Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C.

What Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C. does

The Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C. is the diplomatic mission of Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation (Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación) in the United States. The Ministry, headquartered at Plaza del Marqués de Salamanca, 8 in Madrid and traceable in its current institutional form to 1938, is the central government body responsible for planning, directing, and executing Spain's foreign policy and its international development cooperation policy. It operates a global network of more than 150 embassies and consulates, and oversees related public bodies including AECID (Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, active in 30+ countries), Instituto Cervantes (Spanish language and cultural promotion in 80+ cities across 73 countries), the Escuela Diplomática (founded 1942), and the European Institute for the Mediterranean (IEMed, founded 1989).

The Ministry delivers consular and citizen services to more than three million Spaniards resident abroad, including passport renewals, visa processing, document legalization, civil registry services, emergency consular assistance, and traveler registration. Service delivery is distributed across three primary channels: a field-based diplomatic network (embassies and consulates), a self-service electronic headquarters at sede.maec.gob.es, and a prior appointment (cita previa) system for in-person consular services. The Ministry also serves foreign nationals seeking Spanish visas and document authentication, and engages in development cooperation, humanitarian diplomacy, feminist foreign policy, and cultural promotion through its subsidiary network. Strategic priorities are codified in formal planning documents including the Foreign Action Strategy 2025-2028, Public Diplomacy Strategy 2026-2028, and Humanitarian Diplomacy Strategy 2023-2026. The current Minister, José Manuel Albares Bueno, was appointed on July 10, 2021 and ratified for a second term on November 21, 2023.

The organization is funded primarily through Spanish government general taxation appropriated under the national General State Budget, with supplementary revenue from regulated consular service fees covering legalization, apostille, visas, and passports. Pricing for consular services is set by regulation rather than market-based, and there is no commercial revenue stream. Notable recent strategic activity includes the UNDP partnership relocating approximately 100 personnel from New York to Madrid, the Spain-India Dual Year 2026 initiative, the Treaty on Gibraltar, the AECID restructuring into a Ministry Directorate (2023), and the Isabel Oyarzábal Award (2025).

Name

Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C.

Legal name

Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación

Website

https://exteriores.gob.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C. is the U.S. diplomatic mission of Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation. The Ministry delivers consular, diplomatic, and development cooperation services to more than three million Spaniards abroad through 150+ embassies and consulates worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diplomatic and Consular Services

NAICS

National Security and International Affairs (928), International Affairs (92812), International Affairs (928120)

SIC

International Affairs (9721), Foreign Governments (8888)

akta.pro primary industry

Diplomatic Missions & Embassies (Bilateral Relations) (BPAIAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Consular Services & Citizen Assistance (BPAIAIAB), Diaspora & Expatriate Engagement (BPAIAIAI), Visa, Immigration Liaison & Travel Document Policy (Foreign Affairs) (BPAIAIAL), Consular Appointment, Document Legalization & Attestation Services (Apostille) (THACAKAE), Business Visa Application & Processing Services (THACAKAA), Emergency/Expedited Visa & Immigration Support (THACAKAL)

Keywords

• Diplomatic representation services
• Consular assistance services
• Visa processing services
• Document legalization services
• Citizen services abroad

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government funding and consular service fees: As a government ministry, the organization is funded through general taxation and generates revenue through consular service fees (legalization, apostille, visas, passport services, etc.).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C. provides official diplomatic representation of the Kingdom of Spain in the United States and delivers consular services to Spanish citizens abroad and foreign nationals. Core offerings include passport renewals, visa processing, document legalization and apostille, civil registry services, emergency consular assistance, travel advisory information, and access to official publications and international treaty information. Services are delivered in-person through the embassy and its consular section, and online through the Ministry's electronic headquarters and the Cita Previa appointment system.

