Spain and India share a quietly fascinating connection since 15th century, traveling through sea routes to India — driven by the same spices, silks, and stories. You, with a Spanish passport and a modern internet connection, have an advantage of applying completely online with an Indian e-Visa.
If you're planning a trip to India, here's exactly what you need — the right Indian visa, the right process, and none of the confusion, if you applying with IVC visas.
Do Spanish Citizens Need a Visa for India?
Yes — Spanish passport holders require a visa to enter India. There is no visa on arrival and no visa-free access for Spanish nationals.
The straightforward route: India e-Visa.
It is applied entirely online before you travel. No embassy appointment, no consulate queue, no stamp required. Your Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) arrives by email and you carry it to India.
Holders of Spanish diplomatic passports have been exempt from the India visa requirement since April 2018, for stays of up to 90 days. This exemption applies only to diplomatic passport holders — ordinary and official passport holders must apply for a visa before travel.
Before applying, check your eligibility from Germany, Switzerland, New Zealand and any part of the world, so that you are aware of your nationality being eligible for an Indian e-Visa.
India e-Visa Categories for Spanish Nationals
Choosing the right visa category before you apply isn't optional — it's the single most important decision in the process. Applying under the wrong category is one of the most common mistakes that leads to rejection, and the fee is non-refundable either way.
India e-Tourist Visa: For holidays, sightseeing, yoga retreats, visiting friends or family, or short recreational courses in music, dance, cooking, or language. Available in three durations — 30 days (double entry), 1 year (multiple entry), and 5 years (multiple entry). For the 1-year and 5-year options, total stay cannot exceed 180 days within any single calendar year.
India e-Business Visa: For business meetings, trade visits, industrial tours, or exploring commercial opportunities. Valid for 1 year with multiple entries, each stay not exceeding 180 days. If your trip involves any business activity whatsoever, this is the category — the e-Tourist Visa does not permit business purposes.
India e-Medical Visa: For Spanish nationals travelling to India for medical treatment at a recognized Indian hospital. Valid for 60 days with triple entry. Requires a letter from the treating hospital in India.
India e-Medical Attendant Visa For companions accompanying an e-Medical Visa holder. Up to two attendants are permitted per patient. Validity mirrors the patient's visa — 60 days, triple entry.
India e-Conference Visa For attending conferences, seminars, or workshops organised by Indian government bodies or recognized institutions. Requires an official event invitation and, in some cases, political clearance.
Documents Spanish Nationals Need for the India e-Visa
Have everything ready before you start. Stopping mid-application to locate a document is where details get rushed, errors get made, and applications get rejected.
✔️ Valid Spanish passport (ordinary) — minimum 6 months validity from your intended India arrival date, with at least 2 blank pages for immigration stamps. If your passport was issued within the last 6 months, carry your previous passport too.
✔️ Scanned passport bio page — a clear, colour scan showing your full name, date of birth, nationality, and passport expiry date. Blurry or low-contrast scans are flagged during processing.
✔️ Recent passport photograph — JPEG format, plain white background, no glasses, taken within the last 6 months. This is one of the most common rejection triggers — if you're unsure yours meets specifications, IVC is here to help.
✔️ Valid email address — your approved ETA is delivered here. Double-check it before you submit — a typo in your email means your visa goes nowhere.
✔️ Payment Method — credit or debit; a bank transaction charge of 3% applies additionally on the Indian visa fee
✔️ Category-specific documents — business invitation letter (e-Business), hospital letter from India (e-Medical), event invitation (e-Conference). All supporting documents must be submitted in English — documents in any other language are liable to cause rejection.
How to Apply Through IVC Visas?
Step 1 — Choose your application option
Pick Option A if you'd like IVC Visas to complete and submit the full application on your behalf — you provide the information and documents, we handle the rest.
Pick Option B if you'd prefer to fill in the form yourself and have our team review it for errors before submission. Both options include a document and photo compliance check before anything reaches the government portal, because a non-refundable fee is a poor price to pay for a preventable mistake.
Step 2 — Fill in your application
Complete the form with your nationality, visa category, intended travel dates, and passport details. Take your time here — name spelling, date of birth, and passport number must match your passport exactly. A mismatch at this stage is grounds for rejection.
Step 3 — Upload your documents
Upload a clear scan of your passport bio page and a compliant passport photograph. If you're applying for a business, medical, or conference visa, upload the relevant supporting document. All documents in English only.
Step 4 — Pay the visa fee
Indian visa fees vary by visa type and duration. Check the current India e-Visa fee for Spanish nationals before applying. A bank transaction charge of 3% applies additionally. All fees are non-refundable once submitted — which is exactly why having your application reviewed before payment matters.
