What you need to enter Spain with a Colombian passport

Unlike most Latin American countries, whose exemption rests only on the EU's unilateral Annex II list under Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, Colombia's also rests on a bilateral EU-Colombia short-stay visa waiver agreement (provisionally applied since 3 December 2015, fully in force since 1 January 2017). It covers tourism, business, family visits, and study of under 90 days within any 180, but not paid work: a joint declaration attached to the agreement leaves that activity outside the waiver, so working still requires the corresponding visa and authorisation. Not needing a visa does not guarantee entry: at the border the Policía Nacional may require proof of the purpose of the trip, an accommodation booking or an invitation letter processed before the Policía Nacional itself, a named non-transferable return ticket, and means of subsistence (for 2026, €122.10 per person per day, with a €1,098.90 minimum; the figure is updated each year with the minimum wage). If these aren't shown, entry is refused despite the visa exemption.

Authorisation system

None operational yet (ETIAS delayed)

Spain is part of the future European ETIAS system, the travel authorisation that nationalities exempt from a Schengen visa will need. As of the verification date ETIAS is not operational and no applications are being collected. In mid-July 2026 the EU removed the target date of the last quarter of 2026 from its official website, which now says the start date will be announced several months before launch, without committing to any date. eu-LISA's management board (the agency building it) is expected to meet in September 2026, where a revised timeline is anticipated; until then there is no official date. Once launched it will cost €20 and be valid for three years, and it will apply to passport holders from countries exempt from a Schengen visa, such as the United Kingdom, the US, Canada or Australia.

What ETIAS is, who it will affect and when it starts →

Required documents

• A valid passport or travel document, issued within the previous ten years and valid for at least three months beyond the date you plan to leave the Schengen area (Regulation (EU) 2016/399, Art. 6(1)(a))
• Evidence of the purpose and conditions of your stay: a booking for your accommodation or, if you are staying at a private address, a letter of invitation that your host files with the Spanish National Police (Regulation (EU) 2016/399, Art. 6(1)(c))
• A return or round-trip ticket, issued in your name, non-transferable and with a fixed date (Order PRE/1282/2007, Art. 2)

How much money you need to show

€122.10 per person per day, with a minimum of €1,098.90 per person even on a shorter trip

They are 10% and 90% of Spain's 2026 minimum wage (€1,221 a month, Royal Decree 126/2026), under Order PRE/1282/2007, so they change when the minimum wage goes up. The daily figure is multiplied by the days of your stay and by the people travelling as your dependants. You show it with cash, certified or traveller's cheques, or a credit card together with a bank statement or an up-to-date passbook. Statements printed from online banking are not accepted.

What each Schengen country asks for →

Source: European Commission, Annex 25 to the Practical Handbook for Border Guards (reference amounts notified by each State), version of 8 June 2026, and Spain's Official State Gazette (Order PRE/1282/2007 and Royal Decree 126/2026). Checked on 1 November 2026.

Health insurance

Not mandatory for this visa-exempt entry, though it's strongly recommended.

When travel insurance is mandatory → Travel insurance policies ↓

How long you can stay

Schengen rule: a maximum stay of 90 days within any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area.

Calculate your available Schengen days →

Why isn't your passport being stamped? The EES system →