FAQ: ENTER SPAIN AS A TOURIST AND APPLY FOR A STUDENT VISA
1. Replied FAQ: (for citizens who can enter Spain without a visa)
What are the requirements for applying for a student visa from Spain?
How many days can I stay in Spain as a tourist without a visa?
If I leave Spain and return before 90 days have passed, can I re-enter? When can I return, and how long can I stay?
Can I enter Spain without a visa and then apply for a residence permit?
Can I switch from a tourist visa to a student visa once I am in Spain?
How can I extend my tourist stay in Spain?
What happens if I exceed the permitted 90-day tourist stay?
If I spend a few days in other Schengen countries and then return to Spain, how are the 90 permitted days counted?
If I leave Spain, do the days I am allowed to stay as a tourist continue to count?
I am a national of a country whose citizens do not need a visa to enter Spain. Do I need to show a return ticket at the airport?
What documents do I need to enter Spain without a visa?
Can I travel to other Schengen countries without applying for an additional visa? How long can I stay?
On what grounds can I be denied entry to Spain at the airport?
Am I allowed to work in Spain while staying as a tourist?
Am I allowed to study in Spain while staying as a tourist?
I have exceeded the permitted 90 days and am now in Spain illegally. How can I regularize my immigration status?
Can I study in Spain if my permitted 90-day stay has expired?
Can I apply for a student stay authorization in Spain if my visa has expired? What steps should I follow?
My nationality allows me to enter Spain without a visa. How can I legally stay in Spain for more than 90 days?
Can I apply for a student stay authorization directly from Spain?
How long does it take to process a student stay authorization application submitted from Spain?
What happens if my application for a student stay authorization from Spain is rejected?
Do I need to be registered on the municipal census (empadronamiento) to apply for a student stay authorization from within Spain?
How much money do I need to have in my bank account to apply for a student stay authorization from within Spain?
Can I include my dependent family members — children, husband or wife — in my student visa application submitted from Spain?
Do I need to prove my level of Spanish to study in Spain?
Where in Spain should I submit my student stay authorization application, and which authority is responsible for processing it?
2. Replied FAQ: (for citizens with Schengen visa who want to apply student visa from within Spain)
How can I convert my Schengen visa into a student visa for Spain?
I have a Temporary Residence Permit, (TRP) in another EU country. Can I convert it into a Spanish visa or residence permit?
Can I travel to Spain if I have a Schengen visa issued by another country?
I have used up my 90 days in the Schengen Area. If I leave Spain, when will I be allowed to re-enter within the same year?
Can I stay in the Schengen Area for a maximum of 90 days in total within any 180-day period?
I have spent 90 consecutive days in Spain or in the Schengen Area. How long do I have to stay outside the Schengen Area before I can re-enter Spain without a visa?
- Can I travel to Spain without visa if I have Schengen visa for another country?
3.Replied FAQ: Application of student visa from Spain (requirements for all)
What are the requirements for applying for a student visa from within Spain?
What types of studies can I undertake?
How much money do I need to have in my bank account?
Can I use my parents’ bank funds as proof of financial means?
Do I need private health insurance?
Do I need to submit a criminal record certificate?
Which documents do I need to have legalized for my application?
How long does it take for an application to be processed?
How far in advance must I submit my application before my studies begin?
Can I apply for a student visa from within Spain if my studies have already started?
Do I need to be registered as a resident (empadronado) in Spain?
Can I work while studying?
What happens if my application is rejected?
Can I study at a public Vocational Training (FP) centre in Spain free of tuition fees as a foreign student?
Do I need to have my previous qualifications officially recognised (homologated) to access a Vocational Training programme?
Can I work on a student visa? How many hours per week am I allowed to work?
Do I need an official Spanish language certificate if I am not a native Spanish speaker?
Can I obtain a student visa by enrolling in a Spanish language course?
What options do I have after my student visa expires? Can I stay in Spain? Can I apply for a work permit?
Can I remain in Spain after completing my Vocational Training (FP) programme?
Are there any scholarships for international students that cover accommodation and meals?
Can I bring my family to Spain on a student visa?
What is the TIE (Foreigner Identity Card)? How do I apply for a TIE?
What is the NIE (Foreigner Identification Number)? Do I need an NIE to apply for a student visa from within Spain?
4. Benefits of taking the orientation session with Vocational Spain:
The one-on-one consultation is the first step towards starting your visa application process.
Our team of lawyers and visa experts will assess your individual circumstances to find the best option for you. If you do not meet the requirements, we will inform you transparently and explain what you need to do to become eligible.
Benefits of booking a legal consultation (only 55€):
Save time and money: Get up-to-date information on current immigration regulations from specialist immigration lawyers.
Understand the requirements easily: We explain everything in simple language, without legal jargon, and guide you step by step, as if we were explaining it to a 4 years old kid. This way, you will know exactly what you need and how to prepare your application.
Discover your legal options: We assess your personal circumstances to explain the available legal pathways and help you identify the option that best suits your profile.
1. Cost: Orientation session + visa application from Spain on your behalf (no appointment for you)
STEPS:
One on one appointment-consultation: €55. During the video call, our legal team will explain the entire process and recommend the most viable solution for obtaining your visa based on your individual circumstances.
Visa application assistance from Spain: If you decide to hire Vocational Spain to handle your visa application from within Spain, the €55 consultation fee will be deducted from the applicable service fee. (You can select between option A or B).
Option A: Visa application processing and representation from within Spain: €655 (you must provide your own study admission letter).
Option B: Visa application processing and representation from within Spain + admission letter for a vocational training course at a public educational institution (with no tuition fees): €1,655.
All prices include 21% VAT.
1. Countries that can enter Spain without a visa:
HOW TO ENTER SPAIN WITHOUT A VISA AND OBTAIN STUDENT STAY AUTHORIZATION AFTER ARRIVAL
(Legislation updated under Spain’s new Immigration Regulations: Royal Decree 1155/2024)
If you are a citizen of one of the countries listed below, you are allowed to enter Spain without a visa, stay for up to 90 days, and apply for a student stay authorization from within Spain, provided you meet the applicable legal requirements. Book appointment and learn how to start the process to obtain your long term visa in Spain.
LIST OF COUNTRIES WHOSE CITIZENS DO NOT NEED A VISA TO ENTER SPAIN: (For stays of up to 90 days):
AMERICA:
Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States, and Mexico.
ASIA AND THE MIDDLE EAST:
Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan.
EUROPE:
All European Union member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
OCEANIA:
Australia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, New Zealand, Palau, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
AFRICA:
Mauritius and Seychelles.
