the order the source gives it.

  1. Application form filled in English or Spanish, signed and dated; for under-18s, signed by both parents or the legal guardian, with a letter of consent, their original passports and photocopies, valid Schengen visas when applicable and the minor's birth certificate translated into English or Spanish
  2. Original letter from the local sponsor in English (company, family member, dependents or self-sponsored, as the checklist sets out)
  3. Passport with a valid UAE residence visa valid at least 1 month from the expiry of the requested visa; passport valid at least 3 months from the expiry of the requested visa, at least 2 empty pages, not older than 10 years, signed; copies of UAE residence permits from the last five years (not for minors); previous passport if applicable
  4. One recent biometric passport photograph, white background, not older than 6 months (1 month for children under 3)
  5. Photocopies of the passport personal data pages and residency visa, and of previous Schengen, US, UK, Canada and Japan visas
  6. Overseas medical insurance for the duration of the visa and all Schengen countries, minimum 30,000 € plus repatriation; insurance linked to credit cards not accepted
  7. Proof of accommodation in Spain: a hotel booking, or a lease or property deed (with a certified translation into Spanish if not in Spanish), or an original and copy of an invitation letter stamped by the Spanish police authority
  8. Proof of financial means: the applicant's bank statements for the last 3 months; for housewives, minors and other dependents, the sponsor's salary certificate and bank statement
  9. A signed written letter giving the itinerary
  10. Return ticket booking
  11. Marriage certificate translated into Spanish or English if husband and wife are of different nationalities

Related pages

Sources

Changes to this page

No changes since this page was published on 14 November 2026.

Who checked this page

Facts checked by Imran AK. Reviewed by Manu KP. Last reviewed 14 November 2026.

Every fact comes from an official page and is checked by two people.