What are the requirements to obtain a student visa for Spain? How long does it take to become effective? Is it necessary to go to the consulate?
If you are thinking about applying to study your university degree in Spain, you are probably asking yourself these kinds of questions.
That’s why at CIS University we offer an advisory service on how to obtain your student visa to all international students interested in participating in our program to study in Spain.
But what if we give you a little preview?
Visa to study in Spain for your university studies
The student visa is mandatory for all non-European Union citizens who plan to stay in Spain for more than 90 days.
Whether for studies, training, internships or volunteer work.
This type of visa must also be applied for by people who exceed 90 days of stay in Spain to perform au pair or teaching support services, such as conversation assistants.
In fact, the student visa is nothing more than a specific residence permit for all the cases we have just mentioned. Therefore, in addition to being able to study in Spain, it allows you to combine your studies with jobs of up to 30 hours per week.
Another thing you should keep in mind is that student visas are valid for stays of 90 days up to 6 months.
So if your intention is to stay in Spain for a longer period of time, in addition to applying for your student visa, you will have to obtain your Foreigner’s Identity Card (TIE for its acronym in Spanish) during your first month of stay in the country.
Requirements to apply for a student visa in Spain
The main requirement to be able to apply for a student visa in Spain is to be enrolled in an educative program of at least 20 hours per week in an accredited educational institution.
However, this is not the only requirement to be able to apply for your visa.
Here are all the documents you will need to prepare in order to apply for your student visa in Spain:
The first step to apply for a student visa in Spain is to fill out and sign this document. In case the applicant is a legal minor, it must be signed by a parent, guardian or an accredited representative.
2 – Photograph
The application form must be accompanied by a recent passport-sized color photograph showing the applicant’s face without any type of clothing or accessory covering his or her face. Immigration institutions in Spain regarding the characteristics of the photos for legal documents are very strict. In the event that the photograph does not meet all the necessary requirements, the issuance of the visa will be annulled.
3 – Passport
In order to travel to Spain with a student visa, it is necessary to present the original passport, which must not expire before the planned return date and have at least two blank pages, and a photocopy of the biometric data sheet.
4 – Accreditation by the study center
As we have already mentioned above, the main requirement to obtain this type of visa is to have been accepted in an accredited educational center in Spain.
Therefore, all applicants must prove it by providing a document that accredits it.
5 – Proof of financial means
Any person applying for a visa to study in Spain must demonstrate that he or she has the necessary financial means to cover the costs of the student’s stay and return.
To calculate this amount, the Public Indicator of Multiple Effect Income (IPREM) in Spain is taken as a reference and, in the case of traveling alone, it would be about 700 USD per month per student.
6 – Medical insurance
Another requirement for obtaining a visa to study in Spain is that the applicant must have his or her own medical insurance to cover medical expenses within the country during his or her stay.
To prove this, the original documentation and a copy of it must be presented.
7 – Certificate of criminal record
All adults applying for a visa to study in Spain for more than 180 days must present an official document issued by the countries where they have lived during the last 5 years that certifies that the applicant does not have a criminal record.
This document must be issued during the 5 months prior to the application for the study visa and must be apostilled by the Hague.
8 – Medical certificate
In order to obtain a student visa for Spain for more than 180 days it will also be necessary to present a medical certificate that certifies that the applicant does not suffer from any disease that could threaten the public health of the country and that has been issued during the 90 days prior to the application for the visa.
9 – Proof of residence in the consular district.
Student visa applicants must present an official document proving their legal place of residence such as a driver’s license, state identification card or voter registration card.
10 – Documentation of legal representatives
If the applicant for student visa is a minor, in addition to all these documents, the application must include the passport of his or her parents or legal guardians along with a document that proves the relationship between them.
It will also be necessary to present a notarized authorization from the parents or legal guardians specifying that they agree to the minor traveling to Spain and the details of the person who will be in charge of him or her during the stay in that country.
All these documents must be apostilled by the Hague and with notarized copy.
11 – Payment of the visa
The last of the requirements to obtain your student visa in Spain is to pay the consular fee corresponding to the type of visa requested.
How to get a student visa for Spain?
In order to obtain a student visa for Spain, the applicant or his/her legal representative must present all the documents mentioned above in person at a consular office.
Once all the required documents have been submitted, the consular office issues a receipt voucher with which the applicant will be able to check the status of his or her student visa through the Internet.
The resolution period usually lasts up to one month from the day following the submission of the documents, but in some cases this period may be extended by the request of additional documents or a personal interview.
For this reason, student visa applications should be made early enough so that they do not overlap with the start of the course. In fact, applications can be started up to 90 days before the scheduled date of entry into Spain.
Once the visa is approved, the consular office will notify the applicant for its collection. This will also take place at the Spanish consulate where the application was initiated.
It may seem a bit cumbersome, but if you choose to pursue your university studies at CIS University, an American university in Spain, you will have all our support and advice to get your student visa.
Would you like to know how? Contact us and we will tell you.
