Rules can change: confirm on the official site before you travel. imptbalearic.es is a hotel and travel site; it does not issue visas.
Eritrea is on the EU list of countries whose citizens need a visa for short stays in the Schengen area, and that covers a holiday in Ibiza, Menorca or Formentera. Apply at Spain's consulate, or the visa centre it uses, in the country where you live before booking travel. A short-stay visa allows up to 90 days in any 180-day period across Schengen. The islands have no visa of their own.
What the visa allows
A Schengen short-stay visa issued by Spain covers the whole Schengen area for tourism, family visits and short business trips. It allows up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across all Schengen countries together, not per island. It is tied to a purpose and to dates.
Apply to Spain, since Spain is where you will spend most of the trip. The consulate, or the visa centre handling its applications, decides. A visa from another Schengen country is no substitute unless that country is your main destination. Rules change, so check the official link first.
Before you travel and at the border
Build the application around the trip: booked travel, accommodation for every night, insurance meeting Schengen requirements, evidence of funds and of your reason to return. Paperwork is checked at the consulate or visa centre, not at the airport. Keep copies of what you submit, in case questions come at the border.
At the border, expect to show the visa, the passport and the same supporting documents, and to say where you are staying. The passport must be valid for at least three months beyond the planned departure from the Schengen area and issued within the previous ten years. ETIAS and EES are new EU systems being introduced, so check https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ before travelling.
Arriving on the islands
Ibiza Airport (IBZ) and Menorca Airport (MAH) take flights from mainland Spain and other Schengen countries, with checks on arrival. Formentera has no airport: fly to Ibiza, then take a ferry from the port of Eivissa to La Savina. Schedules change with the season, so check before booking.
Mallorca appears here only as a transit point, useful when a flight or ferry connection passes through Palma. Whichever island you land on, carry the passport and visa, plus the address of your first night, since checks can happen at any arrival point. Travel between the islands needs no separate permission.
Staying longer, working or studying
A short-stay visa does not permit work or study, and leaving and re-entering does not extend it. Anything beyond 90 days in any 180-day period needs a national visa or a residence permit from Spain, applied for through the consulate in your country of residence. A holiday does not turn into residence.
Rules on national visas, residence and work permits rest with the Spanish authorities. Island councils and natural park offices deal with local matters, not immigration. Check the official link and the consulate's own pages for the current position before booking, because requirements change.
How to apply
- Apply to Spain's consulate, or the visa centre it uses, in the country where you live.
- Book an appointment through the consulate or centre and follow its instructions on submitting.
- Bring the passport, photographs, travel and accommodation bookings, insurance and proof of funds.
- Attend in person for fingerprints and a photograph if biometrics are required.
- Collect the passport once decided, check the visa dates, then travel within them.
Documents
- Passport valid at least three months beyond departure and issued within ten years
- The visa, with copies of the application and supporting documents
- Accommodation details for every night of the island stay
- Travel insurance covering the Schengen area for the trip dates
ETIAS and EES: new EU entry systems are being introduced. Check travel-europe.europa.eu before you travel.
Questions
Do Eritrean citizens need a visa to visit Ibiza or Menorca?
Yes. Eritrea is on the EU list of nationalities requiring a Schengen short-stay visa, so a holiday in Ibiza, Menorca or Formentera needs one before travel. Apply at Spain's consulate, or the visa centre it uses, in the country where you live. The visa covers the whole Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Where do Eritrean citizens apply for a Spain visa?
At Spain's consulate, or the visa centre it uses, in the country where you live. Spain handles the application because it is the country where a Balearic holiday would be spent. Applications are not made on the islands, and a visa issued by another Schengen country does not replace a Spanish one unless that country is your main destination.
Can Eritrean citizens fly straight to Formentera?
No. Formentera has no airport. Fly to Ibiza and take a ferry from the port of Eivissa to La Savina, or reach Ibiza through Mallorca as a transit point if that suits your flights. Ferries carry foot passengers and vehicles, and schedules change with the season, so check before booking and leave room in your plans.
Can Eritrean citizens work or stay longer on a short-stay visa?
No. A Schengen short-stay visa covers tourism, family visits and short business trips, not employment or study, and leaving and re-entering does not extend it. A longer stay, work or study needs a national visa or a residence permit from Spain, applied for through the consulate in your country of residence before travel.
Where will you stay?
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Island guides: Ibiza · Menorca · Formentera