Visa management
Coming to Spain to study Spanish may not be an easy task. The steps you must take to obtain a study visa may seem complicated, but at FEDELE we want to help you and provide you with the necessary information to make this process as easy as possible for you.
Do I need a visa to study in Spain?

If your visit is for less than 90 days:
If you are from a country whose nationals are exempt from visa requirements, you do not need to apply for a study visa. On the other hand, if you are a national of a country that requires a visa to cross external borders, you must apply for a visa.

If your visit is for more than 90 days:
This visa is also required if the student is going to be in Spain for more than 90 days for non-working internships, volunteer services, student mobility, M.I.R. positions, training stays, and studies for minors’ schooling. It is also necessary in the case of the student’s relatives who wish to stay in Spain for more than 90 days.

If the stay is longer than six months:
You must apply in person for a foreigner’s identity card within one month of entering Spain, at the Immigration Office or Police Station in the province where the authorization has been processed.
FAQs
Where to apply for a visa?
The visa applicant may present the required documentation in person at the Consulate or Embassy nearest to the applicant’s home.
How far in advance do I have to apply, and how long does it last?
To ensure that you get your visa on time, you can generally apply at least 31 days before your departure date, and documentation will not be accepted more than 120 days before your trip. However, we recommend that you check the website of the Consulate or Embassy in your country.
What are the deadline for resolution and visa issuance?
The deadline for notifying the resolution is one month from the following day of the application’s presentation at the Consular Office. If the Administration does not provide an express response within this period, we may consider it rejected due to administrative silence.
The applicant must pick up the issued visa within one month from the notification. If the applicant does not pick it up by the deadline mentioned, the Administration will file the visa procedure, and it will be understood as rejected.
What document should I provide?
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- Fully completed visa application form which, you can download from the Consulate’s website.
- Color passport-size photographs with white background.
- Complete and valid passport or travel document, recognized as valid in Spain, for at least the requested stay period.
- Documentation proving the purpose of the stay. It is necessary to present a LETTER OF ADMISSION written by the educational institution.
- Health insurance policy contracted with an insurance company authorized to operate in Spain, covering the entire stay in Spain.
- Letter or certificate of criminal record (generally for stays longer than 180 days).
- Accreditation of accommodation for the period of the studies.
- A medical certificate is required proving that the applicant does not suffer from diseases that could have repercussions on public health (generally for stays of more than six months).
- Documentation that justifies the applicant’s means of subsistence for the entire visa application period. If the applicant is economically dependent, the documentation will be the relative’s and must be notarized and duly apostilled.
IMPORTANT: Some countries may request other types of documentation. Please consult the page of the Spanish Embassy / Consulate in your country through this link to check the documentation requested:
https://www.exteriores.gob.es/es/EmbajadasConsulados/Paginas/index.aspx
What are the most common requirements for obtaining a study visa?
- Not being a European Union, European Economic Area or Swiss citizen, or a family member of a citizen of one of these countries to which the EU citizenship regime applies.
- Not having prohibited the entry in Spain and not appearing as refusable in the territorial space of countries with which Spain has signed an agreement in this regard.
- Have sufficient financial means to cover the costs of the stay and return to your country and, if necessary, those of your family members, according to the following amounts:
- For your subsistence, you must have monthly 100% of the IPREM, unless you can prove that you have paid in advance for accommodation for the entire period of the stay.
- To have a public or private health insurance policy with an insurance company authorized to operate in Spain.
- The unaccompanied minors must provide an authorization made by the parents or guardian. This authorization must include the school, organization, entity, or body in charge of the activity and the planned duration of the stay.
- Have been admitted to an authorized educational institution in Spain to study a full-time program leading to the obtention of a diploma or certificate of studies.
If the stay exceeds six months, the following documents are required:
- For adults, they must have no criminal record in Spain and previous residence countries during the last five years for crimes existing in the Spanish legal system.
- Not suffer from any diseases that may have severe public health implications following the 2005 International Health Regulations.
IMPORTANT: Some countries may request other types of documentation. Please consult the page of the Spanish Embassy / Consulate in your country through this link to check the documentation requested:
https://www.exteriores.gob.es/es/EmbajadasConsulados/Paginas/index.aspx
What are the most common reasons for denial of a student visa?
To answer this question, we must refer to Article 39.9 of the Immigration Regulations, which states the following:
The visa or stay authorization may be denied:
- If applicable, when the applicant has a criminal record in the countries of residence during the last five years for crimes under Spanish law.
- When false documents are submitted with the request, or any false allegations have been made
- When a legal cause of refusal to process occurs, that was not detected at the time the application was received.
Besides, it is necessary to complement the mentioned rule with the fourth additional provision of the Law on Immigration, which regulates the causes of refusal of applications. These are the following:
- Lack of legitimacy of the applicant or inadequate accreditation of representation.
- Submission of the application after the legally established deadline.
- In case of a repetition of an application that has already been denied, as long as the circumstances that led to it have not changed.
- When there is an administrative penalty proceeding against the applicant in which expulsion may be proposed or when a judicial or administrative expulsion order has been decreed against the applicant, unless the expulsion order has been revoked is in one of the cases regulated by articles 31 bis, 59, 59 bis or 68.3 of this law.
- When the applicant cannot enter Spain.
- In the case of no legal basis requests.
- When referring to foreigners living in Spain in an illegal situation, unless they are one of the cases mentioned in Article 31, paragraph 3.
- When the request is not made in person and is required by law.
Can I apply for a visa for an online course?
No, since it is necessary to attend in person at least 15 – 20 hours per week.
What is the amount of money I need to have to get a visa?
As indicated in Article 38 of Royal Decree 557/2011, you must have enough financial means to cover the costs of your stay and return to your country, having at least monthly 100% of the IPREM.
Can I go on holidays during my course?
Yes, but it cannot be more than 10 % of the total duration of the course, as indicated in the regulations set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation.
Do you want this information summarized?
You can download our infographics where you will find the most important information: