Spain is a party to the Schengen Agreement, allowing for travel without internal border controls within the 29 countries that makeup the area. Check the Embassy of Spain in the United States website for the exact requirements on visa-free travel to Spain. Your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond the period of stay.
Business Customs
Spaniards tend to be more formal in personal relations than in the United States, but less rigid than they were in the past. It is a mistake to assume doing business in Spain is just like doing business in Mexico or Latin America. Italy or France would be a better comparison. A handshake is customary upon initiating and closing a business meeting, accompanied by an appropriate greeting. ‘Air’ kisses on each check had also been a traditional greeting between men and women, even if only a casual acquaintance (likely not for a first-time meeting). These customs have survived the social distancing era of the global pandemic. Professional attire is expected, and, in many industries, business cards are customary.
Spaniards expect a personal relationship with suppliers. There is no substitute for face-to-face meetings with Spanish business representatives to break into the market. Traditionally, initial communication by phone or video conference is far less effective than a personal meeting, and mail campaigns generally yield few results. Spanish proficiency is important to do business in Spain.
Spaniards tend to be conservative in their buying habits. Large government and private sector buyers generally are more comfortable dealing with other large, established organizations or with firms recognized as leaders within their sectors. So known brands do well.
Tipping is not obligatory in Spain. A service charge is not included in restaurant bills, however, waiters in Spain (unlike in the United States) are paid at least the minimum wage and do not rely to the same extent on tips for their income. Tips are customarily left for good service (normally up to 5% of the bill). Taxi drivers may be tipped by rounding up the payment to include up to 5% of the fare.
Although there are differences among various regions, Spain has a Mediterranean-Continental climate. The weather in the northern coastal regions (bordering the Atlantic and the Bay of Biscay) is temperate and often rainy throughout the year, and temperatures are neither very low in winter nor very high in summer. The climate on the Mediterranean coastline, including the Balearic Islands, is typically Mediterranean – mild in the winter and hot and dry in the summer. The differences are more extreme on the inland plateau, where Madrid is located. The climate is dry, with cold winters and hot summers. The Canary Islands have a climate of their own, with pleasant temperatures all year and a short, milder winter.
While Spanish women tend to dress down in the summer, men still wear suits and ties, particularly in the cities. Air conditioning is common in all major hotels and business establishments.
Business travelers to Spain seeking appointments with U.S. Commercial Service officials at the Embassy in Madrid should contact the Commercial Section in advance. The Commercial Section can be reached by telephone at (+34) 91 308 1545, and by e-mail at office.madrid@trade.gov
Travel Advisory
Please refer to the Department of State’s Country Specific Information for Spain for more information.
Embassy and Consulate Locations
The U.S. Embassy in Madrid is located at Calle de Serrano, 75. You must have an appointment to access the Consular Section for all services, including U.S. visa, passport, citizenship, and notarial services. For more information, see the Embassy’s website at https://es.usembassy.gov/.
There is a U.S. Consulate General in Barcelona, at Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23, telephone (+34) 932 802 227. You must have an appointment to access the Consular Section for all services. U.S. visa services are not provided in Barcelona.
Limited consular services are provided at five Consular Agencies in Spain, by appointment only. Consular Agencies do not provide U.S. visa services.
Visa Requirements
Check the Embassy of Spain in the United States website for the exact requirements on travel to Spain.
Entry requirements for the United States
U.S. companies that require travel of foreign businesspersons to the United States are advised that security evaluations are handled via an interagency process. Visa applicants should go to the following link: State Department Visa Website.
For U.S. companies wishing to invite Spanish visitors to the United States, Spanish passport holders generally may enter the United States for tourist or business visits of 90 days or less under the Visa Waiver Program. They need, however, to register online for the advance travel authorization under Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). More information is available on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website: ESTA Travel Authorization.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), reminds travelers to allow 72 hours for ESTA approval. In normal conditions, consistent with existing requirements, international travelers using ESTA for travel to the Unites states should apply as soon as possible but not less than 72 hours before their international flight is scheduled to depart. Due to changes in ESTA application processing, real-time approvals will no longer be available. International travelers without an approved ESTA will not be authorized to board their flight.
