This is a long-stay visa under the residence regime, issued free of charge to the following categories of individuals, provided they are nationals of one of the countries listed in Annex I
:
- Diplomatic agents and consular officials accredited in Spain, as well as their family members.
- Members of Permanent Missions or Delegations to intergovernmental organizations headquartered in Spain, as well as their family members.
- Officials assigned to international or intergovernmental organizations based in Spain, as well as their family members.
Accreditation in Spain for holders of diplomatic, official, or service passports
There are two possible scenarios:
1. Nationals of the countries listed in Annex I who are traveling to Spain for accreditation purposes must obtain an accreditation visa.
Canada is included among the countries listed in Annex I.
Accreditation visas must be requested exclusively through a Verbal Note issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the applicant’s country, even if the applicant is residing in a third country.
For domestic staff employed by diplomatic personnel, an accreditation visa is always required—even if the individual is from a country listed in
Annex II—except for citizens of the European Union or the Schengen Area.
2. Nationals of countries listed in Annex II do NOT require a visa and may travel to Spain and complete the accreditation process directly before the Subdirectorate General for the Diplomatic Corps of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.
Required documents
- National visa application form
- Photograph: One recent, passport-sized, colour photo with a light background, taken from the front, without sunglasses, glare, or clothing that obscures the face. For photos of minors, no part of the adult holding the child should be visible. The photograph must be taken by a commercial or studio photographer and must have been taken NO MORE THAN SIX (6) MONTHS PRIOR TO THE DATE OF APPLICATION. It must also comply with the specifications provided in this link.
- Valid diplomatic, official, or service passport: Original and one photocopy of the biometric data page(s). The passport must contain at least two blank pages and must not have been issued more than 10 years ago.
- Verbal Note issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the applicant’s country: The Verbal Note must include the following details:
- Full name of the applicant
- Date and place of birth
- Nationality
- Passport type and number
- Type of accreditation requested (diplomatic, consular, technical-administrative, consular employee, service staff, etc.), category (Counselor, Attaché, etc.), and specific role to be carried out
- Full name of the person being replaced, if applicable
- Planned date of travel to Spain
- Full name, date and place of birth, and nationality of accompanying family members (spouse or officially registered partner, or whose documents prove the partnership; minor children, as well as adult children and dependent ascendants who can demonstrate financial dependence and cohabitation with the accredited person and are not engaged in professional or gainful employment)
- For domestic staff, the name of the employer in Spain must be indicated, along with a signed employment agreement between the employer and employee in accordance with the terms outlined in Annex III.
Visa Application Procedure
This Consular Office is authorized to process accreditation visa applications for nationals of third countries residing within its consular district.
Who may submit the application: An applicant may submit the application in person on any working Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Please check the Embassy’s
holiday calendar before visiting.
If the applicant is a minor, the application must be submitted by their legal representatives.
Applications may also be sent by postal mail.
Online submissions are not accepted.
Submission address:
Embassy of Spain in Ottawa
Consular Section
74 Stanley Avenue
Ottawa, ON
K1M 1P4
Common Procedure Once in Spain
Whether or not a visa is required, the applicant must appear within one month of their arrival in Spain before the Subdirectorate General for the Diplomatic Corps of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation to process their Spanish identification card.
Legal Framework