Do you have a tourist visa and you cannot leave Spain due to the COVID 19?
An international health emergency has been declared due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The state of alarm and the suspension of flights has caused many foreigners to currently be displaced in the Spanish territory, most of them with a short stay (such as tourist or business visas), and now they are at risk of that stay expires and they are in an irregular situation in Spain.
What can I do to avoid being irregular?
The General Directorate of Migrations issued a statement agreeing to suspend the expiration periods of stays by third-country nationals whose return is not possible as a result of the international health emergency derived from the coronavirus, which means that any stay with or without a visa it is paralyzed for the duration of the Alarm State.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the option to extend the stay is still available, especially for those persons in respect of whom their visa is about to expire and who may be faced with a complex situation at the time the State of Alarm ceases.
In this sense, for those persons who are holders of stay authorizations, with or without a visa, an extension of stay can be requested.
For this, the following requirements must also be met:
- Passport with validity greater than that of the extension of stay requested.
- Accreditation of the reasons alleged for the request. In this case, the cancellation of flights may be alleged due to the closure of borders or the restrictions of the countries of origin.
- Proof sufficient that you have adequate financial means for the extension time requested.
- Travel assistance insurance with the same coverage as that necessary for the application for a short-stay visa, and with a validity equal to or greater than the requested extension.
- Guarantees of return to the country of origin, through a nominal reservation of a plane ticket.
How long can they extend my stay?
The extension will be carried out for the same time as the original visa and may have a maximum duration of three months from the day after the expiration of your previous visa.
Is there a fee (tasa) to pay?
A fee will not have to be paid since the same Visa Code establishes that extensions for these reasons will be granted free of charge.