Visa requirements for Camino

[lbpierce]

I am a US Citizen and a citizen of Ireland and hold passports of both countries. But, my permanent and only residence is in Mexico and I will be flying from Mexico city to Madrid to start my camino. I plan to be in Spain for a maximum of 60 days at which point I will return to Mexico.

Do I need any visa? Which passport should I travel with?

Gracias, amigos.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Neither the U.S. nor Ireland are Schengen countries, so you are limited to a 90-day stay without a visa. For a longer stay, you need a Schengen visa from the country in which you will reside. Your current residence does not matter for visa purposes. Pick your favorite passport for traveling!

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Ireland is not a Schengen country but its citizens are part of the European Union. With an Irish passport you need to have your passport to enter Spain, but you do not require a Visa, and don't have the 90 day Schengen limit.
Margaret

 

[dougfitz]

Ireland is not a member of the Schengen area, so neither of your passports will give you any specific advantages entering France or Spain.

The US State Department information page on visa requirements is at http://www.immihelp.com/visas/schengenvisa/. It indicates that if you were to travel on a US passport, there is no need to apply for a visa, but will have your passport stamped on arrival. Entry is still (always) at the discretion of the passport control at the point of entry, but unless there is something unusual, this is normally a formality.

It appears that the same arrangements apply for Irish citizens, although most of the sources I can find are at best secondary (eg commercial visa application services).

Regards,