How to obtain a visa for an internship in Spain?

If you’re lucky enough to have been promised an internship with a company in Spain, you’ll need to prepare for your stay and anticipate certain essential steps, such as obtaining a visa.

In this article, we’ll help you prepare the official documents and organize the administrative procedures for an internship in Spain. The sooner you get started, the more successful your stay abroad will be.

Studying in Spain or doing an internship as part of your academic training should not be taken lightly: it’s an opportunity you need to seize and tackle effectively.

Obtaining a visa for an internship in Spain

First of all, it’s important to point out that if you’re a student at a university in France and a French resident, the law on freedom of movement in European Union countries allows you to travel freely without needing a visa.

EU citizens have the right to visit, live, work and study in Spain without hindrance.

Spain is one of the 26 member countries of the Schengen zone, including France, Germany, Belgium, Italy and others. This means that all these countries have a common visa, with no border controls for EU citizens.

An internship of more than 3 months

For a stay in Spain of less than 3 months, the Spanish authorities consider that a student on an internship in a company need only have a valid national passport or identity card.

For a stay in Spain of more than 3 months, for example if the student wishes to extend his or her internship or continue studying at a Spanish university, other administrative procedures are required by law.

The student must obtain a national identity number or “Numéro d’Identité de l’Etranger” (N.I.E), for which he must :

• Proof of enrolment in a higher education establishment, e.g. a certificate of attendance at a university in France
• Social and health coverage
• Declare your financial resources to prove to the authorities that you can stay in Spain without difficulty

Obtaining a visa for third-country nationals

Obtaining a visa for an internship in Spain is only possible for students from outside the European Union, i.e. from a third country : Switzerland, Monaco, Australia, USA, Croatia, Tunisia, Japan, China, etc.

You can apply for a visa to enter Spain in one of three ways:

• Airport Transit Visa (ATV) authorizing circulation in an international transit zone at a Spanish airport.
• Short-stay Schengen visa for tourism, family visits or business purposes (maximum stay 90 days)
• Long-term visa for foreigners wishing to work or study in Spain for a full year.

How do I get a visa in Spain?

The administrative formalities are fairly straightforward: you need to go to the Spanish consulate in your home country to obtain a visa.

We recommend that you apply early for this visa, as it can take up to 3 months depending on the case.

Several official documents are required for students wishing to stay in Spain:

• Passport and photocopies of all pages
• A passport-size photograph complying with current standards
• Certificate of school attendance and university registration
• A letter from the home and host universities
• An attestation proving the student’s financial solvency (document provided by a banking institution)
• A health insurance certificate: the insurance contract must include the words “international coverage” and “repatriation costs”.
• Proof of accommodation if the student is staying in a host family while waiting for the visa.
• Visa application form

If the student wishes to extend his or her stay beyond 3 months, an extract from the criminal record will be required, as well as a medical certificate.