Barcelona student visas - how to live & work here

If you’re from the UK, USA, Canada, Australia or any other non-EU country and you dream of living and working in Barcelona, you’ll need a visa. And while there are various types of visa available, the easiest to get hold of is a long-term student visa.

A Barcelona student visa allows you to work up to 30 hours a week while you study in the city. Let’s take a look at how to get hold of one and how they work.

What kind of student visa is needed in Barcelona?

A Barcelona student visa enables you to live, study and work in the city for a period of 12 months. Once you’ve got your student visa for Barcelona, you’ll be legally able to work for 20-30 hours per week. 

This is good news for those looking to teach English in Spain. Many TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) academies offer specialist visa services as part of their course. So, you can enrol to become a qualified English teacher and automatically become eligible for a student visa.

At TEFL Iberia academy, we help our students secure Barcelona visas through our dedicated student visa programme.

Can I apply for a normal work visa?

You can but it’s very difficult. 

You can only get a standard Barcelona work visa if a company sponsors you. For them, it can be a costly and complicated process. If you’re arriving in the country without the necessary experience, you won’t be able to find a company to invest in you. 

That’s why TEFL teachers prefer to study at a TEFL academy that offers a student visa programme.

How do you get a Barcelona student visa?

One of the easiest routes is to enrol with an accredited TEFL provider.

If you're from the UK, USA, Canada, Australia or any other non-EU country, one of the best ways to live and work in Spain is by studying to teach English and then launching your career as an English teacher in Spain.

At TEFL Iberia, we’re experts at helping people get Barcelona visas with a 96% success rate and minimal rejections. We created our Developing Teacher and Spanish Programme to meet all the requirements for getting student visas, and we’ll help you gather all the key documents you need and walk you through the entire process. 

What documents do you need to obtain a student visa in Barcelona?

To apply for a student visa in Barcelona, you’ll need to gather a few important documents. When you apply to study at TEFL Iberia, we’ll assist you with filling out the visa application form and will help you gather all of the following.

• Passport, valid for 6 months beyond your stay in Spain
• Spanish student visa application form (downloadable pdf)
• 2 x passport photos
• Enrolment letter from the school (you get this from us once you are accepted onto the course)
• Criminal background check
• Proof of course payment in full
• Medical certificate
• Medical insurance
• Proof of sufficient funds to support yourself during your stay
• Proof of address in your home country.¡

How long does it take to get a visa?

Typically two to three months for the whole process. It will take a month to two months to gather all your documents, then make and attend your appointment at the consulate. Then, once you’ve made your application, it normally takes a month to receive your approved Barcelona student visa.

What happens when my student visa runs out?

Many TEFL students in Barcelona complete their course and are left in limbo. Not our students. We take TEFL employment very seriously and fully support every single student post graduation.

When you finish your studies, you have two main options. You can renew your student visa with another year of the Developing Teacher and Spanish course. This time it will be even easier to get your Barcelona visa approved. 

Alternatively, you can find an employer in the city and change your visa to a regular work visa. This is known as “por cuenta ajena”, which essentially means “as an employee”. To obtain a regular work visa, you’ll need the offer of employment. Once you have this, “por cuenta ajena” is pretty straightforward. We’re here to assist you every step of the way.

You can read our guide on how to change your student visa to a work visa to find out more.

Ready to find out more? Take a look at what TEFL Iberia has to offer and take your first steps towards studying and working in Spain.