A valid travel document is required to travel to Spain to attend EFFoST2023. Spain is a member state of the Schengen Area. Citizens of the Schengen Area only need an identification card, or a valid passport. Note that some EU countries are not part of the Schengen Area. UK citizens can continue to travel to the EU with their UK passport after Brexit (the only difference is that now, you can only stay in Schengen area countries visa-free for up to three months.)
Besides a valid travel document, visitors from outside the Schengen Area should check whether or not a visa needs to be requested. The travel document must be less than 10 years old on the day you enter (check the ‘date of issue’) and valid for at least three months following the planned exit from the territory of Schengen Area (check the ‘expiry date’).
Being in possession of a valid visa is required of nationals of third countries that have not reached a visa liberalization agreement with the Schengen States in order to enter any member country of the Schengen Area, unless in possession of a valid residence permit or a valid long-term visa issued by another Member State. Participants from third countries with a valid visa for one of the Schengen countries may travel through the territory of the other Schengen States for a maximum of 90 days within any 180-day period. Besides the Schengen visa, travellers may need to present several documents to the border police at the Spanish port of entry (search your closest consulate or embassy at this website and then go to ‘Consular Services’ and ‘Conditions for entry into Spain’).
The Uniform Schengen Visa can be requested at the Spanish embassies and consulates with territorial competence for the country in which you legally reside (search your closest consulate or embassy here and then go to ‘Consular services’ and ‘Schengen Visas’). The basic visa fee is €80. Besides the application form, the Spanish authorities may ask for additional documents. The application must be submitted to the consulate at least 15 days before the intended journey.
Our professional conference organiser Congress Care will provide visa support letters to registered and fully paid delegates on request. The visa support letter should be requested via effost2023@congresscare.com at least 8 weeks prior to the meeting at the very latest. The deadline for requesting a letter of invitation is 11 September 2023. Requests received later than this date may not be processed by the embassies. Visa support letters will be sent as pdf–file by email. Please note these letters will not be issued until a delegate has paid in full. The conference organiser, local and scientific committees cannot guarantee the success of a visa application but will support where possible.
The application process for a visa to enter Spain can take up to 8 weeks. If you require a visa please ensure you commence your application in a timely manner.