What the letter of invitation is
The carta de invitación is an official Spanish document that a Spain-based resident (the “inviter”) uses to certify to the Spanish National Police that they will host a visiting foreign national at their home, for tourism or a private visit. It’s governed by Orden PRE/1283/2007, of 10 May, which sets out the terms and requirements for issuing it.
It’s worth being precise about what this document does and doesn’t do. The order itself states it plainly: the letter of invitation in no case replaces the foreign visitor’s own proof of the other entry requirements: it only covers the accommodation requirement. Whoever is invited still needs to independently meet everything else: a visa if one applies to them, sufficient funds, travel insurance if required, a return ticket, and so on. See our guide on mandatory Schengen travel insurance for that specific requirement.
When you actually need one
Not every traveller needs a letter of invitation. It matters mainly for people applying for a short-stay Schengen visa (tourism or a family visit) who will not be staying at a hotel, but at the home of a relative or acquaintance living in Spain, because many Spanish consulates ask applicants to prove accommodation either with a hotel booking or, alternatively, with this letter. If your consulate is asking you to prove where you’ll be staying and you’ll be staying with someone, this is the formal way to do it; if you’re booking a hotel, that reservation is normally enough on its own and you don’t need this procedure.
Always check with the consulate or visa centre (BLS/VFS) handling your application whether the letter is mandatory for your case, one of several acceptable ways to prove accommodation, or not needed at all, because the exact practice varies by consulate, and that specific detail isn’t harmonised at EU level.
Who can act as the inviter
Per the order itself and Spain’s National Police electronic office, the inviter can be:
- A Spanish citizen.
- A national of an EU member state, or someone covered by EU freedom-of-movement rules.
- A foreign national legally resident in Spain.
The inviter can offer either their main residence or a second home, as long as they specify which one and can prove they have it available.
Documents the inviter needs
To apply in person at the National Police station for their place of residence, the inviter needs to bring:
- A valid national ID card (DNI) or foreign resident card (NIE), original.
- The completed application form (the specific model set out under Orden PRE/1283/2007).
- Proof they have the home available: property deed, or a current rental contract together with the most recent paid receipt.
- Proof of payment of the fee (form 790, code 012), paid at the bank before the appointment.
Information about the guest that goes into the application
- A copy of the photo page of the guest’s passport.
- Full name, date and place of birth, and nationality.
- The guest’s home address in their country of origin.
- The relationship between guest and inviter (family, friendship, etc.).
- The planned dates of the stay, with exact entry and exit dates. The letter covers a maximum of 90 days, in line with the general short-stay limit across the Schengen area (see our guide to the Schengen 90/180 rule).
What it costs: the current official fee
The fee is paid via form 790, code 012, and is made up of two separate charges, per the annex to Orden PJC/617/2025, of 13 June (in force since 16 June 2025, replacing the earlier Orden PRE/1803/2011):
- Authorisation to issue the letter of invitation: €75.05.
- Issuance of the letter (once approved): €6.54.
That’s €81.59 in total if the application is approved. The first amount is paid before the police station appointment; the second when the document is collected once approved. These figures are subject to update by a later ministerial order, so check the current amount when you apply, especially if some time has passed since this guide’s verification date.
Where and how to apply
The application is submitted in person at the National Police station covering the inviter’s home address, normally with a prior appointment. It isn’t instant: it involves the application being approved, the physical document being issued, and it being collected or forwarded. Spain’s National Police electronic office itself notes the combined process isn’t immediate. In practice, several sources that handle this procedure regularly put the total turnaround somewhere between 15 and 30 working days depending on the specific police station, though we haven’t been able to confirm that range against an official timeframe published by the National Police, so treat that figure as indicative rather than guaranteed, and apply with enough lead time before the planned trip.
Common mistakes that delay the application
- Submitting a rental contract without the latest paid receipt, or a property deed that isn’t in the applicant’s own name.
- A mismatch between the declared address and what’s on the local residence register (padrón) or the housing paperwork.
- Booking the appointment too close to the guest’s planned travel date, leaving no room for a possible delay or refusal.
- Confusing this letter with something that replaces a visa or travel insurance requirement: as explained above, it only covers accommodation.
Guide verified 03/09/2026. Sources: BOE, Orden PRE/1283/2007, of 10 May (legal framework and requirements); Spain’s National Police electronic office, authorisation to issue the letter and the letter document itself (procedure); BOE, Orden PJC/617/2025, of 13 June, annex, items 5.14 and 5.15 (current fee: €75.05 + €6.54). The 15-30 working day turnaround is not confirmed against an official source: see note above.