students posing for a fun photo in front of Plaza Mayor in Salamanca

Do you need a visa for Spain?

While this may be the first time you apply for a student visa, this isn't our first rodeo. Every year our team of visa specialists support each of our students studying abroad in Spain to have the proper documents to enter the country. Let's get started!

A Spanish student visa is a legal document attached to one of the inside pages of your passport. The visa serves as approval from the Spanish government for you to legally remain in Spain for the duration of your study abroad program. The Spanish student visa is a type of "long-stay" visa, meaning it allows you to be in Spain for more than 90 days.  

Depending on your IES Abroad program and citizenship, you may need a student visa to study abroad in Spain. We’ve outlined options below according to your citizenship, to help you learn more about your visa requirements. 

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A view of the Valencia, Spain cityscape.
Alex S. • Bowdoin College

Applying for a Student Visa for Spain

If you are accepted to your IES Abroad program, you will find detailed step-by-step instructions to apply for a Spanish student visa in your MyIESabroad account. For now, the most important things to remember are 1.) you must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after your official program end date and 2.) you will be required to surrender your passport to your Spanish consulate for the duration of the visa process (that means it will not be available to you for pre-program international travel)

Keep reading to get an idea of what the visa application process will look like as a U.S. citizen.

If you are a non-U.S. and non-EU citizen, refer to the Consulate General of Spain that services your country of citizenship to determine your visa application process. 

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Find Your Consulate Option(s)

Determine your Spanish visa application options and consulate jurisdiction below by selecting your school address and home address. If you are eligible to apply through more than one consulate, review the Visa Checklist (found in your Predeparture Guide) and ACCeSS deadlines to determine which consulate is a better option for you.

In-person appointments for independent applications are extremely limited for Spanish consulates. For students who are eligible* and meet the deadline, ACCeSS is your best option for securing your visa.

Learn more about ACCeSS and upcoming deadlines.

 

i.e. the address on your driver's license or state ID

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If your home and school addresses are in different states, you may have more than one consulate option when applying for your Spanish student visa. If you have questions about your jurisdiction(s), please reach out to your IES Abroad Advisor.

You can use your school address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the Boston Consulate.

There is no ACCeSS option for students wishing to apply to the Boston Consulate with their home address. You must use your school address to apply through the Boston Consulate. 

You can use your school address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the Miami Consulate.

You can use your home address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the Miami Consulate

You can use your school address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the Houston Consulate.

You can use your home address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the Houston Consulate.

You can use your school address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the Los Angeles Consulate.

You can use your home address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the Los Angeles Consulate.

You can use your school address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the Los Angeles Consulate.

You can use your home address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the Los Angeles Consulate.

You can use your school address in Inyo County, California to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS to the Los Angeles Consulate OR the San Francisco Consulate. You can also apply independently to EITHER the Los Angeles OR the San Fancisco Consulate.

You can use your home address in Inyo County, California to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS to the Los Angeles Consulate OR the San Francisco Consulate. You can also apply independently to EITHER the Los Angeles OR the San Fancisco Consulate.

You can use your school address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the San Francisco Consulate. 

You can use your home address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the San Francisco Consulate. 

You can use your school address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the San Francisco Consulate. 

You can use your home address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the San Francisco Consulate. 

You can use your school address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the Chicago Consulate.

You can use your home address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the Chicago Consulate.

You can use your school address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the Washington D.C. Embassy.

You can use your home address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the Washington D.C. Embassy.

You can use your school address to apply through IES Abroad ACCeSS or independently to the New York City Consulate.

You must use your school address to apply through the New York consulate. There is no ACCeSS option for students wishing to apply to the New York Consulate with their home address.

“Studying abroad has taught me to slow down and enjoy the little moments of life.”
Megan C. • University of Missouri - Columbia • Barcelona Summer – Internship

We’re Here for You

Our team of visa specialists are here to help. Step-by-step instructions to ensure you have the proper visa and/or entry documents to study abroad are available in your MyIESabroad account once you are accepted to a program.

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visa ACCeSS program GEM and students

Spain visa processes and requirements are determined by the Spanish consulates, not by IES Abroad. While our team of visa specialists regularly updates this page, the most up-to-date and official information can be found on Spanish government and consulate websites. This page was last updated March 29, 2024.