Do Vietnam passport holders need a visa to visit Spain (Schengen)?

Yes — a Vietnamese ordinary passport holder needs a Schengen short-stay (Type C) visa before traveling to Spain for tourism. Vietnam is not on the EU visa-exempt list, so ETIAS does not apply. Spain is part of the Schengen Area, and Vietnam is a visa-required nationality for Schengen. A Vietnamese ordinary passport holder must obtain a Schengen Type C (short-stay) visa before departure to visit Spain for tourism. Applications are lodged through the BLS International Spain Visa Application Centre in Hanoi (Spain's official partner). The standard visa fee is EUR 90 (about 2,779,000 VND) plus a BLS service charge of around 522,000 VND. You must show travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000, proof of sufficient funds (about 10% of the Spanish minimum wage per day, with a minimum coverage near EUR 113/day), confirmed round-trip flights and accommodation, and a travel itinerary. The Schengen short-stay rule allows up to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period across the whole Schengen Area. Minimum processing time is 15 calendar days, but you should apply well in advance (up to 6 months before travel; no later than 15 working days before). Important: the Spanish Embassy in Hanoi will NOT accept applications made with the newer blue Vietnamese passport that omits the place-of-birth field; the older green passport (which includes place of birth) is accepted while still valid. ETIAS (expected late 2026) applies only to visa-exempt nationals and does NOT replace the visa requirement for Vietnamese citizens.