# Spain's student mobility visa

> Page: https://www.usebooka.com/en/tramites/espana/movilidad-alumnos-menores
> Last reviewed: 2026-09-14

The student mobility visa covers minors coming to Spain within an exchange programme or educational project at an officially recognised centre. It is requested by a parent or legal guardian at the consulate in the country of residence, and the student's passport must be valid for at least 1 more year.

The file combines two blocks: the minor and their family (notarised authorisation included) and the programme — admission letter, insurance, and the designated guardian in Spain with their sexual-offences certificate.

- **Booka fee:** €350
- **Official fees:** Consular visa fee: varies by country and is detailed in your case file. Paid directly to the consulate.
- **Where to apply:** Applied for at the consulate in your country of residence. Filed by the minor's legal representative at the consulate in the country of residence.

## At a glance

| | |
| --- | --- |
| What it is | A student mobility stay authorisation, for secondary education in Spain within a recognised programme. |
| Who it is for | Students under 18 admitted to an exchange programme or educational project at an officially recognised centre. |
| Who signs the application | Whoever holds parental authority or guardianship over the minor, not the student. |
| Where you apply | At the Spanish consulate in the country where the minor lives. (It is not applied for from Spain: if the family already lives here, a different route applies.) |
| Student's passport | Must be valid for at least 1 more year. |
| Who hosts in Spain | A host family or entity, plus a guardian designated by notarised deed who provides a sexual-offences certificate. |
| Government fee | Consular visa fee, varying by country. (Paid directly to the consulate; the amount is detailed in the case file, not published here.) |

## Who it is for

**This is your procedure if:**

- The student is under 18 and has been admitted to an exchange programme or educational project at a recognised centre in Spain.
- The person signing holds parental authority or guardianship and can grant the notarised authorisation.
- The minor currently lives outside Spain and the application would be filed at that country's consulate.
- There is a host family or entity in Spain and a designated guardian willing to provide their documentation.

**This is not your procedure if:**

- The student is already in Spain and the family is looking to regularise their situation here: this visa is applied for from the country of residence.
- The student is over 18: in that case the route is the student visa for adults.
- There is no exchange programme or recognised centre behind it — this procedure exists precisely because of the programme.
- What the family wants is to move to Spain together: those are other routes, and this visa covers only the student within their programme.

If the student is over 18, see the student visa: https://www.usebooka.com/en/tramites/espana/visado-de-estudios

## Requirements

- **A mobility programme with a recognised centre.** The exchange or educational project must be backed by an officially recognised organisation or centre, evidenced by the admission letter. That is what sets this authorisation apart from an ordinary student stay: here the programme answers for the student while they are in Spain.
- **Authorisation from those holding parental authority or guardianship.** The file includes a notarised deed in which those holding parental authority authorise the minor's stay and designate their guardian in Spain. It is the most time-consuming document and the most underestimated: it needs a notary and, in many countries, legalisation or apostille plus sworn translation.
- **Guardian and host entity in Spain.** Someone must be responsible for the minor during the programme, and the designated guardian provides their ID and sexual-offences certificate. This is child protection, not a formality, which is why no substitute or generic declaration is accepted.
- **A passport valid for at least 1 more year.** The official information sheet requires the student's passport to have at least 1 year of validity left. It is the thirty-second check that avoids a wasted trip: if there is less, renew before filing rather than after the consulate points it out.
- **Funds and their origin.** A bank certificate plus documentation evidencing where the funds supporting the minor's stay come from. Origin matters as much as the amount: a one-off balance with no explanation raises more doubts than it settles.
- **Health insurance and medical certificate.** Health cover valid in Spain for the whole programme, plus the student's medical certificate. Insurance terms are reviewed before purchase, because ordinary travel policies are frequently rejected.

## Documents

**Solicitante (firma su representante legal)**

- Formulario de solicitud de visado nacional
- Pasaporte del alumno: página de datos biométricos
- Fotografía
- Certificado de nacimiento
- Documento de identidad de los progenitores
- Acta notarial de autorización de los progenitores y designación del tutor legal
- Certificado bancario
- Documentación acreditativa del origen de los fondos
- Certificado médico

**Documentación del programa**

- Carta de admisión al programa de movilidad
- Seguro médico
- Documento de identidad del tutor legal
- Certificado de delitos sexuales del tutor legal
- Justificante del pago de la matrícula (optional)
- Documento acreditativo del alojamiento (optional)

## Stages of the file

1. **Document collection.** You upload your documents to the portal. We tell you what is missing and what will not be accepted before any clock starts.
2. **Internal review.** The team reviews the complete file before filing. This is the step that prevents it from being returned.
3. **Official fees.** Government fees are paid directly to the administration, with the receipt stored in your case file.
4. **Filing.** The application is registered with the competent authority. You see the date and the receipt in your file.
5. **Decision.** The authority decides and notifies, with the next steps explained inside your case file.

