How to Get a Carta de Invitación in Barcelona: A Complete Guide

Getting your family to visit Spain? Here’s everything you need to know about obtaining an official invitation letter in Barcelona.

This year, I’m beyond excited for the holidays! My two sisters from Canada are finally coming to visit, and we’re planning to travel to Finland together. It’s going to be amazing. But first, there was one major hurdle to overcome: they needed Schengen visas, and I wanted to give them the best possible chance of approval.

Enter the Carta de Invitación – an official police document that can significantly boost visa application success rates. Having dealt with visa applications extensively, I knew this could be the difference between approval and rejection for my sisters’ applications.

What Exactly is a Carta de Invitación?

Let me be clear about this: a Carta de Invitación is not some simple letter you can whip up in Google Docs. This is an official police document that requires proper procedures, appointments, and fees. It’s serious business because when you invite someone with this document, you’re essentially taking responsibility for them during their stay in Spain.

The Barcelona Reality: Where to Go

Here’s something that frustrated me initially – not all police stations in Barcelona issue these documents. We first tried the police station in Plaza España, thinking it would be convenient. Nope! They redirected us to the only police station in Barcelona that handles Carta de Invitación requests: the one in Guadalajara, near Diagonal.

This is classic Barcelona bureaucracy for you – essential information isn’t readily available online, so you’ll often need to visit places in person to get the real scoop.

The Appointment Struggle (And How We Cracked It)

Initially, we tried booking appointments online like civilized people. Big mistake. Every attempt was met with the soul-crushing message: “no appointments available at this time.” Sound familiar?

After getting nowhere online, we decided to visit the Guadalajara police station directly. This turned out to be the best decision we made. The staff there gave us the golden information we needed:

New appointments are released every Friday at 5:00 PM sharp—for now. This can change without prior notice. So if you can’t get any appointments, go to the police station because they could have changed the release day of new appointments.

Pro tip: You need to be lightning fast. We’re talking seconds, not minutes. Lots of people are competing for these slots, so have your information ready and don’t hesitate.

The best part? If you’re applying for a family (like my sisters and brother-in-law), you only need one appointment for the entire group.

Document Preparation: Get Everything Ready

Over the weekend, I gathered all the required documents. Here’s your complete checklist:

• Application form (one for each family member being invited)
• Passport copies of everyone being invited
• Proof of legal status in their current country (work permits, etc.)
• Your rental contract in Barcelona
• Padrón (proof of residence registration)
• Copies of your Spanish ID documents (passport and DNI)

Having everything organized beforehand made the actual appointment much smoother.

The Appointment Day Experience

We arrived 10 minutes early on Monday morning – punctuality matters in these situations. When my name was called, we entered the officer’s office with our stack of documents.

The review process was surprisingly straightforward. The officer looked through everything and asked just one main question: “Are they all staying in the same place?” When I confirmed yes, that was pretty much it.

I suspect this simplicity was because I was inviting immediate family (my sisters). If you’re inviting friends or distant relatives, expect more detailed questioning. Remember, this document makes you responsible for your guests’ stay in Spain, so authorities take it seriously.

The Payment Process

After document approval, the officer handed us modelo 790-012 – the payment form. The total cost for 3 people came to €94.67.

The area around the police station is convenient, with several banks nearby. We used an ATM machine, which was quick and efficient. Just make sure to keep your receipt – you’ll need it for the next step.

Getting Your Official Document

Back to the police station we went, receipt in hand. The officer processed our payment confirmation and handed us the official Carta de Invitación – printed on special security paper and properly stamped to prevent forgery.

Important: Check everything carefully before leaving! We caught an error I had made with my brother-in-law’s name. Fortunately, the officer was understanding and reprinted the document without hassle. This saved us potential headaches later.

Shipping the Document

Here’s a crucial detail: you need the physical document for visa applications. Digital copies won’t be accepted, so you’ll need to ship the original.

The police officer specifically recommended using DHL instead of Correos for international deliveries, citing better reliability. From Barcelona to Vancouver, it cost us €54 and took about 5 days.

Smart tip: Make digital copies before shipping, just in case something goes wrong in transit.

Final Thoughts

Getting a Carta de Invitación in Barcelona requires patience, preparation, and persistence. The process isn’t complicated once you know the system, but the city doesn’t make it easy to figure out initially.

The key takeaways:

• Only the Guadalajara police station handles these requests
• Appointments are released Fridays at 5 PM – be ready to move fast
• Prepare all documents in advance
• Budget around €95 for fees plus shipping costs
• Use DHL or FEDEX for international shipping
• Double-check everything before leaving the police station

Now I’m keeping my fingers crossed that my sisters’ visa applications get approved. The Carta de Invitación should definitely help their case, and I can’t wait to show them around Barcelona before we head off to Finland together.

Have you gone through this process in Barcelona? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below!