Will Spanish visa accept event tickets without an invitation letter? (Iraqi passport)
Hey everyone,
I'm in a bit of a situation and need some advice about Spanish visa requirements.
I have tickets to attend a trade fair in Spain (EGURTEK 2026 in Bilbao this October), and I'm really excited about the business opportunities. However, I've hit a snag with the visa application.
As an Iraqi passport holder, I need to apply for a Schengen visa to visit Spain. I contacted the event organizers to request an official invitation letter (which I thought was standard for international visitors), but they responded saying that Bilbao Exhibition Centre does not issue invitation letters.
So now I have:
- ✅ Valid event registration/tickets
- ✅ The organizer's email confirming they don't provide invitation letters
- ❌ No formal invitation letter
My questions:
- Will the Spanish consulate accept the tickets and the organizer's email as proof of purpose of visit instead of an invitation letter?
- Has anyone successfully gotten a Schengen visa for a trade fair/conference without an official invitation letter?
- Should I try to contact other organizations associated with the event to see if they can provide an invitation?
This fair is really important for my company's business development, and I don't want my visa application to be rejected just because of missing paperwork.
Any advice or experiences would be really appreciated!