Ever dreamed of doing an internship in Spain? We don’t blame you! Spain is a beautiful country, rich in history and culture, and where international students can enjoy an exciting experience abroad. The process explained here is for those students or graduatesnotnationals of EU/EEA or Switzerland. If you are interested in doing an internship in Spain, here´s how you can get a permit and visa:
Difference between Student Visa and Authorization of Residence for professional internships in Spain:
Student Visa: Students who are able to obtain a training agreement from their Universities can apply for a student visa, even after their graduation. So, if you are able to get a training agreement we suggest you follow this process. You can find more information about the student visa here:https://www.spain-internship.com/en/faq/student-visa-spain
Authorization of Residence for professional Internships: Those students who are not able to obtain a training agreement from their Universities can apply for this type of visa only if they meet the requirements explained below*.
Exception: There are some countries, such as Mexico and Morocco, which only follow the process of the Authorization of Residence so even though your University can provide you with a training agreement you may need to follow this process. Always get in touch with the Spanish Consulate closest to your home in order to make sure which process you need to follow.
*Who can benefit from this process?
- This residence permit is intended for any non-EU foreigner who:
- Obtained already a higher degree in the two years prior to the date of application (for example if you graduated in December 2019, you can apply for this permit until December 2021), or
- Is currently pursuing studies leading to a degree in higher education in Spain or abroad.
- The internship must be carried out in the same academic field and at the same level of qualification as the higher education degree or the referred study program. (for example, if you are studying Hospitality your internship must be related to Hospitality, you cannot apply for something in Architecture)
Important note!
In case you are not currently residing in the Spanish territory, you must apply for the corresponding visa through the Spanish Consulate. ( Visa for professional internships, in Spanish, called “Visado de prácticas no laborales” )
THE APPLICATION PROCESS
There are 2 steps here:
- The company has to request the authorization and once obtained
- The student must request the corresponding Visa through the Spanish Consulate (if you do not currently reside in Spain) or extend its TIE through the Foreigners office (if you already reside in Spain).
STEP 1: Process of requesting the authorization:
The authorization must be requested by the host company and submitted by electronic means with an electronic certificate. It cannot be requested directly by the student. The request must be directed to the Delegation or Sub-delegation of the Government- Foreigners Office in the province in which you are going to do your internship.
DOCUMENTATION TO BE PROVIDED BY THE STUDENT FOR THE AUTHORIZATION:
For the request of the authorization, you will need to provide to your Host Company the following documents/information:
- Your full name and parents full name
- Full address, including postal code
- Phone number
- Copy of your passport (all pages). Your passport must be valid for the whole duration of your internship.
- Higher education degree or certificate obtained up to two years prior to the date of application or documentation proving that you are currently pursuing studies leading to a higher education degree. (for example a Master Diploma or registration certificate to a degree you are currently attending)
- Training agreement signed between you and the company (this will be provided by the company and you only need to sign it).
- Public or Private medical insurance is arranged with an insurance company authorized to operate in Spain. This is not travelling insurance, it is insurance to reside in Spain during the whole period of stay. If you do not have one, you can obtain one here at a special price of our students: https://www.spain-internship.com/en/faq/insurance-visa-study-internship
- Proof of availability of financial means necessary for the period for the entire period for which the visa is requested (around 550€ per month). You must present a certificate from your bank account with the bank stamp. If you are financially dependent, the documentation will be that of the family member and must be duly apostilled. Read more about how to demonstrate your financial capacity here:https://www.spain-internship.com/en/spain-internship-tips/841-demonstrate-income-spanish-student-visa
- Certificate of criminal record issued by the authorities of the country or countries in which you have resided during the last five years prior to entering Spain.
IMPORTANT: All the documentation must be in Spanish. In case a translation is necessary, it has to be a certified translation.
The authorization must be resolved within 30 days. If not resolved within that period, the authorization shall be deemed to have been granted by administrative silence but keep in mind that you need to wait for the official resolution document before requesting your visa. For bigger cities, such as Barcelona and Madrid, it can take them longer to send the resolution.