Step 5 — Receive your ETA and travel stress free
Once approved, your Electronic Travel Authorization(ETA) arrives by email as a PDF. Download it, print a physical copy, and carry it to India. Before you fly, confirm your status reads 'GRANTED' on the official portal of the government website — never travel on a pending or unconfirmed status.
Learn through IVC Visas and check it this way,
You can also track your application through IVC Visas if you applied with us.
Apply at least 4 days before travel as an absolute minimum — but realistically, current processing averages 8–10 business days. Applying two to three weeks before departure is the sensible benchmark. Applications can be submitted up to 120 days in advance.
Other Critical Guidelines to Follow
✅ Authorized Immigration Check posts
India e-Visa holders cannot enter India through land border crossings — regardless of which country the crossing connects to. Entry is only permitted through designated airports and seaports. This applies even if you're travelling overland from Nepal, Bhutan, or elsewhere. Check the full authorized entry and exit ports list before finalizing your itinerary — there are 33 designated airports, 4 land borders and 33 seaports as of 2026.
✅ Immigration tip — e-Arrival Card and biometrics
As of April 1, 2026, India requires all incoming international travelers to complete a digital e-Arrival Card within 72 hours before arrival. This is done via the official portal or the Indian Visa Su-Swagatam app — not at the airport. Complete it before you fly, not after you land. On arrival, your biometrics (fingerprints and photograph) will also be captured at the immigration counter — this is standard procedure for all e-Visa holders and takes only a few minutes.
✅ Extension and conversion of Indian Visa
India e-Visas cannot be extended or converted once issued. If you need to stay longer, you must exit India before your visa expires and reapply from outside the country. If your purpose of travel changes while in India — say, from tourism to employment — you must exit and apply for the appropriate visa type through the Indian Mission in Spain.
If genuinely unable to depart within your visa's validity, apply for an extension online at FRRO before expiry. Remaining beyond visa validity without approval constitutes an illegal overstay under Indian law.
✅ Long-term purposes
The e-Visa covers tourism, business, medical treatment, and conferences only. For employment, full-time study, research, or journalism, a regular sticker visa is required and must be applied for through the Embassy of India in Madrid.
✅ Restricted areas
Certain regions — parts of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh — require a Protected Area Permit (PAP) in addition to your e-Visa. If your itinerary includes any of these areas, apply for the PAP separately and well in advance.
✅ Same passport rule
You must travel on the exact passport used to apply. If your passport has been renewed since the application was submitted, carry both your old and new passports to Indian immigration to avoid any issue.
✅ Diplomatic passport holders
Spanish nationals holding official or service passports must apply for a regular visa through the Embassy of India in Madrid — the e-Visa is for ordinary passport holders only. Spanish diplomatic passport holders are exempt from the visa requirement for stays of up to 90 days.
Summary Checklist for Spanish Applicants
- Confirm you hold an ordinary Spanish passport — not diplomatic or official
- Confirm your purpose of travel matches the correct e-Visa category
- Passport valid for 6+ months from arrival date — with at least 2 blank pages
- Clear passport bio page scan ready to upload
- Compliant JPEG passport photograph — white background, no glasses, taken within 6 months
- Supporting documents in English prepared if applying for business, medical, or conference visa
- Carry previous passport if current one was issued within the last 6 months
- Verify your entry airport or seaport is on the authorised e-Visa ports list
- Complete the e-Arrival Card within 72 hours before arrival via the official portal or Su-Swagatam app
- Apply at least 2–3 weeks before travel — current processing averages 8–10 business days
- Check status reads 'GRANTED' before flying
- Print your ETA and carry a physical copy
Why Apply Through IVC Visas?
India is waiting — the golden forts of Rajasthan, the backwaters of Kerala, the chaos and colour of Old Delhi, the quiet of a Rishikesh morning. The India e-Visa is the only thing standing between your Spanish passport and all of it. Don't let a formatting error, a missed document, or a non-compliant photo photo be the reason it gets delayed.
At IVC Visas, we handle India e-Visa applications for Spanish nationals and travelers from over 175 countries. Our team reviews every application before submission — catching document errors, photo issues, and form mistakes before they reach the portal. With 24/7 support via Chat, WhatsApp, and Email, we're with you from application to arrival.
Disclaimer: IVC Visas is an independent visa service provider. We assist with application preparation and submission to official government portals. Final visa approval decisions are made solely by Indian immigration authorities. All information is based on current regulations as prescribed by the Government of India, which may change. Always verify the latest requirements before travel.