The United States has ended the COVID-19 vaccine requirements for international air travelers. Noncitizen air passengers no longer need to show proof of being fully vaccinated with an accepted COVID-19 vaccine to board a flight to the United States.
Emergency Information
For emergencies involving U.S. citizens after-hours, please call: (+34) 91 587 2200.
Please note that emergencies include the death, arrest, or serious hospitalization of a U.S. citizen. The afterhours Duty Officer cannot assist with U.S. visa questions or issues. Most activities, like obtaining an emergency passport to replace a lost/stolen one, can only be performed during normal working hours. Additional information about replacing a lost/stolen passport can be found at https://es.usembassy.gov/lost-stolen-passports/
Please consult this website regarding emergency assistance.
From the United States, the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at the Department of State can be reached by calling 1 (888) 407-4747.
From outside the United States, this office can be reached at +1 (202) 501-4444.
Currency
Spain is part of the Eurozone and uses the euro (€) as the local currency.
Credit cards are a widely used method of payment in Spain. 88.4 million bank or credit cards were active in Spain in 2022 (increase of 0.5% over 2021), of which 47.1 million were debit cards. Mastercard and Visa are the most used credit cards and debit cards. Spanish banks BBVA, Santander, and CaixaBank have been the leaders in the innovation process of contactless cards and devices, mobile payments, and digital wallets. Spain is one of the European countries with the highest rate of penetration for such products. Vendors may, on rare occasion, require additional identification such as a passport or other form of accepted picture identification.
ATMs are common in cities and towns both on the street, in retail outlets, and some gas stations and visitors should be aware that bank transaction fees may apply, including foreign transaction fees and conversion fees. Traveler’s checks are not generally accepted for purchases. Visitors should inquire about the policy of the bank, hotel, or store before seeking to cash a personal check.
For currency or other numerical quantities, a decimal point (period) is commonly used to mark off the thousands position and a comma to denote decimal amounts – unlike the practice in the United States (e.g., €1.234.456,78).
Bizum is an instant payments application in Spain, a cooperative solution adopted by most banks. Mobile phone numbers are used as proxy of the underlying payment account (IBAN). Bizum functionalities are integrated within the online website and mobile apps of participating banks.
Telecommunications and Electronics
Telecommunications to and from Spain are similar to services found throughout the EU. A direct-dial telephone system links Spain to the United States and most of the world.
All landline numbers in Spain start with 9. Mobile phone numbers start with 6. To place a call to a Spain number from a U.S. line, dial 011+34+ telephone number. If dialing from a mobile phone, you can enter a + instead of the 011 (press and hold the 0 key). To place a call to the United States from Spain, dial 00+1+area code+ telephone number.
Many U.S. cellphone plans allow for international roaming. Phones, which work in the United States as well as in European countries, can be purchased at cell phone retail stores in the United States. Cell phone rental is also available in Spain, although some travelers find it cheaper to purchase a basic pay-as-you-go phone or local SIM card upon arrival.
Electrical Characteristics
Electric current in Spain is 220 volts AC, 50 cycles. Most U.S. electrical equipment and appliances need a transformer and plug adapter. Although laptops today are often dual voltage, it is advisable to verify this before plugging one into Spanish current.
Transportation
Frequent direct air service is available to major U.S. cities from Madrid and Barcelona. Airports in both Madrid and Barcelona have good public transportation service to downtown. There is a flat rate of €30 ($33) from the Madrid Airport to the city center. All major cities have metered taxis and extra charges must be posted in the vehicle. Travelers are advised to use only clearly identified cabs and to ensure that taxi drivers always switch on the meter. A green light on the roof indicates that the taxi is available.
Public transportation in large cities is generally excellent. Rail service is comfortable and reliable but varies in quality and speed. High-speed trains link to cities such as Seville, Cordoba, Malaga, Granada, Castellón de La Plana, Valencia, Alicante, Huesca, Saragossa, Barcelona, Figueres, León, Zaragoza and Ourense. Intercity buses are usually comfortable and inexpensive. Under Spanish law, American licenses are not valid, so international driving permits are required for non-EU drivers planning to drive in Spain.
