Your studies are coming to an end but you would like to stay in Spain and continue studying for longer?
Then this article is for you. Here you will find everything you need to know to renew your student visa in Spain.
By the end of this post, you will fully understand what the extension for study purposes is all about and which are its conditions, all the documents and requirements to be met, the step-by-step legal application procedure, and how to get a work permit once your studies are finally finished.
In short: you must apply for an extension of your stay for study purposes between 60 days before and 90 days after your current authorisation expires, at the Immigration Office where you applied for your residence permit. The Immigration Office has one month to make a decision; if you do not receive a response, the application is deemed to have been refused by administrative silence.
The extension of your student visa is the process that you must follow in order to continue studying in Spain every time your stay authorization expires.
That is to say, what is the situation that many foreign students experience?
In most cases, they come to Spain to study for more than 1 year (either because they are taking a degree that lasts 4 years, because after getting their diploma they access a master’s degree or another type of course, etc.).
The stay for study purposes (that is not the same as residency), the authorization that allows you to stay legally in the country while studying, is granted for a maximum of one year for all types of studies, and for the time necessary to complete higher education
In other words, if you’re going to pursue a bachelor’s degree, you can apply for this residence permit for the entire duration of your degree program: 3, 4, 5 years…
This residence permit can also be extended. If the stay is valid for one year, it may be extended for another year. In the case of graduate studies, it may be extended for as long as necessary to complete them.
This permit may only be extended once.
The extension of this stay is intended to allow you to successfully complete your studies, volunteer work, or research.
What is the duration of this renewal?
The duration of this renewal of the student visa is equivalent to the duration of your studies (i.e. the academic year), but always until a maximum of one year, unless you are applying for superior studies, in which case the maximum will equal the extent of the course.
For example, if you take a simple course that lasts 6 months, your visa will be valid only for those 6 months.
On the contrary, if the course is of superior studies and it lasts 3 years, your stay permit will be valid for 3 years, and once you reach the end of this period you will have to renew it to keep studying legally in the Spanish territory.
Whilst you are applying for the extension, your student status remains in force: this includes the option to undertake activities compatible with your studies (such as work placements or part-time work), within the limits set out in current regulations.
If you intend to work full-time, the extension will not be suitable for you: you will need to consider switching to a different type of authorisation (see the next section).
But we must take into account a very important fact.
In the case of not renewing your student visa and your studies ending, you will be automatically in an irregular situation; so you will have to return immediately to your country of origin.
That is why we recommend you to do all the paperwork well in advance, especially if you want to stay in Spain for the long run (in this article you will also find out how to change to a regular residence permit).
If you do not renew your student visa and want to continue studying, you will then have to start the application process from 0 in your country of origin.
Do you have any doubts up to this point? Then don’t hesitate to ask our immigration lawyers:
Requirements to renew your student visa
- Have sufficient financial means to cover the costs of their stay and return to their home country and, if applicable, those of their family members, in accordance with the following amounts:
- For their own living expenses, 100% of the IPREM (600€) per month, unless they can provide proper proof that they have prepaid for housing for the entire duration of their stay.
- For the support of family members, 75% of the IPREM (450€) per month for the first family member and 50% of the IPREM (300€) for each additional person, unless it is duly proven that accommodation has been paid for in advance for the entire duration of the stay.
- Having no criminal records
- The center or institution where you are going to study for the next year must be public or private, but always official and authorized.
- The next course you are taking must be at the same or higher level than the one you have just completed. If it is a university degree, simply registering for the second, third or fourth year will be sufficient. But if you have completed your degree, just a master’s, postgraduate, or another degree would be valid.
- Private medical insurance with the same coverage as the Spanish Social Security (i.e., no co-payments or deductibles).
- Pay the corresponding immigration fee (790/052)
Documents to be submitted
What documents must be provided during your application for the student visa renewal?
- Copy of your complete passport (including blank pages).
- If you have paid part or all of the registration fee for the following year, you must attach the receipt.
- Bank certificate showing the amount you have available today (which must be higher than 100% of the monthly IPREM), as well as bank movements from the past months.
- Proof that you have paid the corresponding fee: form 790 code 052
- Documentation proving that you have **health insurance.
- Criminal record certificate
How much does it cost to extend a student visa?
The fee for extending a student visa is paid using Form 790, code 052. The amount may vary slightly each year, so we recommend that you check it when you submit your application via the relevant online portal.
How to renew your student visa step by step
Let’s now understand how the application process for this extension of your student visa actually works.
The first thing you should know (and it is of utmost importance) has to do with the deadlines.
The extension must be requested 60 days before or 90 days after the expiration of your stay status (your card).
While it is true that the immigration office has 1 month after receiving all the documentation to issue a response, our recommendation is that you start as soon as possible within the stipulated timeframe.
If no response is received within 30 days, the application will be considered to have been denied due to administrative silence.
Where should you submit all your documents?
In the Public Registry and addressed to the Immigration Office where your initial residence was approved.
Here you can find the office that corresponds to you according to your autonomous community.
Finally, if the authorization is for more than 6 months you will have to apply for a TIE (physical residence card); while if the studies or course last less than 6 months, in that case, you will not have to apply for a TIE.
What happens if I’m asked for additional documentation?
If the Immigration Office finds that a document is missing or requires clarification, it will send you a request for further information, setting a deadline (usually 10 working days) to rectify the issue. Failure to respond in time may result in your application being closed.
If you receive a request for further information, check exactly what is being asked for and provide the correct document within the specified deadline.
And what happens if I have already finished my studies?
After 1 year of studying in Spain, the foreign student can:
- Modify to a work permit as a highly qualified worker, as long as he/she finds a job offer in a technical position with a team in charge, and his/her salary is higher than 40.077€ per year.
- Apply for the residence permit to find a job in Spain, if the institution in which she has studied is on the list allowed by the Immigration Office. This residency allows you to live in Spain for 1 year without working while you find a job or prepare what is needed to set up your own company.
- Find a company with which to make an agreement and apply for an internship.
You can find a complete guide on how to move from a student visa to a work visa here.
In any case, our recommendation is that you contact our team of immigration lawyers so that we can analyze your particular situation and together find the best way to achieve your goals.
We are at your complete disposal!
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