Study im Spain
Barcelona University Campus

Who needs a visa or permit to live in Spain? Under the Freedom of Movement Act, if you are from a country that is part of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area – which includes the EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway – or Sweden, you do not need to a visa or any type of permit to visit, live, work or study in Spain. Citizens of the EU/EEA and Sweden who come to live in Spain will need to register with the authorities to obtain an identity number. Nationals of other countries not mentioned above will need a VISA to live in Spain and in many cases a work permit.

Spain is one of the 26 countries that make up the "Schengen" area: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Countries Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland have a common VISA therefore there are no border controls between them. There are three types of visas that allow entry to Spain: - Airport transit visa. - Short-term Schengen visa. - Long-term visa.

This document allows you to enter the international transit area at a Spanish airport. But not everyone needs it. For more information or verifications you can consult the list at: . You must apply for a transit visa through the Spanish Embassy or Consulate in your country of origin.

The short-stay visa allows you to stay, but not work, in Spain for up to 90 days in a 180-day period. If you have a Schengen visa issued by another Schengen state, you can also travel to Spain and stay in the country for 90 days. Citizens of the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand do not need a short-stay visa to enter Spain, but will need to apply for a long-term residence visa to stay longer than three months. To find out if you need a Schengen visa, see our website. You must complete an application form that you can download and request through the Spanish Embassy or Consulate in your country of origin. You can renew your short-term visa at the Immigration Office or at your local Police Station as long as you stay in Spain for less than 90 days. You cannot come to Spain with a short-term visa as a tourist and change your status to Spanish employee, student or resident. You must return to your home country and apply for a new one from there. Find the information in your country to apply.

Unless you are a citizen of the UE, you will need a long-term national visa if you intend to live, work, study or conduct research in Spain for more than three months. It will depend on your purpose of stay. As we detail below.

There are several types of residence and work permits depending on the purpose of stay, they include:
- Combined residence and work visa, allows you to live and work in Spain.
- Student Visa, for the duration of an educational or training course.
- Residence visa, for family reunification or retirement.

There are different types of work visas in Spain, as well as exemptions, depending on your employment situation in Spain. The requirements for obtaining this visa can be found in our complete guide. You will not be able to apply for your own work visa in Spain - the Spanish Immigration Law dictates that employers must apply on your behalf. Work permits/visas are issued by the in Spain.

Spain is very popular among foreign students, in fact, a survey carried out in 2018 by stated that Spain was the number one destination in Europe for students who wanted to study abroad. If you want to study/do research or apprenticeships in Spain, you must first find a course that will accept you, only then can you apply for a visa.

The tourist visa requires completing a form which will ask you for a photograph and information about your residence, purpose of the trip to Spain, and the type of Schengen tourist visas you need.

Both Spanish citizenship and the Spanish residence visa (permanent) authorize you to live in Spain, but there are differences between the two. The residence visa requires leaving your nationality and passport of origin to be a Spanish citizen.

After one year living in Spain legally and once you have received confirmation that you will stay for another year, you can request a visa to be reunited with your family members (for example, partner and dependents such as minors or parents of over 65 years of age). If you have a long-term residence permit from another EU country (a European Blue Card), you can apply for this visa when you need it. Students can apply for family reunification while studying in Spain. Residence permits for family members normally have a duration equal to that of the student's residence permit, and also allow people who are over 18 years of age to work in Spain without a work permit. If you want one, you will need to apply for family reunification. If you are not yet in Spain, you can apply for the visa through where the couple visa requirements will be explained to you. If you are already in Spain, you will have to go to the local/closest immigration office and bring the documents. For more information, read our guide on.

After 5 uninterrupted years living in Spain, you can apply for a permanent or long-stay residence permit. If you already have a blue card from another EU country, and have lived elsewhere in the EU for the same duration, you are also entitled to receive long-stay residence. This authorization allows you to stay in Spain indefinitely, working or not, under the same conditions as Spanish citizens. You can apply for Spanish nationality after 10 years of residence in Spain. Or acquire it through marriage or Spanish parents even if they were born outside of Spain.

Within 30 days of arriving in Spain, all citizens from outside the EU-EEA or Sweden who want to stay for more than three months must apply for a residence card (TIE) at the Immigration Office or the police. of the province where you live. You will need a valid passport/ID, passport size color photos, and a completed application form. In addition, you will need a registration, bank income, health insurance and other documents related to your situation, such as an employment contract, proof of enrollment at the university or academic grades. This temporary residence permit allows you to stay in Spain between 90 days and five years, and can be renewed.

All foreigners, including those from the EU/EEA/Sweden, must have a Foreigner Identification Number, or NIE. It is mandatory for any financial transaction, such as opening a bank account, receiving your salary, paying taxes, registering with social services and driving license. EU citizens will receive a NIE when they apply for their registration certificate; Others can request it once they have obtained their residence permit from the Immigration Office. It is possible to apply for the NIE through the Spanish consulate in your home country (although it will take a few months to obtain it through this route), if your intentions are to live or open a bank account in Spain. If you plan to live in Spain, you must register with the Legal Authority of your town of residence.

You must obtain a Certificate of Registration by registering in the census called Padrón at your local Town Hall.

For foreign documents to be valid in Spain, they must be translated into Spanish and legalized (certified as authentic) or bear the Apostille seal. Translations must be carried out by translators certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in Spain or through it in their country of origin.