Study in Spain as an International Student: Visa, Documents, Translations, and Arrival Guide

What to Do Once You Arrive in Spain

Getting the visa is only the first part of the process. Once you arrive in Spain, there are several practical steps that will make your first weeks much easier: finding stable housing, registering your address, applying for your TIE if required, opening a bank account, getting a Spanish phone number, understanding your health coverage, getting your transport card, and building a local support network.

Try not to leave everything until the last minute. Many Spanish administrative processes require appointments, printed forms, copies, proof of address, and patience.

First 24–48 Hours

Do this first:

• Save your passport, visa, acceptance letter, insurance policy, housing address, and emergency contacts in both digital and printed form
• Buy a Spanish SIM card or activate an international eSIM
• Confirm your temporary or permanent accommodation
• Message your university, school, or program contact to confirm you have arrived
• Check whether your course has an orientation session or registration appointment
• Locate the closest pharmacy, health center, supermarket, metro or bus stop, and police station
• Save Spain’s emergency number: 112

Note: Do not carry all original documents with you every day. Keep originals somewhere safe and carry copies or digital scans when possible.

Your First Week

Focus on:

• Getting a Spanish phone number
• Confirming your housing situation
• Booking or checking your empadronamiento appointment
• Preparing your TIE paperwork, if your stay requires it
• Opening or preparing to open a bank account
• Getting your student card
• Learning your commute to school
• Understanding your health insurance process
• Joining student groups or orientation activities

Create a small folder with your Spain paperwork basics. Keep together:

• Passport
• Visa
• Entry stamp or flight ticket
• Acceptance letter
• Proof of enrollment
• Health insurance certificate
• Housing contract or host letter
• Empadronamiento documents
• TIE appointment confirmation
• Tasa payment form
• Passport photos
• Copies of sworn translations
• Copies of apostilles
• Emergency contact information

TIE — Your Foreigner Identity Card

If your stay in Spain is longer than six months, you will usually need to apply for your TIE, the Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero. This is your physical foreigner identity card in Spain.

You usually need:

• Passport
• Visa
• Copy of passport ID page
• Proof of entry into Spain
• Empadronamiento certificate
• EX-17 form
• Tasa 790-012 payment confirmation
• Passport-style photo in Spanish format
• Proof of enrollment or program participation
• Health insurance document
• Appointment confirmation
• Copies of all documents

Official links:

• Cita Previa de Extranjería
• Tasa Modelo 790 Código 012
• Student foreigner card information

Tip: Bring more copies than you think you need. Spanish appointments often go more smoothly when you bring originals, copies, printed forms, proof of payment, and backup documents.

Getting a Spanish Phone Number

A Spanish phone number makes daily life easier. You may need it for bank accounts, delivery services, landlord communication, school updates, appointment reminders, and two-factor authentication.

Two main options:

• Prepaid plan (prepago) — flexible, easy to start, usually only requires a passport, good for the first weeks.
• Contract plan (contrato) — often better rates, but may require NIE/TIE, Spanish bank account, and proof of address.

Common providers: Movistar, Orange, Vodafone, Yoigo, MásMóvil, Pepephone, Lowi, Simyo, and Digi. For most new arrivals, a prepaid SIM is the simplest first step.

University and School Setup

Once you arrive, your school or university may require local registration steps. Check whether you need to:

• Attend orientation
• Finalize enrollment
• Pick up your student card
• Register for classes
• Activate your university email
• Access the online student portal
• Submit copies of your passport or visa
• Provide your Spanish address
• Provide your TIE once issued
• Confirm health insurance
• Register for language placement exams
• Get library access
• Request a public transport student discount

Many universities have an international office. Use it. They are often the best source for local student procedures, housing lists, orientation events, and student support.

How to Avoid Getting Scammed While Apartment Hunting in Spain

Housing is one of the biggest stress points for new arrivals. Students, au pairs, and language assistants are easy targets because they often search from abroad, do not know normal local prices, and feel pressure to secure housing quickly. Spain’s cybersecurity institute, INCIBE, warns that fraudulent rental ads may involve homes that do not exist, prices that look unusually attractive, and requests for advance payments. INCIBE rental scam advice.

Red flags when looking for housing

• The rent is much cheaper than similar rooms in the same area
• The landlord refuses a live video call or in-person viewing
• The photos look too polished or appear on multiple listings
• The landlord says they are abroad and cannot show the flat
• You are pressured to pay immediately
• They ask for payment through unusual methods
• They refuse to provide a written rental agreement
• They avoid giving the exact address
• They will not confirm whether empadronamiento is allowed
• They ask for passport copies before basic details are clear
• The listing disappears and reappears under different names
• The landlord’s story keeps changing

Before paying anything

Do this first:

• Compare the price with similar rooms on Idealista, Fotocasa, Badi, Spotahome, university housing boards, and local Facebook groups
• Ask for a live video tour where the person shows the entrance, street, windows, kitchen, bathroom, and your room
• Search the address on Google Maps
• Ask whether you can register there for empadronamiento
• Ask what bills are included
• Ask how many people live there
• Ask for a written contract before sending money
• Avoid sending a large deposit before seeing the property or verifying the landlord
• Use safer payment methods with a traceable record
• Keep screenshots of the listing, messages, payment receipts, and landlord details

Questions to ask before accepting a room

• Can I register for empadronamiento at this address?
• Is there a written contract?
• How long is the contract?
• How much is the deposit?
• When and how is the deposit returned?
• Are utilities included?
• Who else lives in the apartment?
• Is smoking allowed?
• Are guests allowed?
• Is the room interior or exterior?
• Is heating included?
• Is there air conditioning?
• Is the internet already installed?
• Can I see the exact room I will rent?
• Can I speak with a current or previous tenant?

When you move in

Take photos and videos of everything before unpacking: walls, floors, furniture, mattress, appliances, bathroom, kitchen, windows, locks, and any existing damage. Send the photos to the landlord by email or WhatsApp so there is a timestamped record.

Keep a copy of: rental contract, landlord’s contact information, payment receipts, deposit receipt, photos and videos from move-in day, inventory list if provided, and messages about bills and conditions.

This may feel excessive, but it can prevent problems when you leave and ask for your deposit back.