Is this the right consulate for you?
The Sydney consulate covers a broad geographic area including several Pacific island nations. If you live in Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, or Western Australia, apply at Melbourne instead.
If you live in Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, or Western Australia, apply at the Melbourne consulate — not Sydney. If you live in the ACT or Queanbeyan, contact the Consular Section of the Spanish Embassy in Canberra.
Visa fees
Fees are paid by Australian Post money order only — no personal cheques or credit cards. Email the consulate to confirm the current fee for your nationality before posting your application.
Email to get your fee amount: Send your full name (as it appears on your passport), country of passport, and visa type (general student visa) to cog.sydney.vis@maec.es. The fee is paid by Australian Post money order made payable to "Consulate General of Spain". Do not include a personal cheque or credit card details.
Visa fees for Australian citizens applying for stays over 180 days are significantly higher than for stays under 180 days, due to fee reciprocity arrangements. Confirm the exact amount before purchasing your money order — it cannot be refunded.
Required documents
All documents must be originals with photocopies. Incomplete applications will be returned without processing. Foreign documents (not from Australia or Spain) must be apostilled and translated into Spanish by a sworn translator.
1
National visa application form
Download from the Sydney consulate website. Complete every section and sign it. If a minor, one parent or accredited representative must sign.
Use our form helper tool for field-by-field guidance.
2
Passport photograph
Recent passport-size colour photograph taken within the last 6 months. Light background, facing forward, no dark glasses or face coverings.
3
Valid passport
Original and photocopy of the biometric data page(s). Must be valid for at least the duration of your planned stay and contain two blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago are not accepted. Your passport will be posted back to you once the visa is issued or refused.
4
School acceptance letter
From your Instituto Cervantes accredited school in Spain. Must confirm: full-time study programme, start and end dates, and fees paid. Original and a copy.
All schools on this site are Instituto Cervantes accredited. Enrol here →
5
Proof of financial means
Minimum €600/month (100% of IPREM) for the duration of your stay. Acceptable evidence includes personal bank statements, scholarship letters, or a letter of financial support from a parent/guardian (with their passport copy and bank statements). If accommodation has been paid in full in advance, that amount can be deducted from the monthly minimum.
6
Health insurance
From a Spanish DGSFP-authorised insurer. Must cover all risks of Spain's public health system with no copayments, no deductibles, no waiting periods. Travel insurance is not accepted. Must be valid for the entire duration of your stay.
We partner with Atlántida — a DGSFP-registered Spanish insurer. Get a quote →
7
Criminal record check Stays over 180 days
For applicants over 18 whose stay exceeds 180 days: a criminal record check certificate from your country or countries of residence for the past 5 years. For Australian residents this means an Australian Federal Police (AFP) National Police Check — not a state police check. If you have lived in another country for 6+ months in the past 5 years, a police check from that country is also required. Non-Australian checks must be apostilled and translated into Spanish. Allow 4–6 weeks for AFP processing.
✓ AFP checks can be requested online at afp.gov.au/online-services/national-police-checks
8
Medical certificate Stays over 180 days
For stays exceeding 180 days: an original and copy of a medical certificate from a registered GP stating you do not suffer from diseases that may have serious public health repercussions under the International Health Regulations of 2005. Must not be more than 3 months old. Foreign documents (not from Australia or Spain) must be apostilled and translated.
⚠️ Sydney only requires the medical certificate for stays over 180 days — unlike Melbourne, which requires it for all applicants regardless of stay length.
9
Proof of residence in the consular district
Evidence of legal residence in NSW, QLD, NT, or one of the covered Pacific island nations. Utility bills, bank statements, or similar documents showing your name and address.
10
VEVO check Non-Australian passport holders only
If you do not hold an Australian passport, you must provide a VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online) printout confirming your current valid Australian residency visa. Obtain from border.gov.au/vevo. Make sure your current passport is linked to your Australian visa before printing.
11
Prepaid return envelope
A4 size registered envelope or A4 Express Post envelope with your name and address on it — for the consulate to return your passport. This is essential: without it your documents cannot be returned to you. Include it in your postal application.
⚠️ This is easy to forget and will result in your application being unable to be returned. Use an Australia Post Express Post Platinum envelope (A4 size) for secure tracked return.
12
Visa fee — Australian Post money order
Email the consulate to confirm the current amount for your nationality, then purchase an Australia Post money order for the exact amount, made payable to "Consulate General of Spain". No personal cheques or credit cards accepted. Include the money order with your application.
Step-by-step process
1
Email the consulate to confirm your visa fee
Email cog.sydney.vis@maec.es with your full name, country of passport, and "general student visa" as the visa type. Get the exact AUD amount confirmed before purchasing a money order — this is non-refundable and the amount varies by nationality.