Once you have the document with the resolution, and it’s positive, you can request the corresponding visa or extend your TIE.
STEP 2:
Process of requesting the visa if you are not currently residing in Spain:
Once you obtained the proof of the resolution of the authorization, you can request your visa. First, you need to find out which Spanish Embassy or consulate is closest to your home. Once you have located your Consulate, you’ll generally need to make an appointment (this may be through email, calling, or an online sign-up process).
The following list details what documentation the consulate normally requests from you to present on the day of your appointment but you can refer to the Consulate’s website in order to find the exact documents you’ll need to submit for your visa (the majority of those documents are already submitted for the authorization but you must submit then again to the consulate):
- The form of application to reside in Spain (Application for National Visa), in duplicate, filled in and signed. (Printed from the consulate website)
- The authorization of residence was obtained.
- A recent colour photograph in passport size, front view, and white background is to be attached to the application form.
- Valid passport with the minimum validity of the period for which the stay is requested, with all pages photocopied.
- Copy of the training agreement signed between the student and the company.
- Letter of acceptance provided by the Host Company.
- Public or Private medical insurance is arranged with an insurance company authorized to operate in Spain. This is not travelling insurance, it is insurance to reside in Spain during the whole period of stay. If you do not have one, you can obtain one here at a special price of our students: https://www.spain-internship.com/en/faq/insurance-visa-study-internship
- Proof of availability of financial means necessary for the period for the entire period for which the visa is requested (around 550€ per month). You must present a certificate from your bank account with the bank stamp. If you are financially dependent, the documentation will be that of the family member and must be duly apostilled.
- Visa fees (please check the exact amount and method of payment with the consulate).
- Depending on the duration of your internship and the country from which you are applying you may need to submit as well the following:
- Criminal record certificate issued by the authorities of the country of origin or/and the country in which you reside.
- Flight tickets.
- Proof of accommodation.
- Medical certificate stating that the applicant does not suffer from any diseases which may have serious public health implications.
Important note: Each consulate has different requirements in regards to the documentation you need to submit so always refer to their website to make sure you will have all the documents before your appointment.
If you are currently residing in Spain:
If you are currently residing in Spain with another visa, such as a student visa, once obtained the resolution of the authorization you need to get in touch with the Foreigners office and check the process you need to follow in order to extend your stay. Normally you just need to extend your TIE until the end of your internship.
Note: If you are in Spain with a travel visa, you won´t be able to do this process in Spain.
FAQ
Under this regulation, can my internship be paid?
To apply for this authorization and its corresponding visa, your internship can be either paid or unpaid.
For how many months can I do an internship based on this regulation?
The period of validity of this authorization can be six months or the duration mentioned on the trainee agreement if this is shorter. This authorization may be renewed, once only, and cannot exceed one year for the total period of the initial authorization and its extension.
Can I apply for this type of visa in Spain?
Only students or recent graduates currently residing in Spain and who are holders of another Spanish residence permit can request this visa in Spain. For example, if you are currently a student in Spain and wish to do an internship after graduation, you can request an extension of your stay, once you obtained of course the authorization that the company requested.
Those students, who do not reside in Spain, must request the corresponding visa from the country they reside in.
How much time does it take to get my visa?
From the time you submit all the documents to the Consulate, it can take 2-5 weeks.
Please keep in mind that some Consulates, due to many applications, do not have immediate appointments available so you probably need to wait some weeks to submit your application.
Note that in order to receive the authorization you will need from 1 month up to 3 months depending on the city you are going to do your internship.
The whole process for the authorization + corresponding visa may take from 1 to 4 months so make sure you start the process as early as possible.
¿Do you want that we help you to get your autorización de residencia?
Click here:https://www.spain-internship.com/en/faq/visa-services
- If you are a company and you are interested in learning more, book a meeting here:https://zurl.co/gqjb
- If you are a student and want to apply, completeyour application athttps://apply.spain-internship.com
