Study in Spain

If you’re going to school in Spain for longer than six months and you’re not from the EU, EEA, or Switzerland, you’ll need a type D student visa and a Proof of Residence Card for Students (TIE – Tarjeta de identidad de extranjero). The application fee for a student visa to Spain is €60. EU, EEA, and Swiss students are still required to obtain an NIE (foreigner identification number) and must register at an immigration office upon arrival in Spain.

Spanish student visa Procedure

• Once you get a bonafide offer from a university, you can apply for a visa at the Spanish embassy in your home country.
• Contact the embassy or consulate nearest you: A Spanish visa must be applied for in person, and depending on the embassy, an appointment may be required. Inquire which documents will be needed for your application, so you can be prepared.
• Submit your documents: Bring the necessary documentation to the embassy or consulate and complete the visa application form.
• Decisions on student visas typically take around one month to process.
• Register with immigration: Upon entering the EU, you have 30 days to apply for a Spanish Student Residence Card for Foreigners (TIE) and obtain an NIE number at the Oficina de Extranjeros or police station closest to you. This will need to be renewed annually. The renewal of your TIE may depend on your academic performance.

Spain student visa requirements (type D)

• The documentation required for your student visa and residence card will vary based on your home country but may include the following:
• The duration of your trip to Spain necessitates using a valid passport.
• Acceptance letter from the university
• Copies of all pages from the passport
• A recent passport-style photograph in color
• Confirmation of enrollment in a Spanish school or university issued by the academic institution
• Evidence of health coverage
• Accommodation documentation
• If you have bank statements and scholarship information, show them as proof of your financial situation.
• A certificate of health issued by a physician.
• A clear background check from every country you’ve called home in the last five years.
• Visas for students’ accompanying family members; if you’re on a study visa in Spain for more than six months, your spouse and children under 18 can generally join you. You must demonstrate that you can support them in addition to yourself and your course fees. They must register for their TIE at the local Oficina de Extranjeros; they are not automatically authorized to work in Spain.
• Spanish visa Processing Timeframe; your application for a student visa should be processed within one month of submitting all required documents. But this may change depending on the volume of work at the embassy or consulate. During busy periods, you could receive a response in as little as 15 days, but it’s not uncommon for it to take three months.
• You must apply well in advance to avoid potential delays. Ensure that you begin preparing the necessary documents as soon as possible after receiving your university’s admission letter.
• Employed in Spain on a student visa; if you have an appropriate work permit that does not interfere with your studies, you can easily work up to 20 hours per week in Spain. It is also important to note that you cannot rely solely on employment to support yourself in Spain.
• Before beginning work, you must obtain the proper permit from the immigration authorities of Spain. The application for this can be submitted at an Oficina de Extranjeros; you should contact them ahead of time to ensure you know the exact procedure and have all the necessary documents. Permit issuance may take time, so you should submit your application as soon as possible.
• Students from the EU/EEA do not need a work permit in Spain.