⏰ Do this first, before gathering other documents
2
Start AFP check if needed (stays over 180 days)
Apply for your AFP National Police Check at afp.gov.au. Allow 4–6 weeks. If you've lived overseas for 6+ months in the past 5 years, also obtain a police check from that country (apostilled and translated).
⏰ Start immediately if stay exceeds 180 days
3
Enrol at an accredited school and get your acceptance letter
Your school must be Instituto Cervantes accredited. The letter must confirm admission, programme dates, full-time attendance, and fees paid.
⏰ As soon as you decide to go
4
Get your medical certificate if needed (stays over 180 days)
Book a GP appointment. The certificate must state the correct IHR 2005 wording. Valid for 3 months from issue date.
⏰ Within 3 months of posting your application
5
Purchase health insurance
Purchase from a DGSFP-authorised Spanish insurer. Must be valid from your intended arrival date through 15 days after your course ends. No copayments, no deductibles.
⏰ Several weeks before posting
6
Assemble your postal package
Compile: completed application form, photo, passport (original + copy), acceptance letter, financial proof, insurance, AFP check + translation (if needed), medical cert + translation (if needed), VEVO (if non-Australian), prepaid A4 Express Post return envelope, and the money order for the exact visa fee.
⏰ 2–3 months before course start
7
Post your application by registered/tracked mail
Post to: General Consulate of Spain, St. Martins Tower, Level 24, 31 Market Street, Sydney 2000 NSW Australia. Use registered or tracked post — you are sending your passport. Keep the tracking number. Do not book non-refundable travel until your visa is in hand.
⏰ Well in advance — at least 2 months before start date
8
Track your application
The consulate will send you a receipt code. Track at sutramiteconsular.maec.es. Processing takes up to 1 month. Your passport will be returned in the prepaid envelope you included.
⏰ After posting — allow ~1 month
Sydney-specific quirks
Postal visa applications only — no counter service for visa submissions. Sydney is one of very few Spanish consulates worldwide that operates entirely by post for student visa applications. You cannot walk in or book an appointment for visa purposes. Everything must be posted, including your passport. Use registered or Express Post Platinum for peace of mind.
You must include a prepaid A4 return envelope. Without a prepaid A4 registered or Express Post envelope with your name and address on it, the consulate cannot return your documents. This is a commonly missed step that can stall your application. Use Australia Post Express Post Platinum (A4 size) for tracked secure return.
Money order only — email first to get the amount. No personal cheques, bank transfers, or credit cards are accepted. Purchase an Australia Post money order for the exact amount confirmed by the consulate by email. Getting the amount wrong means your application cannot be processed.
Medical certificate only required for stays over 180 days. Unlike the Melbourne consulate (which requires a medical certificate from all applicants), Sydney only requires it for stays exceeding 180 days. This is a meaningful difference if your course is 3–6 months long.
Pacific island nations included. Sydney covers Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu in addition to the Australian states. If you live in one of these countries, apply to the Sydney consulate.
Frequently asked questions
Can I walk in to the consulate to submit my application? +
No — the Sydney consulate explicitly states that no applications will be accepted over the counter. Everything must be posted. This applies to all student visa applications without exception.
How do I get my passport back after submitting? +
You must include a prepaid A4 registered or Express Post envelope with your postal application. The consulate uses this to return your passport and documents. They don't provide envelopes — you must include your own. If you forget it, your documents cannot be returned until you send one separately.
What AFP check do I need and how do I get it? +
For stays over 180 days, you need an Australian Federal Police (AFP) National Police Check — not a state police check. Apply online at afp.gov.au/online-services/national-police-checks. Processing typically takes 2–15 business days for straightforward cases. The AFP check is issued as an Australian document, so no apostille is required — but it must be current (within 6 months of your visa application).
I'm not an Australian citizen — what extra do I need? +
You must provide a VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online) printout from border.gov.au/vevo confirming your current valid Australian residency visa. Make sure your current passport is linked to your Australian visa before printing the VEVO. This applies to all non-Australian passport holders applying through Sydney.
My course is 4 months — do I need a medical certificate? +
A 4-month course (approximately 120 days) results in a total visa period of about 165 days (120 + 30 before + 15 after) — under 180 days, so no medical certificate is required at Sydney. However, if your visa period exceeds 180 days for any reason, the medical certificate becomes compulsory.
I live in Western Australia — should I apply at Sydney? +
No — Western Australia falls under the Melbourne consulate's jurisdiction, not Sydney. Apply at the Melbourne consulate (Level 7, 564 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3004). Melbourne operates by in-person appointment only, unlike Sydney's postal system.