The Canary and Balearic Islands are part of Spain and the Schengen Area, so there is no separate “island” visa: Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca are entered under the same rules as Madrid or Barcelona. Citizens of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan need a Schengen visa; citizens of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia with a biometric passport do not. Below is who needs which visa, how the Canary Islands differ from the rest of Spain and what to bear in mind if you want to stay on an island for longer than 90 days.
Who needs a visa for the Spanish islands
Whether you need a visa depends not on the island but on your passport. The list of countries whose citizens need a visa for Schengen is set out in EU Regulation 2018/1806, and it is the same for the whole area.
| Passport | Is a visa needed | How long you can stay |
|---|---|---|
| Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Uzbekistan | yes, a category C Schengen visa | up to 90 days in any 180 |
| Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia — with a biometric passport | no | up to 90 days in any 180 |
| A residence permit or long-stay visa from a Schengen country | no | up to 90 days in any 180 in other countries of the area |
Since 10 April 2026 the EES Entry/Exit System has been operating at the Schengen external borders in all countries: on the first crossing, foreigners have their fingerprints taken and their face photographed. For visa-free travellers, the ETIAS electronic travel authorisation will be added in the last quarter of 2026 — it is obtained online before the trip.
The Canary Islands: in Schengen, but outside the IVA zone
Visa-wise, the Canary Islands are just like the rest of Spain: the islands are part of the Schengen Area, and a Schengen visa is valid on Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and the other islands of the archipelago. The difference is in taxes: the Canaries are outside the EU VAT area, and instead of Spanish IVA they have their own tax, IGIC.
For a tourist this matters when flying from the Canaries to the mainland or the Balearics: purchases are treated as coming from outside the IVA zone, with duty-free allowances. According to the Spanish Tax Agency, you can bring purchases worth up to €430 duty-free when travelling by air or sea (€150 for children under 15), up to 200 cigarettes and up to 1.5 litres of spirits or 3 litres of drinks up to 22% alcohol; travellers under 17 get no tobacco or alcohol allowance.
There is no passport control on flights between the Canaries and the mainland — these are internal Schengen flights — but airlines require an identity document. A foreigner needs a passport and, if subject to a visa requirement, a valid visa or residence permit.
Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca
There are no special rules for the Balearic Islands: they are part of both the Schengen Area and the IVA zone, so a trip to Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca or Formentera is no different from a trip to any other Spanish city. Ferries and domestic flights run between the islands and the mainland, and there is no passport control on them either.
How to get a visa for a trip to the islands
A Schengen visa is issued by the country that is the main destination of your trip. If you are flying to Tenerife or Ibiza, that is Spain, and you need to apply to the Spanish consulate or its visa centre. In Russia, Spanish Schengen visa applications are accepted by the BLS visa centre by appointment. For details on how to get a visa for Spain and the rules for counting the 90 days, see the article on how the Schengen visa works.
A tourist visa usually requires:
- an international passport and application form;
- a photo meeting the consulate’s requirements;
- health insurance with cover of at least €30,000 for the whole Schengen Area;
- an accommodation booking and tickets;
- proof of funds for the trip — a letter from your employer or a bank statement.
If you already have a multiple-entry Schengen visa from another country, you can fly to the islands on it, but the main destination of your previous trips on that visa should have been the country that issued it: this rule is checked when you next apply.
If you want to live on an island rather than holiday there
A Schengen visa only allows a tourist stay. To live in Tenerife or Mallorca for longer than 90 days, you need a residence permit on one of the Spanish legal bases — for example, a digital nomad visa or a non-working residence permit. There is no separate “island” residence permit; the routes are the same as on the mainland, and they are all collected in our overview of all the ways to get a Spanish residence permit. What life on the islands is like — taxes, rent, flights — is covered in the articles “The Canary Islands” and “Mallorca”.
Frequently asked questions
Do Russians need a visa for Tenerife?
Yes. Tenerife, like all the Canary Islands, is part of Spain and the Schengen Area, so Russian citizens need a Schengen visa. You apply at the Spanish visa centre if Spain is the main destination of the trip.
Do you need a visa for Mallorca and Ibiza?
The rules are the same as for the whole of Spain: citizens of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan need a Schengen visa; citizens of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia with a biometric passport do not. You can stay for up to 90 days in any 180.
Can you travel to the Canary Islands on another country’s Schengen visa?
Yes, if the visa is valid for the whole Schengen Area and has not expired. But the visa should be issued by the country of your main destination, so if you are travelling mainly to Spain, you apply to the Spanish consulate or visa centre.
Is there passport control when flying from the mainland to the Canary Islands?
No, these are internal Schengen flights, but the airline checks your document. When flying from the Canaries to the mainland, duty-free allowances apply because the Canaries are outside the IVA zone.
Do Ukrainian citizens need a visa for the Canary Islands?
With a biometric passport, no: you can stay for up to 90 days in any 180. From the last quarter of 2026, visa-free travellers will need an ETIAS electronic travel authorisation.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 — lists of countries whose citizens do or do not need a visa for Schengen. EUR-Lex.
- European Commission — EES and ETIAS: what travellers need to know.
- Agencia Tributaria — duty-free allowances for travellers.
- Consulate General of Spain in Moscow — visa application procedure.