For additional general information about road safety, including links to foreign government sites, please see the Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs home page.
Language
While an increasing number of businesspeople speak English, having product literature, correspondence, and negotiations in Spanish provides a distinct advantage over competitors who use only English. Certain regions in Spain have second official languages, including:
- Catalan in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands,
- Valencian in Valencia,
- Galician in Galicia, and
- Basque in the Basque Country.
Health
Quality medical care is available in Spain, though U.S. medical insurance is not usually valid outside the United States. Travelers have found supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage to be useful since doctors in Spain expect up-front payment.
The hotline for the Center for Disease Control for international travelers can provide further information on health matters: 1 800 232 4636.
For more details, please check this website.
Local Time, Business Hours, and Holidays
Local Time
Spain follows Central European Time (CET). The time difference between Madrid and the U.S. east coast is typically six hours, except during transitions to/from daylight savings time because Europe and the United States have different start dates.
Work Week and Business Hours
Workdays on either side of a Spanish holiday are not good times to schedule business meetings, nor is the month of August or the vacation periods around Christmas and Easter.
Business hours in Spain are generally 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. To ensure availability, appointments are recommended. Generally, banking hours are 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Department stores are generally open 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Many small shops and businesses close at lunchtime, generally from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. but stay open until 8:00 p.m. Larger chains occasionally open in larger cities on Sunday, this is not the case throughout the country. However, large stores in some cities with high seasonal tourism may also open during the July-September period.
Spaniards are receptive to breakfast invitations starting not earlier than 8:00 a.m. (9:30 a.m. or even 10:00 a.m. are common). A Spanish breakfast typically consists of juice, rolls, and coffee. Lunch normally starts at 2:00 p.m. Spanish business lunches can last over two hours. Dinner starts late (around 9:00 p.m.) and may last until midnight.
Spanish National Holidays
The Government of Spain publishes a list of official holidays every year. The holidays authorized for 2023 are:
- April 7 Easter Friday
- May 1 Labor Day
- August 15 Assumption of Virgin Mary
- October 12 National Holiday
- November 1 All Saints’ Day
- December 6 Constitution Day
- December 8 Day of the Immaculate Conception
- December 25 Christmas Day
In addition to these national holidays, other local holidays vary by region and city.
In Madrid:
- January 6 Epiphany (Wise Kings’ Day)
- March 20 Saint Joseph
- April 6 Easter Thursday
- May 2 Regional Holiday-Madrid
- May 15 St. Isidro - Patron of Madrid
- November 9 Our Lady of Almudena
In Barcelona:
- January 6 Epiphany (Wise Kings’ Day)
- April 10 Easter Monday
- June 5 Whit Monday
- June 24 St John’s Day
- September 11 Catalonia Day
- September 25 La Merce – Patron of Barcelona
- December 26 St Esteve
The Embassy and Consulates also observe official U.S. federal holidays:
- January 2 New Year’s Day
- January 16 Martin Luther King’s Birthday
- February 20 Presidents’ Day
- May 29 Memorial Day
- June 19 Juneteenth
- July 4 Independence Day
- September 4 Labor Day
- October 9 Columbus Day
- November 10 Veterans Day
- November 23 Thanksgiving Day
- December 25 Christmas Day
Please check the Embassy website for a full listing of official holidays observed by the Embassy.
Temporary Entry of Materials and Personal Belongings
Laptop computers for personal and business use do not require any special documentation. Occasionally, the Customs service at Madrid’s Barajas airport ((+34) 917 575 725) declares that shipping a laptop constitutes as a temporary importation requiring the presentation of a warrant - a cash deposit or a statement from a Spanish bank stating an import tax will be paid if the equipment is sold in Spain. Before leaving Spain, the equipment and necessary forms should be taken to the Customs Office at Barajas airport for reimbursement of the deposit.