Visa

If you are from a non-EU member state and plan to study in Spain for more than 90 days (3 months), you will need to apply for a visa.

Though students from certain countries, such as Brazil or the United States, are not required to have a visa to enter and stay in Spain for a period of three months, many others are.

If your period of study is due to last more than three months, you will also need to apply for a residence permit in person.

If you are an Erasmus Mundus student, contact us and we will inform you about the procedure by email.

Visa rules vary by country. It is therefore extremely important to check with the Spanish Consulate in the country in which you currently reside.

The process of applying for a visa starts long before your arrival in Spain. You can request your student visa at the Spanish Consulate in your home country after receiving an acceptance letter from UIC Barcelona (you will need to present this letter at the Spanish Consulate).

We recommend you submit the visa application two or three months before travelling.

If you are applying from a country in which Spanish is not the main language, you will need to translate all required documents into Spanish through an official channel. This means that you will need to contact a Sworn Spanish Translator. Please contact your local Spanish Consulate for a list of official translators.

List of consulates and embassies:
http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Portal/en/ServiciosAlCiudadano/Paginas/EmbajadasConsulados.aspx

• Your official visa application form
• Proof of application payment (approx. €60)
• A valid passport, and a copy of passport
• Passport-sized photographs with a white plain background
• Transcript or Diploma awarded by the University in your home country where you studied most recently
• Acceptance letter from UIC Barcelona
• Your CV and details of the training or research you will be doing
• Proof of accommodation
• An official document that shows you have enough funds to support yourself and for accommodation for the entire duration of your studies (€537.84/month according to the índex Iprem). This should be issued by your bank. In some cases, you will need to provide proof that you have sufficient funds to return to your home country
• Flight reservation documents
• Criminal record certificate from your current country of residence and all previous countries in which you have resided for more than 3 months in the past five years.

If you plan to stay longer than 6 months

• Medical insurance from an insurance company authorised in Spain. This should cover your entire stay in Spain and must include, at least: medical expenses and repatriation in the event of accident or sudden illness
• Medical certificate stating you do not suffer from any diseases with serious repercussions for public health, in accordance with International Health Regulation 2005.
• You will need to apply for the Tarjeta de Identidad del Extranjero (TIE), or Foreign ID Card, within a period of 1 month (30 days) from the date of entry into Spain.

If you are a minor (under the age of 18)

• Minors travelling without their parents or other legal guardian(s) must submit a signed authorisation from their parents (or legal guardians). This authorisation must include the name of the institution where they are studying, the period and length of stay.
• Minors travelling without their parents or another legal guardian(s) must have a guardian in Spain, a person who will be responsible for their stay and who will live with them in the same house. A power of attorney will be submitted to the Consulate where this procedure can be processed.
• If you are studying in Spain for more than 6 months, you will need to apply for a Tarjeta de Identidad del Extranjero (TIE), of Foreign ID Card, within a period of 1 month (30 days) from the date of entry into Spain.

Please note that the required documents may vary depending on your home country or country of residence. For further information, as well as the whereabouts of the Spanish Consulate in your home country, please visit the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

• Plan ahead and get all required documents as soon as possible, as this process may take quite a long time.
• Always double check this information with the Spanish Consulate or Embassy in your home country, as requirements may vary.
• If you are studying in Spain for less than six months, the Spanish Consulate may issue you a student visa with the specification “STUDENT, TOTAL 180 DAYS”. This type of visa makes it impossible to obtain a student card in Spain.
• As a student, you are allowed to work during your period of residence, as long as it does not interfere with your studies. Furthermore, you may not use your salary to support yourself while you are in Spain. The company that hires you will also need to register you in the Social Security system.
• Your family is allowed to visit you. However, you may need to apply for the relevant visas so that they can enter and stay legally in Spain.