In this post you will find everything you need to know in order to successfully apply for the renewal of your Spanish student visa and hence be able to continue with your studies, research tasks, internships, or volunteer services in the country.
Including the complete list of requirements that must be met, where, how, and when to submit all the documents, and other details that will really help you out navigate throughout the whole application procedure.
If you want to discover how to renew your student visa in the country without long and tedious steps… keep reading!
“Prórroga de la estancia por estudios”, the procedure you will be formalizing
We find certain cases in which a foreigner from outside the European Union will live in Spain legally for more than 90 days, but will not do so with a regular residence authorization, but through a visa (which corresponds to a stay status instead of a residency one, called “estancia” in Spanish).
We are talking about cases in which the foreigner:
- Comes to study in Spain
- Will carry out an internship in the country
- Resides in the Spanish territory to carry out research tasks
- Comes to complete volunteering activities
The legal residence for these foreigners is given through a stay visa (the student visa), which is extended for a maximum period of one year or throughout the whole length of the activity they came to do in Spain (in most cases the academic year).
Usually, this activity will last for more than 1 or 2 years (for example, a university degree that lasts 4 years); therefore, the foreigner must renew his right to legally live in the country.
It will be then when she will have to renew her student visa (in Spanish this process is called “prórroga de la estancia por estudios”); a procedure that will allow her to stay in Spain for one extra year.
And with this renewal, she will be also extending the legal validity of the visa for the relatives that came with her.
That is to say; in order to continue studying in Spain once the first year is over, the foreigner must renew her stay for study purposes; and in this post you are about to learn how to navigate through this process smoothly.
Complete list of requirements to renew the Spanish student visa
Renewing your student visa in the country should not be a complicated process, but for this to be true you will have to meet a series of fundamental requirements.
What’s next is the complete list:
General requirements
First of all we find the usual requirements that you also had to meet for the initial student visa application, which are:
- You can’t have the entry prohibited to Spain
- You must be a citizen of a third country (outside the European Union).
- Have sufficient financial means (€600 per month in Spain)
- Have private medical insurance
But this is not all. In addition, there are three specific requirements that are of great importance in this renewal and that separate a successful application from a rejected one.
Demonstrate that you are making good use of your studies
The first key point when renewing your student visa is to demonstrate that you have taken advantage of the recently finished period under your student visa.
That is, that you have actually been studying (or doing an internship, research, or volunteering) and that these tasks have been profitable for your profile.
How can you prove it?
Although it is true that the method may vary depending on the activity you have carried out, generally speaking you must provide documentation that proves that you have passed the course or studies you were taking or that you have passed the relevant tests or requirements set.
To do so, you must request a special certificate from the corresponding academic institution.
Have a confirmed place in the educational center
On the other hand, you will not be able to renew your student visa unless you have a confirmed enrollment or spot at the educational institution or center where you intend to continue studying.
You must provide proof of this through the official document that confirms your spot.
Finally, you must make sure that the studies (or activities) you are going to pursue are closely related to the ones you did on your initial visa and are part of the same area of knowledge.
In the case of extending your visa to continue studying for the same university or master’s degree, for example, there would be no problem: we are talking about the exact same course.
But if, for example, you finish one degree and want to study another or move to do a master’s or postgraduate degree, then the type of studies must be related to each other.
It would not be possible, for example, to finish a business degree and start studying biology.
In addition, the new studies must be at the same or higher level than the ones you have just completed.
What to do if the course you want to enroll in from now on is totally different when it comes to knowledge areas? In that case, you will have to start from scratch your student visa application procedure.
Do you have any doubts up to this point? Ask our lawyers or read on for more information:
Documents you must submit during your application
Once you are sure that you meet all the requirements, the next step is to prepare all the necessary legal documentation:
- First of all, you must download and fill in application form EX-00 (for stays and stay extensions)
- Document certifying that you have sufficient financial means to stay in the country for the duration of your studies. In this case, we are talking about 100% of the monthly IPREM (which currently is set at €600).
- Private medical insurance with full coverage in Spain, with no co-payments or limitations
- Your valid passport, and a copy of it
- Document proving that you have passed the necessary tests within the previous period of stay and that you are able to continue with your studies, internships, research work, or volunteer service
- Proof that you have paid the corresponding fee; in this case Form 790 code 052, which you can download here.
Please note that any foreign document you provide with your application must be translated into Spanish and legalized or apostilled at the Spanish Consular office.
How to renew your student visa in Spain step by step: application process
The application process for this renewal is quite simple (as long as you meet the above requirements). Here are the most important aspects to consider:
When should you start?
Perhaps the most important point and that many foreigners miss is starting the renewal process on time, as the valid period to legally extend your student visa is limited.
You must do so within 60 days before and 90 days after the expiration of your initial authorization.
Our recommendation is that you submit all your documents as soon as possible to avoid any kind of legal penalty.
Keep in mind that in no case will you remain in an irregular situation, since submitting your application means an extension of your legal period of stay that will last until you get a resolution.
Requesting an appointment with the immigration office
You must submit your application and all the documentation we have seen so far in any public registry addressed to the Spanish Immigration Office (the one closest to your usual place of residence).
In this link you can find the different offices, as well as their opening hours and a link or contact information to make an appointment (although in many cases it is not necessary to make an appointment and you can go directly there to submit your application).
How long does the process take?
Once you send all the documentation, the administration has a total of 3 months to issue a response.
This period starts the day after your file is received by the competent institution.
If you do not receive any response after these 3 months, your application will be considered rejected due to negative administrative silence.
Next steps after receiving a favorable response
If your student visa renewal request has been approved, you will receive a notification from the administration.
You will then have 30 days to make another appointment with the immigration office to apply for your physical residence card or TIE.
To do so, you will need to bring the form EX-17 together with proof of payment of the corresponding fee and three recent passport photographs.
From extension to work permit
For a certain period of time, it is common for foreign students to continue renewing their student visas in order to complete their education in Spain.
But there comes a point when one decides to stop studying and start working.
Is there any option to obtain a work permit in Spain after renewing a Spanish student visa for several years?
The answer is yes, as there are in fact 3 different options.
You can move to a regular work permit, to a permit as a highly qualified worker, or to the residency for 1 year to look for a job.
Choosing one or another will depend on your educational profile and the number of times you have extended your stay in the country.
Besides, you can also switch to the residency permit for internships, which would allow you to get a paid job through your university or directly through an internship contract with a company.
And if you have any doubts, do not hesitate to contact us!
Book a consultation with one of our lawyers and solve all your doubts:
At Balcells Group we have been foreigners effortlessly moving to Spain for over 11 years. We help expats from all around the world with their immigration, business, tax and legal needs; ensuring a legally safe and enjoyable transition to the Spanish territory. Our multilingual team understands the importance of adapting to the cultural and legal specificities of our international clients. We offer a comprehensive service that combines the expertise of several generations of lawyers with the innovation needed to address today’s legal challenges, always striving to simplify processes and ensure reliable, effective results.
