RESIDENCE AUTHORISATION FOR NON-EU STUDENTS

Obtaining the first authorisation

If you are NOT a citizen of a country belonging to the European Union, the European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) or Switzerland, you must apply for the corresponding student visa from the Spanish Embassies or Consulates in your country of origin or residence before you arrive in Barcelona, providing all the academic certificates justifying the studies you have successfully completed.

This website indicates where you can access the forms that you will have to fill in and present along with all the appropriate documentation to the Provincial Office of the Labour Ministry (c/ Guadalajara, 1-3. Barcelona) to obtain your student residence permit. Students must go to the Provincial Office within 1 month from the date of entry into force appearing in their passport. The following documents must be provided:

Original application and copy
Original and copy of your passport
Original and copy of your visa
Certificate of economic resources
3 photographs
Certificate of registration (in the electoral register)
Letter of matriculation of the university
Payment of fees

However, this authorisation will not be necessary if the duration of the studies is less than 6 months and if you have already obtained the mandatory visa (letter C+D).

The rules for the granting of a study residence permit are the same as those for extending your stay, although validity will depend upon the duration and periodicity of the studies for which the permit is to be awarded, and the end of the activity for which it was granted shall cause it to expire.

The validity of the residence permit may be limited to the duration of the studies, research or training and, if this lasts more than twelve months, the card may be renewed annually.
Nevertheless, to renew the student residence permit, in addition to fulfilling the requirements under the point 'Obtaining the first authorisation', unless you are presenting a visa, you should present a certificate from the centre where you are studying to confirm that you fulfil the appropriate requirements to continue studying, or a favourable report on your ongoing research.

IMPORTANT:
If your stay is shorter than 6 months, you will need a letter C+D student visa, and if it is longer than 6 months, you will need a letter D student visa.
You will only be granted the student residence permit if you came into Spain with the appropriate student visa.
Residence authorisations will never be processed if the visa or authorisation (for renewals) has expired.
There was a mistake in some of these visas, which state “Total studies 180 days” although the stay and duration of the studies is longer than indicated on the visa. In such cases, the student must approach the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Dirección General de Asuntos Consulares. Subdirección General de Asuntos de Extranjería. C/General Pardiñas 55, 28071 Madrid) to request a certificate stating that the visa was issued for studies in Spain for a period exceeding 6 months. One you have obtained the certificate, present it along with your passport at the address on c/ Guadalajara, 1-3. Barcelona mentioned above.

Renewing the authorisation
Student cards may be renewed at the International Relations Office of the Ramon Llull University (C. Claravall, 1-3. Barcelona). The following documents must be provided:

Original application and 2 copies
Original passport and 2 copies
Original student card and 2 copies
Certificate of financial means and 2 copies
Letter from the university at which the student is registered and 2 copies
Letter of attendance of the studies from the university and 2 copies

IMPORTANT:
With the exception of the specialities envisaged in the previous sections, foreign students shall be governed by the legal regime established for foreigners pursuant to Constitutional Law 4/2000, reformed by Constitutional Law 8/2000 and its rules, and may not obtain authorisation to set up or work in Spain. This is without prejudice to the terms of Article 79.1.a) of Royal Decree 864/2001, of 20 July, the Regulation enacting Constitutional Law 4/2000, of 11 January, reformed by Constitutional Law 8/2000, of 22 December.

Useful links
List of Spanish Embassies and Consular Offices abroad. On the Interior Ministry website, you can find additional information on the requirements for obtaining your student visa. You can also contact the Ministry via the citizens' information mailbox.
Likewise, we are providing you with information on three other points that may interest you:

	Return authorisation application
	Family members of foreign students
	Work permit

FAMILY MEMBERS OF FOREIGN STUDENTS

Foreigners who have obtained a study visa in order to obtain a financially valid qualification or for research, or who are studying in Spain under a study regime covered in the previous section, may request the corresponding residence visas so that family members can come into Spain and stay there legally during the study or research period. The foreign student shall not be required to have studied previously for a period in Spain, and may request these visas at any time from when they applied for the study visa for the student or researcher.
The term 'family member' shall be understand to refer here to the spouse and children under the age of 18 or disabled children, and may under exceptional circumstances be extended to other relations if there are justifying humanitarian circumstances.
Once in Spain, the foreign student or researcher's family members that already have a visa must apply for a residence permit to remain legally in Spain during the same period, with the same status as the student or researcher, and linked to the aforementioned status.

WORK AUTHORISATION

Foreigners admitted to Spain for study purposes shall not be authorised to perform paid work either for themselves or for anyone else. However, within the conditions laid down by the rules in force, they may perform part time or fixed-term paid activities as long as this does not interfere with their studies. Furthermore, foreigners admitted to Spain for study purposes may be hired to work for the Public administrations in the terms and conditions of this section.
Work performed in a family to pay for accommodation and keep while improving language or professional skills shall be regulated in the terms of international agreements on “au pair” work.
The following documents must be presented to obtain a work permit, along with official application form:

For foreign students:
- A copy of their passport, travel document or valid registration card. If any of these documents have expired, you must provide a copy of them and of the renewal application.
- A valid student card or application for renewal.
- A certificate issued by the centre at which you are studying, concerning the period and class timetable and any placements that you may be following.
- If the applicant is applying for these, documents justifying the simultaneous occurrence of any of the preferences under Article 71 of Royal Decree 864/2001, of 20 July, or that the applicant holds the qualifications required to perform his or her profession.


For the company:
- A National Identity document or fiscal identification code and Social Security number, or document proving exemption.
- A work contract setting out the essential elements and basic conditions of the job to be performed. For part-time contracts, indicate the number and distribution of hours per day, week, month or year during which the worker will provide his or her services.
- Explanatory memorandum of the activities of the company and the workplace concerned. Likewise, you may request any documents that you consider necessary to accredit the capacity or solvency of the worker to meet the obligations under the contract.

Applications should be sent to the Government Delegations or Sub-delegations (Labour and Social Affairs departments) or to the Immigration Offices, where they exist.
Nonetheless, applications must be lodged before the activity concerned begins, as work cannot begin until a work permit has been granted. The application for renewal of the authorisation must be presented one month before the expiry date.
The power to authorise the application for a work permit for foreign students shall correspond to the Government Delegations or Sub-delegations (Labour and Social Affairs departments).
Foreign students will be issued the new card with the work permit at the Provincial Police Station or, if appropriate, at the police services of the Immigration Office (Oficina d'Estrangers).


For further information:
International Relations Office
Ramon Llull University
Claravall, 1-3. 08022 Barcelona.
Tel. (34) 93 602 22 00 • Fax. (34) 93 602 22 49
vicerectorat.internacional@url.edu