## Timelines

| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Admission to the programme | Set by the programme's calendar | Without an admission letter the file cannot start. |
| Notarised deed and family documents | 2 to 6 weeks | Notary, legalisation or apostille and sworn translation depend on the country of residence. |
| Guardian's documentation in Spain | 1 to 3 weeks | Includes the sexual-offences certificate, requested by the guardian themselves. |
| Review and file preparation | A few days | Prepared against the checklist of the consulate covering the minor. |
| Filing at the consulate | Before the programme starts | Information sheet 3 sets no minimum lead time; appointment availability is set by each consulate. |
| Consular decision | Varies by consulate | We do not publish consular timelines: the decision and its timing belong to the consulate. |

Three things set the real calendar here and none of them is ours: the programme, the notary in the country of origin and the consulate's diary. That is why we promise no visa or appointment dates. What can be planned is starting with the notarised deed, the slow piece, and filing a complete file within the required lead time.

## Common mistakes

- **Leaving the notarised deed until last** — Between the notary, legalisation and sworn translation it can take several weeks. It is the piece that most often destroys the 2-month lead time.
- **Filing with the student's passport close to expiry** — At least 1 year of validity is required. A shorter passport means renewing it and starting the appointment again, with programme dates already fixed.
- **Treating this visa as a way to relocate the family** — It covers the student within their programme, hosted in Spain. Framing it as a family move leads to a case that does not deliver what the family actually wants.
- **A programme or centre without evidenced official recognition** — Without that backing the application lacks the basis of the procedure. It is checked before a single document is gathered.
- **A designated guardian without a sexual-offences certificate** — It is a child-protection requirement and cannot be cured with a declaration. Without it the file is not complete.
- **Starting with the programme already upon you** — On top of the legal lead time sits the consular appointment, which varies by country. The term begins and the student cannot travel.

## Next

The authorisation covers the programme period. If the student wants to continue into higher education in Spain once they turn 18, this is no longer the route: the student visa for adults is, with its own admission, funds and insurance requirements.: https://www.usebooka.com/en/tramites/espana/visado-de-estudios

## FAQ

**Who qualifies for Spain's student mobility visa?**

Minors joining an exchange programme or educational project at an officially recognised centre in Spain, with a host family or entity and a designated guardian.

**Who signs the application for a minor?**

The parent or legal guardian, with a notarised deed authorising the trip and designating the guardian in Spain. That guardian provides their ID and sexual-offences certificate.

**How far in advance must we apply?**

Information sheet 3 sets no minimum lead time for this procedure: what governs is the programme calendar and the consulate's appointment queue, which runs weeks long in peak season. What is a hard requirement is that the student's passport be valid for at least 1 more year.

**Can the family accompany the student?**

This visa covers the student within their programme, with a host family or entity in Spain. The family's own move follows other routes — we tell you which one fits if that is the plan.

**The student is already in Spain. Does this procedure work?**

No: this authorisation is applied for at the consulate in the country where the minor lives, before travelling. If the student is already in Spain, tell us the specific situation and we say which route applies, rather than opening a case with no prospect.

**What does the designated guardian have to do?**

Accept the designation set out in the notarised deed and provide their ID and sexual-offences certificate. This is a child-protection requirement: it cannot be replaced by a declaration or a letter from the host family.

**How long does the notarised deed take?**

It depends on the country: between the notary appointment, legalisation or apostille and sworn translation it can run to several weeks. It is the slow piece of the file, so it is the first thing we set in motion.

**What funds have to be evidenced?**

A bank certificate plus documentation explaining where the funds supporting the minor's stay come from. Origin weighs as much as the amount, which is why it is prepared with verifiable documents rather than a one-off balance.

**What if the consulate refuses the visa?**

The decision rests with the consulate and nobody can guarantee it. If a refusal arrives, we explain the specific reason and the options — appeal or a new application — which are separate procedures with their own cost.

**How is the minor's data handled?**

The file contains a minor's data and is treated as such: documents encrypted in the portal, access limited to the team handling the case, and no personal data outside the file. The person signing is whoever holds parental authority or guardianship, and they see and authorise every step.

**Can I pay in two instalments?**

Yes, with no interest or surcharge: the total is identical either way. The first half opens your case and starts the document review; the second is paid when we file your application — if we have not filed, you do not pay it. You request it from your case file and someone from the team confirms it within 24 working hours.

**Are official government fees included?**

No: Booka's fee covers review, preparation, filing and follow-up. Government fees are paid directly to the administration, and we tell you which ones apply and when inside your case file.

**How do I know this is not a scam?**

Three things you can check: the price is published before you pay, payment is online with an invoice, and the second half is only charged once your application has been filed, with the official registry receipt visible in your case file. No informal intermediary gives you those three proofs.

## Official source

Official source: information sheet 3, Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, updated November 2025.: https://www.inclusion.gob.es/web/migraciones/hojas-informativas

## What the fee includes

Document review, case preparation, filing and follow-up until the decision.

## Notice

Booka's fees cover the professional handling of your application only and do not include official government fees, which are paid separately to the relevant authority. Approval of any permit rests solely with the competent administration and depends on the applicant meeting all legal requirements. The information on this page is for guidance only, may change as regulations evolve, and does not constitute individual legal advice.