Product overview

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation operates a unified citizen service portal providing consular assistance, diplomatic services, and government information. The core services include consular procedures (passports, visas, legalizations), official publications, travel recommendations, international treaty information, and traveler registration. The ministry also publishes strategic policy documents including the Foreign Action Strategy 2025-2028, Public Diplomacy Strategy 2026-2028, and Humanitarian Diplomacy Strategy 2023-2026. Online services are accessible through the electronic headquarters (Sede Electrónica MAEUEC) and prior appointment scheduling system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Consular Services Procedures and assistance for citizens abroad, including passport renewals, visa services, and emergency consular support. Served through the Embassy's consular section and the Cita Previa appointment system.
• Diplomatic Legalization and Apostille Administrative validation of foreign public documents for official recognition in Spain, performed through the consular section of the Embassy.
• Official Publications Access to official Ministry publications, documents, and reports, including policy strategies and diplomatic communications.
• Travel Recommendations Country-specific travel advisories and safety recommendations for Spanish citizens traveling abroad, distributed via the Ministry website and the #ViajaSeguro campaign.
• International Treaties Information Public access to information on international treaties to which Spain is a party, including the Gibraltar Treaty and other bilateral agreements.
• General Archive and Central Library Specialized library on international politics, relations, and diplomatic history, with archival services for official documents.
• Traveler Registration Online registry for Spanish citizens traveling abroad to receive alerts and consular assistance from the nearest embassy or consulate.
• Embassies and Consulates Directory Online directory of Spanish diplomatic missions and consular offices worldwide, enabling citizens and foreign nationals to locate the appropriate service point.
• Prior Appointment System (Cita Previa MAEUEC) Online scheduling system for consular and administrative appointments at Ministry offices, enabling citizens to book in-person service visits.
• Foreign Action Strategy 2025-2028 Spain's strategic framework document defining foreign policy priorities for 2025-2028, covering themes of a stronger Europe, a committed Spain, and peace and security. Published as a policy deliverable of the Ministry.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AECID (Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation)coreOthersAECID is a public body attached to the Ministry, celebrating 25 years in 2013, contributing to eradication of poverty and hunger globally. Has a presence in more than 30 countries through Technical Cooperation Offices, Cultural Centres and Training Centres. Located at Avda. de los Reyes Católicos, 4, 28040 Madrid.
• Instituto CervantescoreOthersPublic institution established in 1991 to promote and teach Spanish language and spread Spanish and Hispano-American culture. Has presence in more than 80 cities in 73 countries. Operates Spanish language courses, DELE examinations, and cultural activities. Headquarters at C/ Alcalá, 49, 28014 Madrid.
• Casa AsiacoreOthersInstitution for promoting relations between Spain and Asia. Organizes bilateral forums and visitor programmes. Located in Barcelona.
• Royal Academy of Spain in RomeminorOthersFounded in 1873 during the First Republic government, dedicated to artistic and humanistic training of creators, restorers and researchers. Located in Rome, Italy.
• Diplomatic School (Escuela Diplomática)coreOthersSet up in 1942, key reference point in Spanish diplomacy history. Functions include training of candidates to Diplomatic Career, public servants posted overseas, international civil service candidates. Located in Madrid.
• International Studies Centre (CEI)minorOthersInstitution set up in 1987 with Ministry participation. Works on training, research and fostering debate about international relations. Located in Barcelona.
• European Institute for the Mediterranean (IEMed)minorOthersPromoting mutual knowledge, exchanges and cooperation between Mediterranean countries. Established 1989. Ministry forms part of governing consortium.
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpain signed agreement for UNDP to relocate 100 workers from New York to Madrid. Part of Spain's strategy to host more international organizations.
• Cervantes InstitutecoreOthersRelated public body for promoting Spanish language and culture globally. Network spans 73 countries with over 80 cities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• British Council: Cultural diplomacy peer: the UK's public body for cultural relations and English-language promotion overseas — comparable to the Instituto Cervantes' role of promoting Spanish language and culture across 73+ countries.
• U.S. Department of State: Host-country counterpart: the U.S. State Department performs the reciprocal diplomatic, consular, and visa functions for the United States from its Washington headquarters — structurally analogous to Spain's MAEUEC.
• Goethe-Institut: Cultural diplomacy peer: Germany's federally funded cultural and language-promotion institution, structurally analogous to Instituto Cervantes in mandate, language-testing, and global center network.
• Alliance Française: Cultural diplomacy peer: France's global network for French-language teaching and cultural programming — directly comparable to Instituto Cervantes in scope, language testing, and geographic spread.

Others

• VFS Global: Adjacent service provider: VFS Global operates visa and consular application centers on behalf of multiple governments, including Spain — a private-sector intermediary interfacing with the Ministry's visa and legalization services.
• CIBT (CIBTvisas): Adjacent service provider: CIBT provides expedited passport, visa, and document legalization services — operating in the same citizen-services category as the Embassy of Spain's consular offering but as a private intermediary.

Direct peers

• Embassy of Germany in Washington, D.C. Direct peer: Germany's Washington embassy delivers the same combination of consular, visa, and bilateral representation services to German citizens and U.S. counterparts as the Embassy of Spain does for Spain.
• Embassy of France in Washington, D.C. Direct peer: France's bilateral diplomatic mission in Washington performing the same sovereign functions — consular services, visa issuance, document legalization, and bilateral relations — as the Embassy of Spain.
• Embassy of Italy in Washington, D.C. Direct peer: Italy's Washington embassy operates in the same Mediterranean-EU diplomatic cohort, providing comparable consular, visa, and expatriate-services functions to a large Italian-American diaspora.

Emerging players

• AECID (Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation): Internal peer: AECID is a subsidiary of the Ministry executing Spain's development cooperation in 30+ countries — comparable in mandate to USAID, GIZ, or AFD as a national development-cooperation agency.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/spainmfa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/canalmaectv
• Facebookfacebook.com/Exteriores.maec
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spainintheusa
• Instagraminstagram.com/exteriores.maec

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C.