16 Nov The Ultimate Checklist for Visa-Ready English Teachers Heading to Spain

If you’re an English teacher wanting to make the move to Spain, one of the biggest steps is securing that all-important visa. 

Spain requires all non-EU citizens to obtain a visa in order to live and work in the country. For English teachers, the easiest option by far is to apply for a student visa. This will allow you to stay in the country for more than 30 days. 

To make things clearer, we’ve devised this step-by-step guide to applying for a Spanish student visa, from the essential documents to the necessary preparations you’ll need during the process.

Step 1: Gather all your documents

You’ll need to gather the following documents, ready to apply for your Spanish student visa.

Visa application form

You can download the Spanish visa application form here.Take your time to fill out the form correctly, as many rejections are due to incorrect details – name, date of birth, passport number and previous surnames are particular details that are often omitted or incorrectly filled in

Here is an example copy of the application form with some guidance notes, so you can see what to expect. Be sure to get in touch with our coordination team, who can read through your application before it’s submitted. You’ll also need to include two passport photos with the application form.

Passport

You’ll need to provide your original passport at your visa appointment, together with a photocopy of your details page (the page with your photo and passport number).

Keep in mind – your passport must be valid for the whole duration of your stay. 

Letter of acceptance

You’ll need a letter of acceptance from a recognised course provider for full time study (a minimum of 20 hours per week). Our Developing Teacher course is valid for student visas and our visa service provides courier delivery of your letter of acceptance to your local consulate.

Visa fee

At your appointment, you’ll also need to pay the non-refundable visa fee, which varies from country to country:

• In the UK, payment of €174 (€201) has to be paid at the same time as submitting your application.

• In the US, payment of $160 (€132) has to be paid at the same time as submitting your application. Payment needs to be made by money order to the “Consulate General of Spain.” 

• In Canada, a payment of CAN $125 (€87) has to be paid at the same time as submitting your application.

• In Australia, a visa fee of AU$662 (397) payable to the Consulate General of Spain by money order (obtained at Australia Post) should be included with the application.

• For other countries, check with your local Spanish consulate for information on the student visa fee. 

Evidence of funds

To be eligible for a Spanish visa, you must be able to prove you have enough money to cover your living costs for the duration of your stay.

Living costs are calculated using a measure called the IPREM (Indicador Público de Renta de Efectos Múltiples), which for 2023 works out as €600 per month (you will need 6 months worth of printed bank statements). 

In the US, you’ll need a current bank statement showing the last 3 months of transactions. The statement should show your name, address and should show a minimum of $600 for every month you plan to stay in Spain (e.g. $600 x 12 months = $7,200).

This document should be accompanied by a sworn translation into Spanish and hold an Apostille or legalisation. You can find our recommended sworn translator here, or contact Susana Garcia directly at info@traductorjurado.org for a 10% discount for TEFL Iberia students. 

You can read more about the financial side of the application process here.

Health insurance

You need to purchase health insurance from an insurance provider that is recognised in Spain.

This insurer must agree to cover all risks that are normally covered for Spanish nationals and must be maintained throughout your duration of stay.

We recommend using Atlantida Health Insurance – you can contact Lluis Lopez directly at llopez@atlantida.net for a special discount on health insurance for TEFL Iberia students.

Drivers licence and/or student card (US only)

This is to prove your legal residence and that you are within the jurisdiction of the consulate in which you’ve applied. 

Immigration status (US only)

If you are applying from the US but you’re not a US citizen, you’ll need to provide either your Green Card, valid US student visa, work permit or parole, as well as a copy of your chosen document.

In order to apply for a long-term visa (over six months), you will also have to supply the following:

Medical certificate

The ‘certificado médico‘ plays a key role in the application process. Rather than an actual certificate, it’s a letter from a registered health practitioner certifying that you’re in good health. It needs to be signed by the issuing doctor, with their medical practice stamp and registration number. 

Your medical certificate should be dated within 90 days of your intended arrival in Spain, and should also be accompanied by a sworn translation into Spanish and hold an Apostille or legalisation

Our experienced visa coordinator can help with the precise details of getting a medical certificate for your Spanish visa application, as well as providing a template in Spanish and English for your doctor to sign. 

You can find our recommended sworn translator here, or contact Susana Garcia directly at info@traductorjurado.org for a 10% discount for TEFL Iberia students.

Criminal background check

Long term visas require a criminal background check for all countries in which you have lived over the last five years. This document should be accompanied by a sworn translation into Spanish and hold an Apostille or legalisation. 

All criminal checks must be dated within 90 days of your intended arrival in Spain.

• In the UK, it is known as an ACRO, and you can find out how to apply here.
• In the US, you can apply for an FBI criminal background check here.
• In Australia, you’ll need a National Police check, which you can apply for here.
• In Canada, you’ll need an RCMP check, which you can apply for here.

Keep in mind …

Even if you are applying for a visa for over 180 days, you will initially be issued a visa for 90 days. Once you have arrived in Spain you will need to obtain your foreigner card which will replace your visa for the duration of your stay.

Step 2: Get an appointment and submit your application

Once you have gathered all the required documents, the next step is getting an appointment and submitting your student visa application. 

Get an appointment

To get a visa application appointment, you’ll need to send an email to your local Spanish embassy or consulate, or apply for an appointment online. 

• For those in the UK, follow our step-by-step guide on How to get a Spanish student visa appointment in the UK.
• If you’re in the US, you can find your nearest Spanish embassy or consulate here.
• If you’re in Australia, you can find your nearest Spanish embassy or consulate here.
• If you’re in Canada, you can find your nearest Spanish embassy or consulate here.

Attend your appointment

Once you’ve managed to secure that all important appointment, you’ll take all your documents and make the application in person.

Step 3: Wait for the result of your application

Once you’ve attended the appointment, and submitted the completed application together with the necessary documents, it’s time to wait for the result. 

It usually takes around 15 days for your application to be processed. In rare cases, it can take up to 60 days.

If all is in order, you’ll receive an email stating that your visa is approved. You’ll then be able to collect your visa from the relevant consulate or embassy. In certain cases, your visa will be sent via post.

Dealing with a rejection

If, for whatever reason, your application letter states ‘desestimado’ (rejected) instead of ‘estimado’ (accepted), your visa has been denied. However, don’t worry – there’s always a chance to appeal.

You’ll have up to one month from the rejection notification date to appeal. You’ll have been given  a reason for rejection, so you’ll need to organise and resubmit your application. Our team can help with this.  

Step 5: Obtain your foreign identity card (TIE)

Once you’ve secured your Spanish visa and touched down in Spain, it’s time to get hold of your foreigner identity card – known as the TIE (tarjeta de identidad de extranjero). 

While TIE appointments are notoriously hard to get, don’t worry – we’re experts in this field. We’ll book your TIE appointment for you, and a contact from the school will help you with paperwork and translations, while personally accompanying you to your appointment.

Get a Spanish student visa with the help of experts

Getting a Spanish visa might seem daunting at first. But with the help of experts, it’s a simple, straightforward process.

At TEFL Iberia, we have a dedicated visa service to help our students secure a visa, and our Developing Teacher programme is designed to ensure our students are eligible for a long term student visa.  

What’s more, with a 96% success rate in processing student visas and minimal rejections, you can rest assured that you’re in good hands.

Reach out to the TEFL Iberia team by emailing coordination@tefl-iberia.com to find out more about applying for a Spanish visa and beginning your journey to becoming an English teacher in Spain!