Visa and immigration information for Spain

Student visa procedure for Spain

NON EU- countries: Students are required to obtain a student visa before leaving their country, through the nearest Spanish embassy or consulate.
EU-countries: No Student visa is required, just a valid Passport or European ID. 

If you are staying more than 6 months , you have to apply for your TIE (Tarjeta de identidad de extranjero). See below how you can do that.

Once the Visa is granted, please send a clear scanned to BSBI admissions@berlinsbi.com and admin.barcelona@berlinsbi.com

For international students outside EU/EEA
  • Apply for the student visa and residence permit in advance. Visit your nearest Spanish Embassy to your home country/current country of residence and ask for information or navigate online on the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
  • The type of visa required for non-European nationals pursuing studies in Spain is the study Visa type D.
  • Any other type of Visa will not enable obtaining a TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero or Foreigner’s Identity Card), so students must ensure that they apply for the correct Visa. Once they arrive in Spain, they must visit a police station within 30 days to apply for their TIE.

 Prospective students will need the following documents for obtaining a student visa:

  • A valid passport or travel document recognised by international conventions
  • Study visa application forms fully completed and signed by you
  • Two recent Passport photos
  • Letter of Acceptance (CETT)
  • Receipt of course fee payment
  • Proof of sufficient funds: 3 to 6 months of bank statements, proof of financial aid/scholarship, and a notarised letter from parents/legal guardian assuming financial responsibility; for more info and recommendation, read Medios económicos año 2021.pdf (exteriores.gob.es) and Study visa (exteriores.gob.es)
  • Proof of private Health insurance from an authorised provider in Spain (make sure that it is acceptable by the Embassy). Confirmation needs to be obtained from the insurer, in Spanish or English, indicating that the coverage applies for the duration of the study period in Spain. Medical attention, accidents and repatriation services need to be covered by the insurance. More info is available HERE
  • A medical certificate from a state or private institution. (to confirm the absence of any infectious diseases)
  • Visa fee (anything between €60 to €140 – check with Embassy)
  • Criminal record certificate

The entry visa obtained is normally for a duration of 3 months from the date of issuance.

Useful websites – Study visa (exteriores.gob.es) Universitat de Barcelona (ub.edu)

Students should visit the website of the Spanish Embassy of the country they currently live in, or the Spanish Ministry of Foreign

Affairs website for a detailed list of the documents required for a student visa.

*Your application documents must be in Spanish or translated to Spanish by a certified translator.

After obtaining an entry visa and before travelling to Spain, students should find accommodation
  1. Agora residence

Inaugurated in 2006, Àgora Student Residence Hall offers students 12,000 m2 of facilities, 220 rooms, accommodation for 360 residents and a wide range of services and activities, all of them designed for the university community.

The residence hall is situated beside the UB Mundet Campus, a 7-minute walk from CETT-UB, behind the Horta Velodrome, and 50m from Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron – Ronda de Dalt (highway exit number 4) in Barcelona.

More information can be found  here

Registration procedure:

  • The pre-registration form: http://www.agorabcn.com/en/pre-register/
  • Ágora BCN has to accept it
  • They will send a link to do the pre-registration payment and once it is paid the student’s reservation will be confirmed.

Contact:  agora.info@cett.cat

BSBI/CETT students benefit from a discounted rate upon submission of the acceptance letter. Please contact Agora for more information.

  1. Hotel Alimara – 15% discount on the published prices at https://alimarahotel.com/en/ for the desired dates
  2. Hotel Ball Room – 15% discount on official prices
  3. Short-term accommodation – Airbnb, Booking.com

Student Concierge Club

The Student Concierge Club is our newest partner for student accommodation in Barcelona. The Student Concierge Club is the only tailor-made welcome and support club for students on the move throughout Spain and the rest of Europe. It is committed to helping students with their administrative needs as they plan their transition to studying abroad.

As part of the BSBI community, you will be given an authentication code to access their services. 

They will help with reducing administrative complications and ensure that you feel safe and supported before and after you arrive in Spain.

For more information, please click here.

TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) is the foreigner's ID card that is issued to non-EU citizens with residency in Spain. It is the physical object that contains your personal information – including NIE (Número de identidad de extranjero) – and visa details. Non-EU students coming to Spain for more than 180 days will need to get a TIE. Application for TIE must be submitted within 30 days of your arrival in Spain at the Police Station.
  • Request an appointment via this link
  • Take with you the printed confirmation of your appointment online
  • Complete the EX-17 form
  • Complete 790 form downloadable from HERE
  • Present original letter of acceptance from CETT
  • Empadronamiento (city hall registration) – see next slide for instructions
  • 3 passport size color photos
  • Original Passport
  • Photocopies of the following passport pages: Page where your photo/personal data appears, page where your visa appears, page where the entry stamp of the Schengen country you arrive in
  • A copy of your medical insurance coverage
  • 16.08€ (exact amount)
  • Original VISA with temporary TIE number

After applying for your TIE, the Police Department will give you a temporary TIE number. Do NOT lose this slip. You will pick up your TIE one month after presenting the aforementioned documentation at the police department indicated on your temporary TIE slip. In order to pick up your card, you must present the payment receipt and the temporary TIE number.

TIE will indicate foreigner identification number, called a NIE (número de identidad de extranjero)

TIE is valid for one year only and then needs to be renewed if you continue your studies in Spain (Matriculation Letter required).

Students can work up to 30 hours per week as long as the work schedule does not interfere with their studies.

European Union students of Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, are entitled to free movement and residence in Spain. However, if they exceed 3 months of residing in Spain, they must register at the Central Registry Office for Foreigners in order to be issued a Number Identification as a Foreigner (NIE) – identification and tax number for administrative purposes for all foreigners. The documentation required to obtain the Certificate of Registration of Citizens of the UE that contains NIE is:
  • Application Form (EX18)
  • Passport or ID card (original and copy)
  • Proof of Enrolment (original and copy)
  • European Health Insurance Card or private insurance policy that covers all risks in Spain during the study period (original and copy). In case the policy has been contracted in their country, must also provide the translation.
  • Statement of Financial Resources that the student has sufficient economic funds during their stay in Spain. 

The applicants can make an appointment at the Police Station. Link to get the appointment: https://sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/icpplus/index.html

From 01/01/2021 UK citizens wishing to come to Spain will need to apply for the corresponding study Visa. Brexit_en_2020.pdf (ub.edu)

The certificado de empadronamiento or padròn is a document that registers where you live in Spain and with whom. It is a census record, which allows the city to generate a list of local inhabitants. The Spanish law requires all nationals and expat residents who live more than 6 months in Spain to register at the city hall (Padrón Municipal de Habitantes).

Acquire a letter from your place of residence verifying that you live there (proof of residence in Spain)

Take this letter and your original Passport + Visa to one of the OAC Offices (Oficina de atención a la ciudadanía). We recommend going to the Office early in the morning to avoid long queues.

Please see full instructions here under the Register tab and ask for an appointment here.

Planning to study in Barcelona?

In this video, Ellen, our Head of Student Recruitment at BSBI, walks you through the essential steps to applying for a student visa and living in Spain.